Dear Neighbor Fall 2019

Published by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Pennsylvania

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

fall 2019

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O ✛ leadership team letter

‘our history is still open’

About the cover Sister Patti Rossi

greets a mother and two children selling

The members of the Leadership Team are front row, from left, Sister Lyn Szymkiewicz and Sister Sharon Costello; back row, from left, Sister Jean Uzupis and Sister Mary Parks.

braided friendship bracelets on the

Dear Neighbor,

Mexican side of the

As Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, we are celebrating our 150th birthday this year.

Anniversaries are an opportunity to be grateful for what has been and to look

Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge.

Read the story on Page 4. page 2

forward in hope to what will come.

While we are tremendously grateful for the many ways you have helped us to meet the challenges of our Gospel mission these many years, we are also aware that even at the ripe old age of 150, we are not done. God is not done with us! We still have Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

Inside this Issue Restoring dignity

4

Engaging millennials

10

Feeding the hungry

12

Fostering children

14

Walking with Associates

18

important hopes for our Earth and the people living on it. We dare to believe that our hopes are God’s hopes for us!

Celebrating Jubilarians

20

Leaving a legacy

24

We also trust that you continue to share our dream for a safer world, cleaner environment and for the space and time to speak our hopes to the God who loves us and to listen in a deeply quiet place for what God wants

Expressing gratitude

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Annual report

28

Celebrating with us

35

to speak to us in this moment.

Without the lives of the Sisters from our earliest days, we would not be who we are today. Without the efforts of our parents, grandparents and older ancestors, we would not be as advanced as we are at this moment.

Their gifts are our grace and none of it has any meaning outside of God. Is it any wonder that we have deep trust that God has us now as in the past and will continue to hold us into the future no matter how uncertain?

These words from one of our favorite hymns convey the truth of our lives: “In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. In every age, O God, you have been our hope.”

Thank you for being our dear neighbors and partners in the Gospel imperative to love others without making any exceptions, and let us heed the words of Pope Francis as we step out into the future together: “Get Up! Look! Hope! Always look at the horizon and go forward. Our history is still open. It is open to the end. It is open to mission.”

With love and hope,

Barbara Hecht – Editor Phone: 724-869-6566 Email: bhecht@stjoseph-baden.org Dear Neighbor Contributors Barbara Hecht Director of Communications Alison Lucci Marketing Communications Specialist Erin Ninehouser Communications Specialist Jeanne Minnicks Director of Development Sister Gerrie Grandpre Staff Photographer Sister Norma Bandi Sister Mary Susan Connell Sister Michelle Prah Karyn Zaffuto Proofreaders Barb Sterchele, Omega Design Group Design/Layout Permission must be granted for reprinting articles that appear in the magazine.

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stjoseph-baden.org page 3

R ✛ oneness

restoring dignity Sisters offer hope to migrants at border

Hands of Hefferson and Sister Janice

As six-year-old Hefferson shows Sister Janice Vanderneck the colorful beaded bracelet he is making, she notices the scarring and discoloration on his small hands. The young Guatemalan boy was burned when his family’s store was doused in gasoline and set ablaze.

Heartbreaking stories of violence, oppression and relentless poverty are widespread among migrant families passing through the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas, where Sisters Janice, Jeanette Bussen, Patti Rossi, and friends Maureen Haggarty and Carol McCracken met Hefferson, his father and many other asylum seekers. Inspired by the Gospel’s call to love our neighbors and compelled by reports of dehumanizing conditions at the border and inside federal facilities, the group traveled to Texas in August to help restore dignity to families just released from the largest border patrol processing center in the country.

For thousands of migrant families from Central America, the long and perilous journey north offers the chance of a safe, new beginning. Following protocol, Hefferson and his father approached a

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“Despite the desperate conditions, I find there was such a sense of radiant hope among these families,” says Sister Patti, a former missionary who served in Brazil, Jamaica and Haiti. “Even after having to leave their parents, siblings or grandparents, they were still able to smile.”

Migrants are bused five miles from the federal detention center to the central bus station and led across the street to the respite center, which relocated to the space in June. With visible remnants of its former life as a nightclub, the building appears to be in transition much like the courageous families within it. Standing near a row of high-top tables, Sister Norma Pimentel, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, points out that the curved bar is now stocked with diapers and deodorant instead of bottles and beverages. An area of red tile that stands out from the otherwise dark flooring resembles a dance floor. The space finds new purpose, catering to weary families Sisters Jeanette, Janice, Patti and friend Maureen bring towels to the center. sleeping on thin blue mats in subdued and somber surroundings.

United States Port of Entry and waited for their turn Young families arrive at the center in soiled to speak with Customs and Border Protection officials clothing and often have not showered, eaten a hearty to legally request asylum. It was a bittersweet moment meal or slept well in days. Many have blistered feet since they could not afford to bring all of their loved from wearing ragged or ill-fitting shoes. They lack ones. His father worries about the safety of relatives left behind in Guatemala, especially Hefferson’s mother and shoelaces and belts, which are seized by border patrol, though some have repurposed the silver Mylar blankets grandmother, who sustained serious burns in the fire.

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distributed at the detention center into makeshift shoelaces, belts and hair ties. Several of them report waiting for months in Mexico – in overflowing shelters, dangerous slums, or on the streets – for an opportunity to seek asylum in the U.S. Although their journeys originated in different countries, they are united by shared experiences of fleeing circumstances that threatened their lives and livelihoods.

“What a privilege it is to be able to be among the first people to welcome this family to our country,” says Sister Janice after tearfully listening to a Venezuelan man describe his family’s harrowing journey.

Sister Patti helps a boy carry his dinner plate.

Families at the respite center receive basic necessities and warm hospitality before departing for the next leg of their journey to unite with family members residing in the U.S. With open hearts and able hands, volunteers work in unity to clean bathrooms, serve hot meals, assemble hygiene bags, and distribute shoes and clothing to those eager to shower. The Sisters respond to different needs each day and infuse each task with the love and respect deserving of all God’s people.

“Each bag has a recipient and is connected to a Sister Janice welcomes a Venezuelan man to center.

person,” Maureen reflects one afternoon as the women

Sisters of St. Josep

1650

1869

Arrive in Ebensburg to establish a convent and Mount Gallitzin Seminary for Boys

Originate in Le Puy, France, with our Jesuit founder, Jean-Pierre Medaille page 6

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A history of helping our brothers and sisters “In an immediate response to a plea from Catholic Social Services, the Congregation opened its doors to about 60 refugees who were on the brink of being sent from their cramped camp in Thailand to their native land – and certain death – in Cambodia. Life where murder, disease, executions, and injustices were commonplace was etched into the refugees’ faces.

