A canonized saint by definition is someone who practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God’s grace. Coming from all walks of life, they show us how any situation can be transformed by the light of the Gospel. To honor the saints, we place them on a pedestal or enshrine them in stained glass,…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Here we are in the middle of winter, and although it can be a dreary time of year, there are also treasures to behold, such as the pale colors of the winter sky and the muffled stillness of freshly fallen snow. When we are out and about in the frosty…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: After a short break over Christmas, we are ready to get started in this new year and new decade. There’s always plenty to keep us busy. First of all, at the Joseph House Crisis Center we have our Financial Assistance program, our Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, and Hospitality Room for…
This reflection was written by Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling, our founder, in 1979: When we prepare for the mystery of Christmas, what are our days of preparation filled with? Most of us have thousands of things to do and for many it is the busiest time of the year. What we really should be doing…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: We’re all familiar with Christmas carols but some of our favorite songs of the season are Advent hymns. They tend to get drowned out because Christmas music starts playing on the radio at Thanksgiving and stops on Christmas Day. This doesn’t make a lot of sense unless Christmas is just…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: A lovely custom with many people when they gather for Thanksgiving Dinner is to take turns saying what they’re thankful for. Expressing gratitude is good for the soul—and it’s what the holiday is all about. In our humble cubicles at the Joseph House Crisis Center, sitting around tiny desks with…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: When someone is homeless, he or she needs many things. At the Joseph House, we can’t do everything, but one service we do provide is laundry. We have to set limits since we only have one washer and dryer in our Hospitality Room, but we try to give each person…
Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor disturbance. Where there is poverty with joy, there is neither covetousness nor avarice. Where there is inner peace and meditation, there is neither anxiousness nor dissipation. Where there is fear of the…
Our work at the Joseph House is like farming in that we plant seeds, although we don’t always see how they grow. Once in a while, however, we get a glimpse of how a seed planted has taken root and flourished. Carla used to come to our Hospitality Room off and on for a fair…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: A friend of ours has been going through a difficult time. Worries keep her up at night. She will go for a walk to clear her head but that doesn’t help. She prays to God a lot. She prays very simply and honestly. When we spoke with her we did…