News and Events: Alms giving and Lent

So there are three "pillars" of Lent; fasting, alms giving and prayer. In other words, there are three things to keep in mind during Lent.  Most of us are familiar with fasting.  Growing up we are taught to give something up for Lent.  And we are reminded by the Church to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 You are probably deep into your lenten practise. But it's not too late to 'step it up' for the last few weeks of Lent.  How often do you think about giving alms?  Alms giving is a work of charity that everyone can do.  You don't have to be a millionaire to donate to the poor.  Alms giving is closely tied with fasting.  If we 'fast' from spending money on games, music,on-line shopping, fast foods, candy, or movies, we could give the money we save to the poor.  If we didn't down load that latest app we would have a little extra money to support a work of charity.  You would be surprised how much you would have to give to the poor if you think about all the little extra things you buy that don't really cost that much.

You can also give of your time.  Sometimes it is easier to write out a check and donate then to actually take time out of your schedule to help.  But lending a helping hand by volunteering teaches us selflessness.

Speaking of volunteering, the Saint Joseph Academy Fish Fry could not continue if it wasn't for the wonderful people who help out each week.  We appreciate all their hard work and we look forward to seeing you there on Friday.

News and Events: Lent and fasting

Happy Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.  St. Joseph only has two feast days so as Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker we celebrate both.  Our community feast day is May 1, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, but we'll be celebrating today too!  May St. Joseph bless you.

So how is Lent going?  Have you been keeping up with your Lenten practice?  Did you know that there are three practices in Lent?  There are fasting, praying and almsgiving.   I don't know which one you chose do to this Lent but I'd like to explore the idea of fasting.

I'm not very good at fasting from food.  But there are other things that we can 'fast' from that might help us grow spiritually.  We can fast one night a week from television and spend the time together as a family.  We can spend the whole of lent fasting from movies.  We can fast from using foul language and putting other people down.  That would certainly help the overall tone of your workplace and family. We can fast from anger.  We can fast from gossip and make an effort to say something nice about the people we usually talk about.  We can fast from eating out all the time and give the money we save to a charity.  We can fast from alcohol, soft drink, junk food or snacks. A hard one would be to fast from the Internet and actually talk to be people around you.  You could fast from using your cell phone as a portable game station and maybe read a spiritual book instead.  There are so many options and ideas.

Then at the end of Lent you can evaluate whether or not you really need the thing you were fasting from.  Do you really need to go back to the way you were living before Lent?  Did fasting from your normal activities give you time to spend with your family?  Did it give you more time to spend in prayer?


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St. Joseph's Corner: Remember Christian Soul

Remember, 

Christian soul, 

that you have this day and everyday of your life:

God to glorify,

Jesus to imitate,

The Angels and Saints to invoke,

A soul to save,

A body to mortify,

Sins to expiate,

Virtues to acquire,

Hell to avoid,

Heaven to gain,

Eternity to prepare for,

Time to profit by,

Neighbors to edify,

The world to despise,

Devils to combat,

Passions to subdue,

Death to suffer, and

Judgment to undergo.

News and Events: St. Joseph

This coming Sunday, March 19th, is the feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary.  Although our community is called the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker and our primary feast is May 1st, we celebrate March 19th also.  St. Joseph only has two feast days in the Church calendar so we celebrate both of them.

Most people associate St. Joseph with selling houses but he is much more then that.  If that is all you know about St. Joseph, I would suggest that you begin to read about him.  He is the patron saint for the dying but also the patron saint of the Universal Church, families, fathers, travelers, craftsman, working people, expectant mothers and immigrants.  He is a quiet saint who works in the background.

Enjoy your week and I hope the feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, is a special day for your family.

St. Joseph's Corner: In the Spirit of Saint Francis

Lenten Practices

in the Spirit of St. Francis

1. Focus on people's good points. 

Tell all with whom you come into contact the good things you see in them.

2. Compliment more than you criticize.

Develop a positive approach toward life.

3. Cooperate with others instead of competing with them.

Build a climate of trust and support in all your relationships.