The horror would never fully be recounted to their hosts. In fact, very little of the nightmare left behind would ever be spoken. It was, after all, a new beginning . . . a time to dream and to plan for the future . . . and a time to adjust to the American way of life.”

-- Congregational Archives, 1981

The Khon family

pack a comb, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste and hand towel into the tote bags that families receive upon arrival. “This is truly humanitarian, people-topeople work.”

to replace their tattered shoes with comfortable new footwear. With grateful hearts, the Sisters continue to direct donations to the urgent needs of migrant children and families.

Thanks to the generosity of donors who contributed $14,650.51 to support our efforts to serve migrants at the border, the Sisters were able to assist with immediate needs including coffee for mealtimes, towels for hygiene kits, pants and belts for men, leggings for expectant mothers and several shopping carts filled with shoes. Men, women and children at the center are deeply grateful for the opportunity

“This is truly a life-changing experience for me,” says Carol, reflecting on how the struggles and the joy of these families touched her soul. “This truth now resides in my heart.”

Despite the circumstances, the group finds abundant joy in being present to these resilient families. Children shriek and cheer one afternoon as

h History Timeline

1901 Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

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Relocate to Baden to establish a new Motherhouse and Mount Gallitzin Academy

1904 Open St. Joseph Hospital and Nursing School on Pittsburgh’s South Side page 7

the Sisters swing a large yellow jump rope in circles for them. During craft projects, they help children paint, cut construction paper and create Popsicle stick puppets.

The makeshift craft area entertains children of all ages, and their artwork, ranging from superheroes to handdrawn family portraits, decorates the walls.

Sisters Jeanette and Patti swing jump rope for children.

Sisters Jeanette and Patti, both former teachers, open a set of flashcards and invite several children to practice English words and phrases, which helps them to learn the children’s names and their countries of origin. Undeterred by the language barrier, Sister Jeanette communicates with her new students through hand gestures, games and a translation app on her cell phone.

“I realized how bright they are and how much the world loses by not giving them opportunity,” says Sister Jeanette, who has worked to promote the dignity of all God’s people through her ministries in education and advocacy.

Sister Janice, who serves Pittsburgh’s Latino community through Casa San José, tenderly listens to the migrants’ stories, comforts single parents, jokes with the children and serves as a translator between families and volunteers. A young mother desperate to find proper care for her five-year-old son with cerebral palsy bursts into tears of gratitude after Sister Janice listens to her needs and acts as a translator to connect her with a volunteer who is able to help.

Sister Patti helps a child paint.

Sisters of St. Josep

1926

Open first foreign mission in Hunan Province in China to serve in orphanage and hospital

1921 Open St. Joseph Infant Home in Ebensburg to care for abandoned babies and toddlers page 8

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Sister Jeanette ‘high fives’ a young boy.

“She wasn’t just translating,” says Pam, a volunteer and professional disability advocate who relied on Sister Janice to help her communicate with the family.

“God was working!”

Pam was one of many compassionate volunteers from across the country whose kind, gentle presence permeates the center. Selfless volunteers from high schools, universities, Jewish synagogues and Methodist, Baptist and Catholic churches across the country arrive

at the respite center each day. Befriending many of the volunteers, the Sisters welcome newcomers and comfort those distressed by the plight of the migrant families.

The camaraderie among those answering the call to be present to our migrant brothers and sisters is evident even as one group departs, and another arrives.

“This is the Kingdom,” Sister Janice exclaims one afternoon. “The goodness of people - that’s what I’m taking away from this.”

h History Timeline

1934 Establish Mt. Gallitzin High School for Girls at the Motherhouse in Baden

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1950

Teach more than 15,000 elementary and secondary students in 41 schools page 9

✛ youth

engaging a new generation The call to educate and offer spiritual guidance to young people has shaped much of our Congregation’s ministries over the past 150 years. Five days after our formation in Ebensburg in 1869, the Sisters opened a boarding school, Mt. Gallitzin Seminary, and welcomed the first class of 14 boys.

Education was a core ministry of the Sisters over the decades.

From this foundation, a lasting and loving legacy in education grew. Serving as educators and administrators in schools and universities across nearly a dozen states, the Sisters were instrumental in the academic and faith formation of thousands of students. Today, the Sisters are energized by young people who seek to create a world of wholeness and holiness alongside them.

“We want to meet young people where they are, to understand what they value, and to know what makes them passionate,” Sister Valerie Zottola, Coordinator of Vocation Ministry, says, emphasizing the Sisters’ desire to foster a culture of spiritual engagement and dialogue with youth. “We do know that many young people care about diversity and inclusion, the environment, the economy and health care, the ‘least’ of their neighbors - as well as finding meaning and purpose in their own lives.”

In 2018, the Congregation made a commitment to foster a “culture of vocations” to help young adults find their meaning and purpose in life - whether as a religious or a lay person. It’s taking many forms, such as Sippin’ with the Sisters, part of a national movement called Nuns and Nones that seeks

Sisters of St. Josep

1961 Form the Auxiliary to help support education of Sisters

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1961 Open Fontbonne Academy, a high school for girls in Bethel Park

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to connect Catholic Sisters with spiritually diverse or nonspiritual millennials who long for a more just, equitable, and loving world. More than a dozen young people accepted an invitation from the Sisters to discuss life’s big questions over appetizers and drinks at Trinity House in June.

Crowded onto couches and balancing plates of cheese and cookies on their laps, some with a beer in hand, attendees were warmly welcomed by the Sisters, who encouraged all to reflect on what it means to live a life of meaning. After introductions, small groups dispersed throughout the house, settling into intimate conversations where people who had met just minutes before opened up about deeply painful experiences of

loss, addiction, estrangement from family, and crises of faith. Young people talked about everything from their professions to their love lives to how they found a spiritual home, or, perhaps, have struggled to.

Reconvening as a large group before the night’s end, people reflected on how profound the conversations were, describing the time together as therapeutic, inspiring, and restorative - an antidote to the fast and shallow interactions of a social media culture.

Inside and outside the Motherhouse, the Sisters are creating new opportunities to carry their values and mission forward through engaging young people spiritually, ecologically and socially.

Building relationships with millennials

h History Timeline

1963

Staff Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., in nursing, administration and social work

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1965

Return to spiritual roots and adapt to contemporary times to serve the people as a result of Vatican Council II

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✛ outreach

feeding those who are hungry Long before the “daily bread” ministry opens at 1 p.m. at the Center for Hope in Ambridge, dozens of low-income residents and pregnant women line up for donated bread and fresh produce to feed themselves and their families.

“They get very excited, waiting in line for a loaf of bread and fresh vegetables because they don’t have the money to purchase them,” says Sue Otto, Director of the Center for Hope. “An added benefit is that they can eat healthy, which leads to better wellness. We are very grateful for the donations.”

