Dear Friends of Joseph House: By far our favorite Christmas decoration is the nativity scene, that representation of the birth of Christ with the Holy Family, shepherds, angels, animals, and wise men. We have more than one set up in our Salisbury convent: there’s one in the chapel, one in the dining room, and one…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Here it is November already, and another year is flying by. It’s a special year, too, the “Year of St. Joseph,” which was declared by Pope Francis as a way to promote this saint whose example offers hope during our troubled times. St. Joseph, of course, is very dear to…
We mention St. Joseph a lot and also Charles de Foucauld, who is set to be canonized in the near future. But why should we care about saints? Why bother with the whole process of canonization, which may seem like a relic from the past? Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, from the Congregation for the Causes of…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: What is the greatest sin committed against the poor? According to Franciscan priest Raniero Cantalamessa, it is indifference. “Unfortunately, we can get used to anything in time, and we have grown accustomed to other people’s misery,” he writes in his book, Poverty. “It only affects us to a degree, we…
We are anxiously waiting to hear when Charles de Foucauld will be canonized. The date should be announced soon. To help you know more about our spiritual father, here are the main points of his spirituality, as written by our founder Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling: There are four basic elements of the spirituality of Br….
Dear Friends of Joseph House: According to verse twenty-one of the nineteenth chapter of Proverbs, “Many are the plans of the human heart, but it is the decision of the Lord that endures.” A Yiddish proverb puts it another way: “We plan and God laughs.” We all know what it’s like. We have hopes and…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Living under harsh circumstances does not mean we ourselves have to be harsh. Charles de Foucauld is proof of that. For fifteen years, from 1901 until his death in 1916, Charles made his home in Algeria, surrounded by the moonscape of the Sahara Desert. Famine, loneliness, exhaustion . . ….
When we visit the supermarket, our attention is directed to the displays and packaging and all the choices we have. We read the labels, compare prices, and put items in our cart. The countless people who worked in the fields and factories to produce the food we eat never cross our minds. Our lives depend…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Like many people probably are, we are very familiar with our local grocery store. We know where everything is, and whether we are making a quick trip or shopping for a large order, we can usually find what we need. Even throughout this past year, shortages were never that bad….
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Picture a swiftly-moving river, tumbling over rocks, swirling with currents and eddies. Trying to swim in such a river would be a tiring, and probably frightening, experience. You would feel buffeted and pushed around by forces stronger than you. The world would seem to be rushing by. You wouldn’t know…