4. Use gentle, loving, respectful language dealing with others.

They won't hear your words if you're too busy dodging your sharp tongue.

5. Take a genuine interest in the work and activities of others.

Make a point to ask about new projects.

6. Listen patiently, with your heart, when others are talking.

It's Christ like to put aside one's own interests for the love of another.

7. Learn how to refuse with a smile.

If you have to say "no" to something, do it respectfully.

8. Deal with your personal insecurities in some other ways, 

but don't put others down to make yourself look better.

Put the devil of jealousy far behind you.

9. Be loyal.

Never allow yourself to tear down the kingdom of God by destructive, 

behind-the-back criticism of others.

10. Be generous by volunteering-especially for the jobs

for which there is no great reward.

Do extra little things that are nobody's job.

News and Events: Getting Older

This week Sister Mary Faustina and I are going to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Lexington to talk about Medicare, Medicaid and Senior health care.  Sister Mary Faustina is the administrator of our Nursing Home, Taylor Manor.  We are honored that we were asked to come and share what we have learned while working with our elders.

We all are growing older every day.  To deny that you are not growing old is to deny reality.  For some people, it is not pleasant to think about getting old.  Too often we associate it with illness, lack of ability to function and death.   We live in a culture that upholds perpetual youth as the goal.  But running after something that has passed, or trying to regain something that really never was is never healthy.

Just look around you and see that there are many people who society calls 'old' who are doing great things.  They are enjoying life.  They are helping their families, mentoring youth, volunteering hours at food pantries, taking care of the sick, sharing their knowledge with others.

God has given us only today.  We can't re-live yesterday and we can't anticipate tomorrow.  God has given us today and we should do our best today.  We should take care of our physical, emotional and spiritual health and leave the rest to God.

My pray is not that you  grow old gracefully, but that your days are filled of grace no matter your age.

St. Joseph's Corner: Stations of the Cross

The Virtues Jesus Teaches Us 

on the 

Way of Cross

My Lord, I greet You and look at You in wonder.  

I hope to learn Your virtues, how to value them, how to make them my own.

1st station -  Jesus is condemned to death

Your boundless submission to the will of Your Father - 

let me contemplate it in love; 

step by step, as Your child

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

2nd station - Jesus takes up His Cross

Your heroic love of the cross -

 let me follow Your path.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

3rd station - Jesus falls the first time

Your uncomplaining patience - 

let me try to imitate it at every opportunity.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

4th station - Jesus meets His afflicted Mother

Your complete renunciation of even Your holiest associates - 

I must do the same, in spirit.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

5th station - Simon helps Jesus carry His Cross

Your divinely magnificent humility - 

let me be earnest in my attempt to grow like You.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

6th station - Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus

The moving depths of Your gratitude - 

if only I could approach them.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

7th station - Jesus falls the second time

Your unwavering determination in submitting to sacrifice - 

I shall form a like spirit.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

8th station - Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

Your tender understanding of others' needs - 

I must learn to sympathize in the same way.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

9th station - Jesus falls the third time

Your faithfulness to a calling of sacrifice,

even when the storms heap up waves on every side - 

let me be just as loyal.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

10th station - Jesus is stripped of His garments

Your complete detachment from every earthly thing, body and soul - 

let me be detached as well, from everything.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

11th station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Your uncomplaining spirit of abandonment,

in the midst of deepest bodily pain and cruel treatment

and spiritual barrenness - 

let me be one with You.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

12th station - Jesus dies on the Cross

Your generosity which knew no bounds - 

let my offer be equally boundless.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

13th station - Jesus is taken down from the Cross

Your acceptance of the will of God in all its detail - 
let me accept all He sends.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.

**********

14th station - Jesus is placed in the tomb

Your trust that all will not be in vain -
let despair never dampen my efforts toward sanctity.

My Lord Jesus Crucified, have mercy on me.


O Lord, I know that if I do not love You with all my heart,
 with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strength,
I shall love something else totally.
Grant that in putting You first in all my loving,
I may be free from all lesser loves and loyalties
and have You as my first love,
my chiefest good, and my final joy.
Amen.