The Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker e-Newsletter

Winter 2011 Newsletter

2011-11-19T18:52:00.003-05:00

Dear Friends and Family,

Praised be Jesus Christ! We are happy to announce that our newsletter is now available in blog format. Click any of the links below to view the articles and photos. The blog will be updated each time we print our newsletter, which we will continue to do bi-annually. If you do not currently receive an email when we publish our digital newsletter and would like to, please click the "Subscribe" tab at the top of the page.

God bless you!

The Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker

Click the "Home" tab above when you're done to return to this list.

Winter 2011: Letter from Mother Mary Christina, SJW

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Our Co - Founder, Bishop Richard Ackerman

During this coming year, the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker will celebrate a year of spirituality. During this time we wish to enrich our understanding and explore the history of our community. Because of this coming year of spirituality, I thought that I would introduce you to our beloved co-founder, Bishop Richard H. Ackerman.

This year is the 19th anniversary of the death of Bishop Richard H. Ackerman. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on August 30th, 1903. In his early years he wanted to be a priest and graduated at the top of his high school class in 1920. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Duquesne School of Drama and briefly contemplated a career as an actor. But he heeded God’s call and decided to follow his earlier dream of the priesthood. He was ordained a priest of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in 1926.

During his life he served his community and the Church in many different capacities. He served as the assistant novice master, editor of the magazine The Paraclete, philosophy teacher, and National Director of the Holy Childhood Association.

In 1953 he was named auxiliary bishop of San Diego, CA. He became the Bishop of the Diocese of Covington, KY in 1960. Along with Mother Ellen Curran, he founded the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker in 1974. Amidst all his many and varied duties as a Bishop, he was always interested in the Sisters and helped the community in many ways.

God blessed him with a keen intellect and a willingness to do whatever he was called to do by his community and by the Church. In his later years, he was asked how he would summarize his life. He commented that he would like his tombstone to summarize his life by these simple words: “He loved the Church.”

Those words do indeed sum up his life. He used all his God-given talents to build up the body of Christ. He is a wonderful example to all of us. His life reminds us that our gifts are not to be rendered sterile but are to be used to help the least among us.

May God grant each of you a blessed holiday season and may you be given the grace to enrich the lives of others with your God-given gifts.

Yours in Christ,

Mother Mary Christina

Mother Mary Christina was elected the third Superior General of the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker at our 7th General Chapter in July of 2011. She is a registered nurse and was administrator of our nursing home, Taylor Manor, for twenty-one years.

Pictured at left: Mother Mary Christina, surrounded by her council. From left to right: Sr. Therese Marie, Sr. Mary Catherine, Sr. Patricia Jean, and Sr. Celeste Marie.

Winter 2011: Sr. Mary Faustina's Perpetual Vows

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Sr. Mary Faustina Zugelder professed her perpetual vows of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience on August 14th, 2011. Bishop Roger Foys of the Diocese of Covington, KY offered the Mass. Sr. Faustina’s family came from Colorado for the celebration. We rejoice with our Sister as she gives herself to Christ as His spouse forever! Alleluia!

Top: Sr. Mary Faustina pronounces her perpetual vows during the Mass as Bishop Foys witnesses; 2nd: Sr. Mary Faustina (R) and Mother Christina (L) stand with Bishop Roger Foys of the Diocese of Covington and the Sisters' chaplain, Msgr. Due following the Profession Mass; 3rd: Sr. Mary Faustina and her parents present the gifts to Bishop Foys during the offertory; Bottom: Sr. Mary Faustina and her family with Bishop Foys

Winter 2011: Sr. Margaret Mary at Ave Maria University

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Sr. Margaret Mary, who teaches music for all grades at St. Joseph Academy, is taking a sabbatical for the 2011-2012 school year to audit classes at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, FL. She writes:

"Praised be Jesus Christ! I am looking forward to my sabbatical during the 2011-2012 school year, because I will have the opportunity to study at Ave Maria University (located 45 minutes from Ft. Myers, FL). I know this endeavor will help me grow spiritually and academically. I want to do my best in my studies so I can better serve my students and make use of the gifts God has given me when I return to my regular duties, but most importantly, I want to grow in sanctity."

To follow Sister’s progress during her sabbatical, you can read her blog HERE.

Winter 2011: Sr. Agnes Edward Boarman, SJW: 1913-2011

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Sr. Agnes Edward was born in Tompkinsville, MD to Agnes and Edward Boarman on May 4th, 1913. She was christened Gertrude Thelma. Hearing the call of Our Lord at the age of 19, she entered the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Nazareth, KY. She was given the name Sr. Agnes Edward, for her parents, when she received the habit on March 24th, 1933. She professed her first vows on March 25th, 1934, and her perpetual vows on March 25th, 1937.

Her apostolic work as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth took Sister as far away as Massachusetts. She taught primary grade school in Bridgeport, OH and Calvert City, KY. She directed and cared for orphaned children in Lowell, MA; Barton, OH; and Anchorage, KY. For nearly twenty years she served as a personnel director, first at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY and later at Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Louisville, KY. Following her last assignment at Our Lady of Peace, Sister went on to assist with the Mission work, and became the executive housekeeper at the SCN Motherhouse in Nazareth.

The early years after Vatican II were a time of great upheaval in the Church and in religious life especially. At this time, then-Sister Ellen Curran realized that her community was taking a direction that she could not, in conscience, follow. Sr. Agnes Edward was one of the 18 original Sisters of Charity of Nazareth that joined Mother Ellen to become the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker. After nearly thirty years as a professed Sister of Charity of Nazareth, Sr. Agnes Edward took the leap of faith and, once again, left behind everything she knew to follow her beloved Spouse.

As a Sister of St. Joseph the Worker, Sr. Agnes Edward took care of domestic work at the Motherhouse in Walton, and also in Maysville, KY until that house was closed in the early 1990’s. Shortly thereafter, Sr. Agnes Edward retired to our nursing home, Taylor Manor and lived there for the next two decades. On July 26th, during our General Chapter, Our Lord beckoned again to Sr. Agnes Edward. That morning, surrounded by her community, she passed into eternity having been a professed religious for over seventy-seven years. May Christ who called her, lead her home. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat ei. Amen.

Winter 2011: Religious Vocations

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A vocation is a call from God – a call to love and to become holy. Religious achieve this through spousal union with Jesus Christ, and the support of community life. The heart of a religious vocation is falling in love with the Person of Jesus Christ. Being deeply in love with Him, she is moved to share His love with others; therefore, from her life of prayer, she reaches out to all people to lead them to eternal salvation. Thus, her apostolic work is putting His love into action, by ministering to God’s people.

If you are discerning a vocation to the religious life, and would like to contact us for more information or to arrange a visit, please feel free to email us at contact@ssjw.org or visit our website at www.ssjw.org. Please include your name, age, home parish and pastor in any emails. Requests for a "Come and See" visit and other inquiries regarding vocations that do not include this information will not be answered.

Winter 2011: Photos

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Mouseover the slide show to pause it and view at your own pace. Or, click HERE to view photos in Picasa. Click the "Home" tab above to return to the list of articles.

Coming Soon!

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The Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker's e-newsletter will be going online with its next publication in Fall 2011. The blog is currently under construction, but keep checking back - we'll be live soon!

God bless you,
The Sisters