In 2018, a total of 2,916.25 pounds of produce and 69 dozen eggs from chickens raised on the property fed the Sisters and our neighbors through Beaver County partnerships, including Center for Hope, the Ladle in Ambridge, Manna House in Aliquippa and the Salvation Army in Rochester.

Volunteers harvest vegetables.

From apples to zucchinis, 965.5 pounds of produce were harvested from Miriam’s and Elizabeth’s community gardens on the Congregation’s grounds and donated to the Center’s daily bread ministry that operates Monday through

Sisters of St. Josep

1966 Join the Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph in this founding year of the organization page 12

1967 Send missionaries to Brazil to offer religious, education, pastoral and health services

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Thursday. Just a 5.2-mile drive from the center is Manna House, where every Tuesday a free dinner is served for neighbors in need. More than 680 pounds of vegetables, including tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, green beans and peppers, were donated last year to Manna House from the gardens tended by volunteers and Sisters.

The 80-plus acres on the grounds bear a rich and fertile history because of the Sisters’ commitment to caring for and stewarding the Earth. In 1901, the Sisters moved from Ebensburg to Baden where they continued to maintain the property as a farm. They raised chickens, pigs, cows and horses. They grew corn, oats, cabbage, peas, beans, beets, Swedish turnips, tomatoes, lettuce, endive, rhubarb, horse radish, strawberries and much more. They tended grape arbors and planted fruit and shade trees. The harvest helped to sustain the Sisters and the boys who boarded at Mount Gallitzin Academy.

To assist with the chores on the sprawling land, the Sisters provided immigrants with jobs, which was especially valuable to them during the Depression.

Setting a table for our neighbors In 1994, our Sisters began feeding the bodies and souls of an underserved, marginalized population at the Jubilee Kitchen in Pittsburgh. What began as a soup kitchen in 1981 to feed the desperately poor expanded over the years to address their growing needs for literacy, employment and education as pathways to self-sufficiency. Serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Jubilee Kitchen is Sister Mary Bernard Toomey.

The Baden property has evolved today into an on-site ecology ministry that preserves the grounds, produces honey for all-natural products, raises egglaying chickens, harvests vegetables for Sisters and guests in the Motherhouse, and addresses food shortages in Beaver County.

h History Timeline

1979

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Send missionaries to Liberia to offer religious, education and pastoral services

1985

Formalize the Associates, lay members who support our mission and ministry as Catholic Sisters

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✛ foster care

caring for God’s precious ones . . . a long and lasting legacy of love Nestled between tall evergreens and the shadow of Cornerstone Baptist Church, formerly St. Walburga Parish, the home of Sister Lynn Miller and Sister Sandy Kiefer sits on the hilly side of Campania Street in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood.

Sunlight streams into the kitchen, lighting up the winsome smiles of 11-year old Javonna and her younger sister Jazmine. Bright eyes shining below the brims of their sparkly “My Little Pony” ballcaps, the girls eagerly recount the fun of swimming lessons earlier that day as Sister Lynn spreads peanut butter over crackers for their afternoon snack.

Javonna carefully arranges her toys on the window sill, sharing each one’s name and story.

The sisters are two of the 91 children that Sisters Lynn and Sandy have cared for since becoming state-certified foster parents in 1994.

Children are placed in foster care when it’s discovered by child welfare workers, or sometimes by law enforcement officers, that their home environment is unsafe. Often, the parents are living in poverty, battling

Sisters of St. Josep

1990

1993

Send Sisters to Porous, Jamaica, to nurture self-reliance among the poor

Establish the first Girls Hope in the United States

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Jazmine sits patiently as Sister Lynn braids her hair before church.

mental illness or a substance use disorder, or struggling to remain stably housed. “The first goal of the system, and of ours as foster parents,” Sister Sandy explains, “is always to reunify the family.” That’s determined by the family courts, which assess the recovery and stability of the parent.

“What they go through is heart wrenching for them,” recalls Sister Lynn. “They are affected by their parents who vacillate between being healthy and not.

The girls pray for their Mom every day.” She marvels at their resiliency, their spiritual capacity for wonder, their love of learning, and of flowers, especially, and how the joy of their presence has deeply enriched the Sisters’ lives. “These girls are exceptional - it’s so easy for them to see beauty and they help me to see beauty.”

As foster parents, the Sisters’ time with each child is finite, making every moment together a precious gift from God. In addition to providing a warm, loving home, they focus on giving the children the opportunities any other child would have: to take swimming classes or a music lesson, join the baseball team, or simply to have someone to spend time with, reading, coloring, or working on projects. “You realize how important a family bond is, how strong, and the tenderness you have to have for a child to support that bond,” Sister Sandy reflects. “The vulnerability of the children has made me realize how blessed I’ve been, the gifts I’ve been given. Being a foster parent has helped me move beyond myself and care for others as Jesus has taught us, to open our homes and our hearts.”

A table in the living room overflows with the girls’ art supplies and books.

h History Timeline

1993 Co-found Sisters Place with 14 congregations of Catholic Sisters

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1994 Welcome first child into Congregation’s Foster Care Program page 15

✛ foster care

Sisters balance babies and toddlers at the Infant Home in Ebensburg in 1926.

“This house was started as a place offering hospitality to the families of transplant patients in the early 80s,” Sister Lynn explains.

Freely and lovingly sharing one’s resources, spiritual, financial, and emotional, is a hallmark of Sisters of St. Joseph’s ministries, stretching back to the fall of 1921 with the opening of the St. Joseph Infant Home in Ebensburg where, for the next 38

years, the Sisters cared for hundreds of newborns and toddlers. Records show that three girls and three boys - all orphans with no surnames - were listed on the home’s first registry: Anna Marie, Eugene, Francis, Paul Charles, Mary and Elizabeth.

Hoping to offer the children a better start to their lives, the Sisters served as nurses, cooks and caregivers.

Sisters of St. Josep

1997 Open Villa St. Joseph to serve growing needs of aging population page 16

1999 Establish St. Joseph Spirituality Center Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

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Sisters Lynn and Sandy carry that tradition forward, noting that the experience of being a foster parent has not only deepened their faith, but also their understanding of the injustices families in poverty face.

“Both of us work with kids and families, we see difficult situations, but I understand so much more than I ever would have had I not been a foster parent,” Sister Sandy says. “I think about the single Moms working one or two jobs, trying to care for three kids, who don’t have the time to sit and do homework, or the money for glue sticks, or even a safe place to live.”

Sister Lynn agrees, adding that they have received far more from the children they have cared for over the past twenty-five years than they could ever give. “It’s hard to call the foster care program a ministry because it is our life together,” she notes, gazing down at baby Amelia, who sleeps like an angel in Sister Sandy’s arms.

“At times when I’m alone with her, I feel the presence of God in her drawing out the presence of God in me.”

