Dear Friends of Joseph House: In 1944, a letter was printed in the Stars and Stripes newspaper that contained the following: It is 0200 hours and I have been lying awake for an hour listening to the steady even breathing of the other three nurses in the tent, thinking about some of the things we…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: What if you woke up today with only what you thanked God for yesterday? Reflecting on this can help us see all the things we take for granted: a place to live, a warm bed, food, clothing, our health, family and friends… the list goes on and on. It’s easy…
Since 1994, the Magi Choral Festival has delighted audiences in Salisbury each November with concerts that herald the holiday season. This year marks the 25th anniversary, although organizers have announced that the upcoming performances will be the last (November 17 and 18, 2018; visit www.magifund.com for tickets). The concerts have been the primary fundraiser for…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: You’ve heard the adage, “All the flowers of all of the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” This brings to mind the question: what seeds have I planted in the course of my day? Of my words and actions, what has taken root? Will something beautiful grow? And who…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Last month we mentioned Catherine Doherty, the founder of Madonna House. She lived an extraordinary life and in many ways was a kindred spirit of our own founder, Sr. Mary Elizabeth. We’d like to bring up another aspect of Catherine’s spirituality for this month. When asked about her philosophy of…
A plan of life is helpful for keeping us on course, not to be perfect, but simply to be a little better than we were before. Pope John XXIII followed a simple 10-step plan that he had written. Its focus is just on today, because that is all anyone has. Perhaps one or two of…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: How many times a day do we look in the mirror? Some people more than others perhaps, but we all need to check our appearance now and then. Catherine Doherty, the founder of Madonna House, realized these are opportunities to help people see so much more: At Madonna House, we…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Some people have a goal to be a big success. Our founder, Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling, wanted us to be little nobodies. Sister worked hard to establish the Joseph House: she gave her life to it. But she used to say that if it all disappeared she’d be happy to…
Without a good foundation, nothing will stand. Buildings crumble and arguments fall apart if they lack the necessary support beneath them. Human societies also need to rest on something — something that is solid but flexible, dynamic yet enduring. That something is the family. Families are the foundation of society because they create people, not…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Money is a curious thing. It can buy books but not intelligence; finery but not beauty; entertainment but not happiness; luxuries but not culture; a house but not a home. Money can give us what we want, but not always what we need. It is our servant, not our master….