Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia

The 2020 Elections are only 2 weeks away! Be sure to #vote so your voice is heard! Be sure to check out the this week's reflection, and past election reflections, from the US Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph at http://cssjfed.org/civic-engagement

Sister Cynthia Ludwick SSJ sent notes to many of her friends and relatives, asking for their support of the Chance Drive. Have you gotten your chances? Grand Prize$10,000 (also 5 prizes of $500 each) Donation$5.00 each or $20.00 for a book of 5 chances. All proceeds benefit the retired Sisters of Saint Joseph and Saint Joseph Villa.... Visit https://ssjphila.networkforgood.com//21048-chance-drive-20 for more information and to purchase chances.

Today is #ElectionDay! Please get out and vote if you have not done so already

Today, we prayerfully remember all those who have gone before us. We think especially of those who have passed away in the past year, those who have passed due to complications from COVID-19, those who have died due to hatred or conflict and those who have no one to remember them. May they all rest in peace. #AllSoulsDay

Congratulations to these new Associates in Mission!

Join us as we celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Pope Francis' Laudato Sí encyclical on the care for our common home. Enjoy this week's excerpt from Laudato Sí and reflection questions.

November 1, 2020 The Sisters of Saint Joseph are deeply saddened and weary over the police shooting of a black manWalter Wallace Jr., in West Philadelphia on October 26. Our hearts broke as we watched video of Walter’s mother ... trying to shield her son from the police as she pleaded for his life explaining that he was her son who suffered with mental health issues before she witnessed his death. We hold Walter’s family in prayer as they mourn the loss of a son, a brother, a husband and a father. We also pray in gratitude for the police who serve us at risk of their own lives and do so with justice, integrity and compassion. Let us pray for patience in our city as we await the results of a thorough investigation of Walter’s death and continue to pray for peace in our hearts, our streets, our country and our world.

A reminder that we are all called to be saints. Have a blessed Feast of All Saints'!

Join us in #WrappingOurNationinPrayer

According to tradition, on October 15, 1650, in the chapel of the orphanage in Le Puy, France, Bishop de Maupas gave official existence the first six Sisters of Saint Joseph, giving them a holy rule to follow and placing them under the protection of Saint Joseph whose name they adopted. Clothed in the inconspicuous dress of the widows of that time, these six women launched a work that continues to the present day. Bishop de Maupas and Father Jean-Pierre Medaille, S.J. were th...e spiritual directors who understood the need for a religious congregation of women who would combine features of the contemplative and active life, and who would work for people who were poor and forgotten. Today (370 years later), still finds us dedicated to the practice of all the spiritual and corporal works of mercy which will most benefit the dear neighbor. (Primitive Constitutions)

A friendly reminder to please help support Saint Joseph Villa by shopping in person or online at Boscov's on October 14th or 15th from 9am-9pm. You save 20% off your purchases and the Villa receives 5% of your total purchase. Mention Saint Joseph Villa at the register or online at checkout.

Thoughtful Thursday...

The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia join LCWR in congratulating Archbishop Wilton Gregory on his elevation to cardinal. LCWR STATEMENT: The Leadership Conference of Women Religious rejoices over the news of the appointment of Archbishop Wilton Gregory as a cardinal in the Catholic Church. Over the years we have been grateful to Archbishop Gregory’s leadership within the church where he has not only been a strong pastoral presence, but also a fearless outspoken critic ...of injustice. His public stances on many critical matters such as the repair of the US immigration system, race relations, climate change, sexual abuse within the church, LGBTQ matters, and much more reveal his deep integrity and courage. In making this historic appointment of the first African-American cardinal, Pope Francis is clearly giving a message about the importance of assuring racial diversity at all levels of society and within the church. We are pleased that the African-American voice will be represented in this important decision-making body. As an organization headquartered in the Washington archdiocese, we are especially pleased to have the opportunity to work closely with Archbishop Gregory. We look forward to this continuing relationship and congratulate him on this important recognition of his gifts and abilities as an outstanding leader.

Today is the birthday of Fr. Jean Pierre Medaille, SJ, the co-founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph! Born on October 6, 1610, Fr. Médaille worked with six French... women--Françoise Eyraud, Clauda Chastel, Marguerite Burdier, Anna Chalayer, Anna Vey and Anna Brunto form the association that would become the Sisters of Saint Joseph. In honor of his 410th birthday, why not take a moment to pray his prayer "Join My Life to Yours": Jesus, Join My Life to Yours I want to unite my life to your life, my thought to your thoughts, my affections to your affections, my heart to your heart, my works to your works, my whole self to your self, in order to become through this union more holy and more pleasing in the sight of your Father and in order to make my life more worthy of your grace and of the reward of eternity. I want to join your intentions to my intentions, the holiness of your actions to mine and the excellence of your lofty virtues to the lowliness of mine. For example, when I pray, I will join the holiness of your prayer to mine: in the totality of my life as well as in its every detail, I will join the whole breadth and height of your divine intentions to whatever I have to do or to suffer. I will join, if possible, your looks to my eyes, your holy words to my tongue, your meekness to my gentleness, your humiliations and self-emptying to my humility, in a word, your whole divine spirit to my actions: and when, in some one of my works, I discover something not inspired by your spirit and which proceeds rather from my self-centeredness or from some poorly mortified affection, I will renounce it and disown it with my whole heart. No, my Jesus, I promise myself to have nothing in me which is not in union with your lofty virtues. Jean-Pierre Medaille SJ

Another successful food distribution day for the SSJ Neighborhood Center! We are so proud of all of their good work!

We were blessed to have Archbishop Nelson Perez visit the SSJ Welcome Center on October 1, 2020. He spent time in conversation with us about our ministry with t...he immigrants of Philadelphia. We gave him a tour of our space and he shared a blessing for our ministry, our ‘dear neighbors’ and our buildings. We were delighted that he visited and experienced what we already know is ‘holy ground on Allegheny Avenue’! God is good.

Don't forget to buy your chances! Due to the pandemic, to help keep everyone safe and healthy, we will only be selling chances for our Annual Chance Drive online this year. Please help us make this year's Chance Drive especially successful by getting your ticket online! Grand Prize$10,000 (also 5 prizes of $500 each) Donation$5.00 each or $20.00 for a book of 5 chances... For additional information, contact any Sister of Saint Joseph or the Development Office at 800-482-6510 and [email protected]