Now age two, Amelia came to them as a six-week old infant, suffering from an incurable metabolic disorder which leaves her physically weak. Though Amelia’s life is expectancy is short, the impression she’s made on the Sisters’ hearts is immutable.

“These children have taught us how to love unconditionally, how to trust,” Sister Sandy adds, waking Amelia with a gentle kiss on the forehead.

Sister Sandy cradles Amelia.

With your donation to the United Way, you can help Sisters Lynn and Sandy continue to provide a caring home for children, many of whom have complex medical, emotional, and psychological needs. Please choose United Way agency code 7260 to support the Sisters of St. Joseph Foster Care Program.

h History Timeline

1999

Plant seeds for Earth Tones ministry as expression of sustainability

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2010 Send Sister to Nicaragua to respond to health and spiritual needs of the poor

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✛ associates

walking in faith with the Sisters “The first time I walked through these doors, I felt a peace I’d never known before,” recalls Associate Carla Gregory, as she looks toward the Motherhouse dining room entrance, careful not to let anyone attending the annual “Afternoon with Associates” Tea pass without a warm greeting and embrace.

Reflecting on what drew her into the Congregation of St. Joseph Association more than a decade ago, Carla, now the Association’s co-director, credits “the spirit of the Sisters, the kindness and compassion they have for each other and for everyone they meet.

We’re very blessed to be here with them,” she says, helping Sisters prepare plates of homemade desserts from the sprawling cookie table before them.

Associate Judy Lewis welcomes Sister Mary Morgan to Tea.

The annual “Afternoon with Associates” Tea is one of several social events the Association hosts to gather Sisters together and show appreciation for their spiritual guidance and prayerful support. Through the CSJ Association, each member is matched with a Sister, who becomes their “Prayer Partner.”

The pairs keep in touch throughout the year, sharing special moments or at times, spiritual struggles, continually lifting each other up in prayer. It’s

Sisters of St. Josep

2011 Establish Beaver County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition page 18

2012 Start Pets with Heart, a faith-based pet therapy outreach

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Embracing a commitment to the Congregation’s spirit of unity and reconciliation, Associates develop a five-year plan during Chapter, meet in small faithsharing groups, attend retreats and days of prayer, and volunteer. They also host community gatherings with the Sisters, such as the annual Tea and Christmas caroling party.

Associate Linda Biel smiles after taking photos of “prayer partners” on her cell phone.

the power of these relationships, along with a desire to support the Sisters’ mission of serving God and the “dear neighbor” without distinction that has helped the CSJ Association grow to more than 100 members since its formation in 1985.

A yearly retreat offers people interested in becoming an Associate the opportunity to study the Congregation’s Consensus and Directional Statements, spirituality, history, maxims, and charism – or spirit. Associates help lead these orientation programs with support from the Sisters. Upon completion, new members are welcomed into the Association at an annual installation ceremony at the Motherhouse Chapel.

“For me, being able to walk the walk in faith with these women who have been such an integral part of my life is really special. You don’t have to have letters behind your name to feel loved and accepted here,” Associate Carol Brown says.

“I always felt loved,” says Linda Biel, who became an Associate at the invitation of Sister Ursula Grimes more than twenty-five years ago. Inspired by the Sisters’ warmth and hospitality, Linda has recruited several friends to share in the joy of this mutual faith journey, adding that “being a part of the Sisters’ charism, I found that I already had it, too.”

Help move our mission forward For more information about joining the Associates, contact Judy Lewis at 412-831-5654 or lewisjudith68@gmail.com.

h History Timeline

2013

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

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Establish Casa San José to respond to the needs of Latino community

2019

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M ✛ jubilee

moving toward profound love of God and neighbor 24 Sisters celebrate a total of 1,525 years of service

Whether serving young children or aging seniors, Sister Lisa Balcerek shares a listening heart and calming presence with all whom she meets.

25th Jubilarian

After teaching five years at Mount Gallitzin Academy in Baden, Sister Lisa felt called to be with children in a different way. From 2003 to 2014, she ministered as chaplain at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where she responded to “a child’s joy, openness and keen awareness of life” or to “the fear, pain and grief of parents.”

Sister Lisa most recently served as Director of Pastoral Care and Mission Integration at Concordia at Villa St. Joseph where she affirmed the sacredness and dignity of life in the midst of residents’ losses and limitations.

Sister Lisa Balcerek, CSJ

Reflecting on the Congregation’s charism, she says, “The core of unity is relationship. It is not so much about the type of ministry in which I am engaged, but the manner of presence in which I do it. It is about finding God and bringing God into every encounter I have with others.”

Building on her healing ministries, Sister Lisa recently earned an Executive Masters of Art in Health Care Mission from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, a program for leaders in health care.

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75th Jubilarian

Sister Ruth Colaianne, CSJ

Known as a gentle - but firm - teacher, Sister Ruth (Vincent) Colaianne served in education for more than 30 years in 11 schools throughout the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg, Atlanta, GA, and St. Petersburg, FL. From 1968-1971, Sister Ruth was principal of Fontbonne Academy in Bethel Park. In 1979, she moved into diocesan leadership ministries in religious education and, later, parish social ministries. From 1979-1986, she served as a Religious Education Consultant for Catholic Schools in the Pittsburgh Diocese, and from 1986-1992, she worked in the Religious Education Department in the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese, as Consultant for Religious Education in Catholic Schools.

Inquisitive and interpersonal, Sister Ruth maintained relationships with former Sisters who were among three feeder prayer groups that evolved into the Associate lay program. In retirement, Sister Ruth embraced new opportunities to advance the Congregation’s mission to serve God and neighbor. She coordinated the annual fundraising calendar, made sandwiches for the poor, and discovered more time for prayer.

An avid reader and engaging storyteller, Sister Ruth has a refreshing sense of humor and a generous spirit. Taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Ruth says a “deep and loving concern for others” continues to guide her prayers and presence.

Whether teaching children or tending Creation, Sister Mary Urban Handte extends God’s love to all those she meets.

75th Jubilarian

Sister Mary Urban served as a teacher for more than 40 years in the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg, Atlanta, GA, Columbus, OH, Miami, FL, and abroad. Primarily teaching second graders, she joyfully prepared them for First Holy Communion and modeled the compassion of the Sisters of St. Joseph who taught her in grade school and inspired her to enter the Congregation.

Sister Mary Urban was a missionary from 1982-1986 in Liberia, West Africa, where she served as a teacher and supported families in a rural area. Despite the challenges, “being with the people” was one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

Sister Mary Urban Handte, CSJ

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In 1986, Sister Mary Urban began caring for the Motherhouse grounds. She continues to tend a garden that she visits regularly to feel the peace of God’s presence. She credits her parents, who operated a dairy farm, for her love of working outdoors and being among God’s creatures.

