News and Events: Called to Love

This Saturday is our Called to Love vocation retreat. We are all looking forward to meeting the young women who are coming.  And the women are excited to have an opportunity to grow in their faith and to learn more about God's will in their lives.  We have several different Religious Communities that will be joining us.  Please pray for good weather so all our retreatants are able to make the trip to come.


This past Saturday was the World Day of the Sick.  Unless you are involved in the medical field at a Catholic facility or someone who is Sick, you might not know that the Catholic Church has a World Day of the Sick.  This special day was instituted by Saint Pope John Paul II in 1992.  It is celebrated each year on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11th).

 The World Day of the Sick is meant to be a time of prayer.  It is also a time for anyone who is suffering to offer that suffering for the good of the Church and of the world. Saint Pope John Paul II reminded the sick that their suffereings, "accepted and borne with unshakeable faith" and then joined to the suffering of Christ have extraordinary value.   It is also a reminder for caregivers to see the face of Christ in the sick person.

Saint Pope John Paul II stated in his address that the World day of the sick should serve to reach the consciences of the people "...to make them aware of the valuable contribution which human, and Christian, service to those suffering makes to better understanding among people, and consequently, to build real peace. "   And as we all know, Saint Pope John Paul live these words throughout his own life.  He experienced all sorts of suffering in his life, not just physical illness.  He suffered the pain of losing his loved one at an early age.  He suffered from governement persecution.  If anyone in the modern era can teach us the value and the beauty of sacrificial suffering it is Saint Pope John Paul II.  Perhaps it would be a good idea to read a book about his life and keep in mind that he taught us about about suffering by suffering.

News and Events: Called to Love

Next weekend we are hosting a Discernment Retreat "Called to Love".  It is open to women grade 6th and up.  It will be held at All Saints Parish from 9:00 am - 6:00pm.  If you are wondering what God is asking you to do with your life, this would  be a good place to start.  We look forward to seeing you on February 18th.

Tomorrow, students from Saint Joseph Academy and All Saints Parish will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The Most Rev. Roger J. Foys will offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  It is a wonderful day for students, the parish and the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker.  Please pray for the students who will be receiving this outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  You probably know, more then I do, of all the temptations, trials, and challenges that the young face in our society.  The Sacrament of Confirmation can help our young people face all of them with courage.


The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.  Here is one of my favorite prayers invokes the Holy Spirit and ask for each of His gifts.

O Spirit of Wisdom, preside over all my thoughts, words and actions, from this hour until the moment of my death.

Spirit of Understanding enlighten and teach me.
Spirit of Council, direct my inexperience,
Spirit of Fortitude, strengthen my weakness
Spirit of Knowledge, instruct my ignorance
Spirit of Piety make be fervent in good works.
Spirit of Fear, retrain me from all evil
Spirit of Peace, give my Thy peace.

 Pray that the students will be open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

News and Events: Correction

So obviously, the blog that was posted this morning was in error.  That was supposed to be posted next month!  Lent does not begin this week, in case you were wondering.  Thanks to everyone who contacted me to let me know that something was off.  I appreciate very much.

So just keep that blog in mind when Lent begins on March 1st.   And also keep in mind that the Fish Fry will be coming up - in March.

God bless.

News and Events: Lent and Fish Fry

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday.  That means it is the beginning of the Lenten Season.  Ash Wednesday is 40 days before Easter.  Do you know what the practise of putting ashes on the forehead symbolizes?  

In the bible, a mark of a forehead is a symbol of ownership. Ezekiel 9:4 says " The Lord said to him,'Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst. " Revelation 7:3 says" ...Do no harm to the earth or the seas or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."

The sign which is marked on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is a cross. ( I know, sometimes it looks more like a smudge of dirt then a cross.) But it is to remind us that we belong to Jesus who died on the cross for our salvation.  

Walking around with a smudge of ashes all day on Wednesday can be a great way to engage others.  it can be a tool to teach them about what Ash Wednesday is all about.  I love it when someone approaches me to tell me I have dirt on my forehead.  First of all, it takes a lot of courage to tell someone you don't know that their face is dirty.  So I appreciate their willingness to tell me.  But I also love the chance to tell them a little bit about Ash Wednesday and my faith.

Lent also means the beginning of Fish Fry.  Saint Joseph Academy has a fish fry every Friday in Lent to support the school.  Tuition covers only the teachers' salaries.  The money from the fish fry go towards all the other bills we must pay like utilities and maintenance.  So come to the fish fry and get a delicious fish dinner.  And support Catholic education at the same time.  See you on Friday at Saint Joseph Academy in Walton, KY.

News and Events: Sister Rita Theresa

Sister Rita Theresa was not one of the founding members of our community, but she was a much loved addition to our family.  She transferred from another community and became a Sister of St. Joseph the Worker in mind and heart.

Sister Rita Theresa helping in the kitchen of Taylor Manor.

She was born in Pennsylvania in 1925, the only daughter of Dorsey Boyts and Mary Sweeny.  Sister's mother died when she was young and her father was unable to care for her and her two brothers.  So the children grew up in an orphanage.  Her father kept in touch with the children during their time there.  But Sister Rita Theresa said later in life that she used to dream of leaving the orphanage whenever she heard the sound of a train.

After leaving the orphanage, she went to school at Bellfield Trade School. When she completed her studies she worked at various jobs including a laundry service and a restaurant. She entered the Daughters of St. Rita and came to Kentucky with the community.  When she completed her religious training, she worked at Marydale Retreat Center and later at Taylor Manor Nursing Home.  She went back to school and obtained a nursing degree.

Sister Rita Theresa with Edena Krekeler and Besty Skindmore.

The Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker took over operating Taylor Manor in 1976 when the Daughters of St. Rita could no longer staff the nursing home.  Sister Rita Theresa opted to stay at Taylor Manor and join the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker.  She transferred her vows in 1978.  She helped out where ever she could, working as a nurse, helping in the kitchen and working as the sacristan of the chapel.

She had a talent for making ceramics.  A benefactor gave her a kiln and she spend her free time making beautiful ceramic gifts for our benefactors.  She was also known for making home made fruit cake. Often she was called to go to our Motherhouse in Walton to help out with cooking for retreat and special celebrations.

She developed cancer in 1995.  She retired and became a resident of the nursing home she loved and called home.  She passed away in 1996 at the age of 71.