Known for her humble nature, Sister Mary Urban is energized by daily Mass and believes the best way to approach each day is to “do the best we can because that’s all God asks of us.” page 21

70th

Jubilarians Sisters of St. Joseph who are celebrating their 70th Jubilees are front, from left, Sisters Donna Marie Beck (passed away June 12) and Mary Eileen Cook; back, from left, Sisters Jeanne Scott, Patricia Cummings and Dorothy Gourley.

65th

Jubilarians Sisters of St. Joseph who are celebrating their 65th Jubilees are front, from left, Sisters Ann Francis Hanley, Mary Ann Siedlarczyk and Nancy Hupert; back, from left, Sisters Ada McMahon, Margaret Ann Parrish, Patricia Rossi, Dolores Partsch and Norma Zanieski.

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60th

Jubilarians Sisters of St. Joseph who are celebrating their 60th Jubilees are front, from left, Sisters Remigia Kushner, Ann Zita McLaughlin (passed away March 22) and Marilyn Washington; back, from left, Sisters Caritas Marshall, Dolores Montini, Joyce Smith, Patricia Phillips and Roseann Gaul.

25th

Associates Associates celebrating 25-year anniversaries are, from left, Lorena Sue Boyce, Mary Cay Burke-Hamill and Josephine Rosa.

Missing from photo are Mary Adamson, Pat Burke Berringer and Ruth Hertel.

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D ✛ development letter

dear neighbor

Why do you donate to the Sisters of St. Joseph? If asked, you might reply: “The Sisters influenced my life and made me want to be the best person that I can be.”

“They helped get me through difficult times.”

“They walk the talk. They live their vows and serve God by serving His people.”

If any of these sentiments resonate with you, it’s likely that you cherish your relationship with the Sisters. You believe in their good works. You want them to remain a presence in your life.

Jeanne Minnicks, MBA, CFRE

In 2019, the Baden Congregation celebrates its 150th anniversary, but its vision - to ensure a hopeful future by uniting God’s people through love for each other and care for all of creation into union with God - is timeless.

Also timeless is the Sisters’ mission to serve God and the ‘dear neighbor’ without distinction, for in Jesus’ words in John 12:8: “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Thankfully, the Sisters of St. Joseph realize John’s words as they continue to serve all realms of human life, with a special care for the poor.

Our Sisters are attuned to their present reality of smaller numbers, yet are certain that their charism - bringing all people and all of creation into union with God - will be sustained by both vowed members and partners who share their values.

If you are such a person, please consider membership in our St. Joseph Legacy Society.

St. Joseph has been described as deeply spiritual and dedicated to God’s will.

Although he led an ordinary life, he was destined to do the extraordinary. In fidelity to its namesake, the St. Joseph Legacy Society recognizes individuals who lead relatively ordinary lives, but who do the extraordinary by ensuring that the causes they care about in life endure after they’re gone.

To become a St. Joseph Legacy Society member, you would remember the Sisters in your will; name them as a beneficiary of an insurance policy or retirement plan; or provide for them in your estate plan. Because these “planned gifts” occur in the

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Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

future, your current financial situation should be minimally impacted, and you could potentially make a larger gift than might otherwise be possible. All that we ask is that you notify us of the measures you have taken.

Your planned gift will be used in the manner for which you intended, a promise we make to all of our donors. You may decide to provide ongoing support for Motherhouse operations, building maintenance, and ministry programming; or designate your gift be used for a specific purpose. For example, you could help educate our Earth Tones’ volunteers and service learning program participants about the importance of environmental sustainability. Or perhaps you could support our St. Joseph Spirituality Center and provide people of all faiths with sacred space for prayer and planning. We have lots of ideas for you, but how you would like to be remembered is what’s most important.

In loving memory

Planned giving arrangements can be fairly straightforward, but deserve careful thought. They should also be made with advice from a trusted estate planning professional who will put your interests and those of your family first. However, once those provisions are in place, you will find peace of mind and the clarity to decide how the Sisters of St. Joseph can help you fulfill your charitable legacy.

Sister Patricia Ann Foley, 78 August 9, 2019

The wealth and possessions we acquire during our lifetimes are truly gifts from God, but we can’t take them with us on our final journey.

Giving back to those who remain behind in charitable service to others is beautiful repayment for all of our earthly blessings.

Sister Therese Melucci, 77 (Regina Marie) March 30, 2019

To learn more about the St. Joseph Legacy Society, and to discuss how you can contribute to a hopeful future for all of God’s people and all of creation, please contact me.

With gratitude,

Jeanne Minnicks, MBA, CFRE Director of Development jminnicks@stjoseph-baden.org 724-869-6592 Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

Sister Donna Marie Beck, 87 (Carolyn Marie) June 12, 2019

Sister Ann Zita McLaughlin, 77 (Zita Marie) March 22, 2019 Sister Anne Celine Mutscheller, 82 February 24, 2019 Sister Ruth Weiss, 69 February 14, 2019 To read more about our Sisters or to make a memorial contribution, please visit our website at www.stjoseph-baden.org page 25

E ✛ legacy

expressing gratitude Fontbonne graduate comes full circle with the Sisters

On a snowy January morning in 1968, Joann Rozsas Jabour traveled from Canonsburg to Bethel Park where she took a high school placement test for Fontbonne Academy. It was the beginning of a 50-year journey with the Sisters of St. Joseph.

“As teachers at Fontbonne, they were women who loved what they were doing. They were competent in their disciplines and strove to pass that love and competence to us students, challenging us to strive toward the best of our abilities. They instilled in us aspirations of college, even grad school,” Joann recalled.

A 1972 graduate of Fontbonne Academy, Joann recalls her American Literature teacher, Sister Eleanor Gelet, who “gently Sister Mary Cordia demanded excellence” and who was “stingy with the As.” So was Sister Mary Patrice McNamara, her French teacher, who would deduct 20 points for omitting just one accent mark on a daily quiz. Then, there was Sister Mary Cordia Grimes, who taught Joann Latin I, II, and III. “In that last class, there were only two of us studying Orations of Cicero, yet the class was not cancelled,” says Joann, who developed an appreciation for languages from her Fontbonne teachers. She also joined the Glee Club, where Sisters Jean Ortenzo and Florence Hebeler nurtured her love of music.

For Joann and her husband Jim, it was important to offer their daughter, Alexis, the opportunity to receive a Catholic education. Because the couple were members of St. James Parish in Sewickley, the parish school seemed a natural choice for their

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Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

daughter. It was a bonus for the family when Sisters Judith Kenaan and Catherine Higgins served consecutively as principals when Alexis attended St. James School. For Joann, it was also an introduction to a new generation of Sisters of St. Joseph.

“Sister Judith reaffirmed in my life (and Alexis’) the importance of play for children,” Joann says. “And more than that, Sister Catherine dramatically emphasized and instilled the deep value of including everyone in lunches and play, shunning no one, especially a new girl who was off eating alone.”

work with the Sisters as family and job commitments lessened greatly at home. Today, Joann is ever present among our Sisters.

She sends notes to donors. She sings with our Sisters on special occasions. She donates generously to our ministries on a regular basis.

She attends fund-raising events, and, this year, Joann extended an invitation to the annual Spring Luncheon to her daughter who was drawn to the peace and justice theme of the event and who plans to attend again next year.

It was a decade later when Joann and Sister Catherine were brought together again in a moment of grace. Joann’s motherin-law, Mimi, had cancer and was receiving hospice care. In the role of social worker and chaplain, Sister Catherine not only helped Mimi to ‘let go,’ but she also brought peace to the Jabour family. “Mimi died with a smile on her face,” Joann reflects.

In the Fall of 2005, Joann attended an All-Class Fontbonne Reunion which led to an invitation to become more involved with the mission and ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph. She became a lector at the Memorial Mass and joined the board of the Auxiliary. She eventually took on more volunteer Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

Joann and daughter Alexis

Joann, a volunteer in the Development Office, says she was inspired to support the Congregation because of her family’s long history with the Sisters and because of the dedication of Sister Karen Stoila, former Director of Development,

her successor, Jeanne Minnicks and staff members Christina Thornburg and Lisa Conti. Joann typically makes donations online, and she became curious about planned giving when she noticed that as an option on the Congregation’s website.

Joann offers this advice to others who are considering an estate gift to the Sisters of St. Joseph: “If you are reading this article, you, too, may have been deeply influenced by the Sisters of St. Joseph. You may be a benefactor who has already made an estate gift, or, perhaps, you are someone who is thinking of leaving a gift to the Sisters in your will. If so, I encourage you to make this a priority and don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer for help.”

For Joann, planned giving is an expression of profound gratitude. “It’s a wonderful tribute to the living Sisters who continue to carry the mission forward and to those Sisters whose memories we will always cherish,” she says.

On behalf of all the Sisters of St. Joseph, thank you, Joann, for sharing your story and remembering the Sisters of St. Joseph in your will! page 27

✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

sources of contributions 3%

2018-2019

8%

■ Individuals.............................................. $1,494,978

9%

■ Grants........................................................ $261,288 ■ Special Events............................................ $212,727

12% 68%

■ Sisters Patrimony* & Personal Gifts.......... $182,555 ■ Artisan Sales & Lottery Calendar................ $59,290

Total: $2,210,838

*Patrimony - Sisters’ assets which have been donated to the Congregation in accordance with Canon Law

sources of contributions from individuals 2018-2019

8%

■ Bequests.....................................................$564,381

10%

■ Various......................................................$384,437

38% 18%

(Monthly Recurring, Corporate Matching, Free Will Chapel Offerings, Motherhouse Hospitality, Website, Christmas Gifts)

■ Ministry-Specific.......................................$271,000 ■ Appeals & Newsletters................................$145,655

26%

■ Memorials & Tributes to Family & Friends...........$129,505

Total: $1,494,978

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Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

uses of contributed funds 3%

2%

7% 2018-2019

10%

■ General Operating..................................... $941,438

43%

■ Retirement & Care of the Sisters...............$492,663 ■ Ministry Support.......................................$305,834

14%

21%

(Earth Tones, Foster Care, Prison Ministry, Pet Therapy, Haiti Project, St. Joseph Auxiliary)

■ Development Department Expenses..........$222,620 ■ Community Support................................. $150,882

(Neighbors in Need and Ministry Outreach)

■ Special Events.............................................. $55,945 ■ Capital Needs.............................................. $41,456

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

Total: $2,210,838

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✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

Circle of

Anonymous

Thomas P. Monteverde* Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities

COMPASSION

The Atlantic Fund of Boston Foundation Joann Bracci

Jacob and Helen Rubritz

($10,000 and more)

DLM Foundation Joan Freda* Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation Albert and Diane Kaneb Ladies of Bethany

Circle of

JOY (up to $9,999)

James and Lori Rausch Sisters of St. Joseph Auxiliary Suffolk Cares Charitable Foundation Francis William Swem* United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, GHR Foundation and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Wagner Foundation

Ron and Linda Altany

Order of Malta - American Association

Anonymous (3)

Peter and Sue Osenar

Mary Jo Dressel

Peter and Marylin Rander

Dennis and Barbara Habowski

William and Marie Schrum

Jimenez Tax Law Firm, PLLC

Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston

Craig and Ellen Liberatore James P. Miller

Circle of

ZEAL (up to $4,999)

Mary Ahern

John and Sharon Bonitt

Robert and Gretchen Allison

Suzanne Bump

Robert and Dr. Susan Alman

J. Anthony and Kathleen Capon

Dr. Frank Anania

Catherine Charnock

Anonymous (6)

James Colaianne, Jr.

Enrico Arzenti

Illene Colby

B.J. Maurer Motor Co. Inc.

Joel Collins

Lawrence and Marianne Badaczewski

Concordia Lutheran Ministries

Dr. Theresa Ann Balog*

Crazy Mocha Coffee Company

Bhasin Family Fund

Marta David

Kumkum Bhasin

Debo Moving & Storage

Thomas and Barbara Bigley

The DeLeon and Lucci Family Fund

Christine Bissert

Thomas and Ruth Demko

BKG Industries Inc.

Vincent Donatelli Family Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation

Dr. Julia Blum page 30

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

Steve Eshbaugh

Robert Mazur, Sr.

Ted and Marilee Ruscitti

Elizabeth Floor

Robert and Nanette Mazzuca

Dr. Alison Scavuzzo

Mary Frankenberry

Donald and Donna McBee

Mary Ellen Schuessler

Kathleen Galleher

John M. Miller

Charles and Ellen Sheedy

Wallace Gauntner

Patty and John Miller Charitable Fund

Charles Shirley

Mark and Melissa Good

Modern Assistance Programs, Inc.

Jeff Singer and Maureen Whitley

Family of Mary Green

Philip and Patricia Muck

Rev. Keith and Rev. Janet Grill

Joseph and Evelyn Mutscheller

Sisters of St. Joseph Auxiliary St. Bernadette Parish

Robert and Christine Grochowski

James and Mary Nania

Joseph Haver

David Nauman and Rebecca Degrosky

Janice Hayes

John and Mary Ann O’Neill

Heritage Valley Health System

Our Lady of Grace Church

Bryan Jeffers and Lawrence Pollastrini, Jr.

James Paglia

Sandra Jenkins

Margaret Pakulski

David Johns

Thomas and Christel Parrish

Kevin and Shari Johnson

Joachim and Patricia Peilert

Alfred E. Jones and Frances Bridgeman Jones Memorial Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation

PGT Trucking Inc.

The Kennedy & Cloyd Family Charitable Fund

Suzanne Polen

Dr. Christopher and Barbara Troianos

Prudential Foundation Matching Gifts Progam

Mary Ulloa Steven and Betty Uzupis

William Rank

Lawrence and Julie Wagner

Paul and Cynthia Rank

David and Marianne Walsh

Kenneth Reese

Daniel Weaver

S. Edward and Katherine Renner

Joan Weber

Rohrich Toyota

John Young

Laura Romeo

Larry and Sharon Zaccagnini

George and Barbara Rovnyak

Nicholas Zunic

A.R. Oliastro, Inc.

Wayne and Clara Austin

Margaret Alexander

Barbara Balcerek

Amy Allison

Mary Beth Balog

Anonymous (5)

Aurella Barch

AmazonSmile Foundation

John and Lee Anne Barnes

Mary Ellen Anania

William and Susan Barrett

Archdiocese of New York

Robert and Arleen Barth

James and Margaret Kervin William and Carolyn Keslar Jen, Caroline and Louis Kettering Knights of Columbus Queen of Peace Council #5367 Joan Lavery Gwendolyn Lenk Timothy and Judith Mahoney Maria Matisse

Circle of

PEACE (up to $999) Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

Mary Jane and Joseph P. Platt, Jr. Family Foundation, Inc.

Sisters of St. Joseph Auxiliary - St. Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Donna Spangler St. James Catholic School Jeremy and Catherine Stahl Staley Capital Advisers Mary Staudenmaier Dennis and Regina Stover Jason and Maureen Tapolci Ronald and Catherine Tisch Dr. Gregory and Dr. Leslie Trecha

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✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

George and Bonnie Baxter

Mary Connaughton

William and Kathleen Englert

Martha Bearer

Eilleen Connelly

Rev. Samuel J. Esposito

Theodore and Nancy Bearer

Joseph and Karen Connolly

Michele Fagan

Marie Belcastro

John and Kris Connolly

Rita Fallon

Beverly Bendekovic

Barbara Connors

Karen Fisher

Sherwin and Sylvia Benedum

Norbert Connors

Francis Fisher

Joseph Beri

Marie Coschigano

Gregory and Tracy Fleischut

Susan Berry

Frank and Adelfa Coyle

Carmine Foglio

David Bischof

Paul Crandell

Alan and Anna Maria Francis

Justin and Noreen Blewitt

Richard and Eloisa Cratty

Mark and Eileen Franklin

Susan Bodziach

Maureen Crossen

Robert Ganter, Jr.

Beth Bowers

Thomas and Patricia Crotty

Brother Allen Ganz, FSC

Ray and Carol Brach

Helen Culhane

Harry and Peggy Gaughan

John and Elizabeth Branson

Noreen Culhane

Richard George

James and Susan Brett

William and Anna Jean Cushwa

Kathleen Gett

George and Gladys Brinton

Edward and Maureen Dabrowski

Clare Gillis

William and Justine Brown

David and Noreen D’Argenio

Helene Gilroy

James and Lorraine Bruni

Daniel and Ruth Darragh

Rebecca Gomory

Amy Bubash

Marianne Davidson

Lauretta Gordon

Frances Bungo

Linda DeBor

Dale and Deborah Goudy

Lois Campbell

Neil and Carol DeLuca

Karen Gray

David Carlson and Roberta Scuilli

Dominic and Sarah DeLuigi

Arthur and Anne Green

Thomas and Mary Carney

Christie Depner

Patricia Griffith and Family

Hugh Carr

Elizabeth Anne Dernbach

Drew and Doris Grivna

Lt. Col. James and Emily Carroll and Family

Jean DeSchriver

Judith Guttilla

Jim and Donna Carroll

Christine Didio

Dr. Louis and Lynn Guzzi

John and Gina Dioguardi

Haller Family Fund

Dennis and Kim DiPerna

Margaret Hannan

Carmela DiStefano

Diane Hapach

Divine Mercy Academy

Dr. Jeffery and Margaret Hawk

William Dixon and Kathleen Gavigan

Alice S. Hayes*

Mark Doherty

Stephen and Barbara Hecht

Marjorie Dolan

Stephen Hegner Charitable Fund

Sharen Duff

Joseph and Patricia Henry

Barry and Aida Dugan

Michael and Sheila Henry

Bohdan Durkacz

Janet Hicks

Thomas and Mary Durra

Highmark Matching Funds

Dr. John and Gertrude Echement

Daniel and Lori Hodge

Jack and Sylvia Egyud

Stanley Hofstetter

Margaret Ann James and Family Neil and Susie Castrodale William and Kathleen Cavanaugh Daniel Cellini Angela Cellini Gary and Janet Chace Vincent and Anna Cimino Charlene Clarke Kathleen Cleaver Daryl and Harriet Coe Robert Colleran Colleran & Company, CPA P.C.

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Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

Garry and Kathleen Hogan

Mary Ann Laird

Dr. John and Betty Moraca

Frank and Geraldine Hooper

Monica Lane

Barbara Moretti

Friends and Neighbors at Water’s Edge Condominium

Lois Lang

Michael Morgan

Kathleen Hughto

Phillip LaRusse, Jr.

Edward and Gail Moschetti

Dianne Lasky

Brother Charles Mrozinski, FSC

Paul and Patricia Lebanik

Lawrence and Marianne Murray

Edwina LeDonne

Virginia Muth

Joseph Leone

Dr. Albert and Barbara Nalli

Judith Lewis

Edward and Nancy Napoleon

John and Joanne Lewis

Martin and Maureen Napolitano

Mark and Ruth Llewellyn

Judith Nauman

Gregory and Camille Llewellyn

Kenneth Nauman

Jeffrey and Mary Llewellyn

Vernon C. Neal & Alvina Neal Fund

William and Carroll Logsdon

Nebiolo Family Charitable Fund

Guy and Arleen Lucci

James and Maureen Nelson

Jean Macaluso

James and Anna Marie Neutrelle

Catherine Madden

Harry Nieman

JoAnn Maher

Judith Nocito

Patrick Maher

Jenny Novak

Judith Mahoney

Dr. Paul and Dr. Maureen Oczypok

Dr. Michael Mangan

Janet Ofodile

Janet Marmura

Valerie Oltmanns

Loretta Martella

Charlotte Orient

Michael and Kathleen Matczynski

Anthony and Cynthia Ortenzo

William and Kathleen Mausteller

Carole Ortenzo

Ted Maznicki

Richard and Ann Packer

Keith and Irene McAllister

Vincent and Beth Palilla

Donna McBee

Wilma Palombo

Katherine McCarthy

Linda Panchura

Richard and Lauren McCarthy

Thomas and Joyce Pappert

Ellen McCracken

David Parrendo

William McDermott

Sheila Partsch

John and Linda McEnery

Donald and Ruth Pashuta

Terry and Donna McNamara

David and Lisa Paterra

Janice Melonic

Carol Patrick

Merrill Lynch

Samuel and Debra Patti

Nancy Miklos

Elizabeth Pattullo

Michael Miniotas

Christi Pearson

Penelope Montgomery

Mr. Peter and Tricia Pesut

Annette I. Inesso Raymond and Marie Jacko Jeff, Susan, Connor and Caroline Jackson Jeffrey and Susan Jackson Kate Jackson Lee Ann Jendrejeski Dr. Romaine Jesky-Smith Fay Jew Theresa Jordan Maureen Joyce Dorothy Kala Lisa Katulis Donna Kaufman Michael Keating Edward and Therese Kelly Patrick and Barbara Kenney Thomas and Antoinette Kessler John and Mary Kilkeary Charles King Patricia King Dr. Wayne and Rebecca Kinning Patricia Kirk Karen Knox Brian and Suzanne Koble William and Dorothy Koffel George and Candy Koharchik Edwin and Kathleen Koontz Janet Korenich Peter Kram William and Pamela Kredel Ronald and Maryjo Kriz Linda Kuchenbrod Dr. Michael Kulikowski Douglas and Evelyn Kurtock Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

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✛ annual report to donors

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019

Karen Petruny

Lawrence and Lois Skogerson

Harry and Alice Whitehead

Roger and Mary Pieto

Thaddeus and Jacqueline Stasiak

Linda Whitford

Robert and Christine Pietrandrea

Robert Steffes and Jennifer Wood

James and Joann Wick

Joseph and Maureen Plichta

Victor and Eleanor Stelma

Thomas and Lhea Wiese

Donald and Nancy Plunkett

Angela Stevens

Phillip and Martha Wiethorn

Leo and Evelyn Pohl

Lois Stimple

John and Lucy Wilkison

Dr. John Prellwitz, Jr.

Maryanne Stock

Paul and Mary Anne Windisch

Michael and Shirley Prendergast

Michael and Susan Stuart

H. Wayne and Mary Ann Wingard

Paul and Patricia Prucnal

Anthony Sullivan

Thomas and Loretta Witt

Ann Puskaric

Marylou Sullivan

Patricia Wolfhope

Mark and Margaret Rentler

Ralph and Dorothy Swain

Mary Kay Wood

Dennis Roddy and Joyce Gannon

Patricia Swartzlander, CSJA

Justine Woytovich

Rome Inspirations and Rome Monuments

Stephen and Joyce Tambolas

John and Eleanor Yasaitis

James and Stephanie Rooney

Anita Tamburo

Mary Yates

Susie Rosenberg

Holly Tate

Mary Ann Younger

Craig Rowland and Jeanne Minnicks

Gretchen Taylor

Julia Rubino

Dennis and Eileen Thimons

Youngstown Hard Chrome Plating & Grinding

RYCO Inc.

Third Tuesday Book Club

Diane Sabeh

Thomas and Donna Timcho

Dianne Sarault

Phillip and Annemarie Torrez

Jeffry and Kim Sattler

Robert Totten

William and Antoinette Sawyer

TREK Development Group

Charles and Susan Schaffner

Craig and Elaine Trout

Rev. David E. Scharf

Stephen and Debra Turcsanyi

Gordon and Joanne Scherer

Rick and Regina Uhl

Robert and Rosemarie Schuler

UIS - Universal Information Systems, Inc.

Edmund Schuster

Rosemarie Varsanik

Clare Sechoka

Richard and Lura Vereb

Charles and Janet Sekon

Ken, Louise and Mary Veselicky

Janet Sekon

Dr. R. Curtis Waligura, D.O.

Gerald Serrino

Leslie Walker

Patricia Shaffer

Mark and Lyudmila Warchol

Robert Shalamon

Stuart and Karen Waters

Capt. James and Suzi Sheehan

Raymond and Lois Weaver

Dennis Sheehan

Pamela Weiss

Maureen Shul

Patricia Weitzel-O’Neill

Dr. Richard and Pamela Siergiej

Mark Welch

Thomas and Rosemary Sippel

Sean Weldon

Siverling Family Fund

Thomas and Carla Welte

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* The St. Joseph Legacy Society recognizes individuals who have taken measures to remember the Sisters of St. Joseph in their will, trust, life insurance gift, or other estate planning arrangement.

Circle of

GRACE We express our deep and heartfelt gratitude to 2,604 Circle of Grace donors whose yearly contributions up to $249 have blessed us with cumulative donations of $167,790.84

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

✛ save the dates November 10, 2019: Dan Schutte Concert

April 25, 2020: Baden Earth Day Celebration

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden with a special concert by Dan Schutte. We are thrilled to welcome Dan back to our Chapel this year.

Join the Sisters of St. Joseph for their second annual Earth Day celebration. We will partner with local scout troops, avid gardeners, and other ecologically minded groups for a fun and festive day for the whole family. Tour our beautiful grounds and gardens, meet our chickens and pet therapy dogs, and learn how honeybees contribute to the ecosystem.

Dan is a renowned liturgical composer, performer and spiritual director whose music touches people’s hearts, young and old, and draws them into prayer.

Dan’s knowledge of Sacred Scripture and a strong sense of Ignatian spirituality form the basis of every event he leads.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at dan-schutte.eventbrite.com. A reception of light refreshments will follow the concert, which begins at 2 p.m.

This free, family-friendly community event will feature live music, food trucks, earth-friendly crafts, and interactive nature experiences.

Facebook page: facebook.com/CSJ Baden and website: stjoseph-baden.org.

July 18, 2020: 150th Anniversary Celebration Join the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden as we commemorate our 150th anniversary with a community celebration on our beautiful 80-acre campus. Learn about our history, impact, and ministries while reconnecting with friends and Sisters.

Share in our gratitude as we mark 150 years of serving God and neighbor with Mass, musical performances, food, games, and more! Come and see who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

Facebook page: facebook.com/CSJ Baden and website: stjoseph-baden.org Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019

page 35

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Pittsburgh, PA. Permit No. 4675

1020 State Street • Baden, PA 15005

Share in our gratitude as we celebrate our 150-year history.

Share in our hope as we continue to move always toward profound love of God and love of neighbor without distinction.

Share in our mission through works of charity in the spirit of gentleness, peace and joy.

Join us in prayer as we remember the past with gratitude, live the present with passion, and embrace a future filled with hope. page 36

Sisters of St. Joseph / fall

2019