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….
Everyone has a vocation, that is, a particular calling and purpose in life. Growing up, we ask ourselves the same questions: Why am I here? Why am I alive at all? What am I to do? We instinctively realize that our lives must have meaning. We seek knowledge, relationships, experience. Something calls us onward. For…
Our founder used to say, “A community is not so much a group of people living together to love Christ as it is a group of people loving Christ together.” Being together physically to form a community is not always possible. Distance can keep people apart, not to mention their commitments and circumstances. Now, thanks…
The goal of the Joseph House Workshop is to help homeless men transition to stable, productive living. We know the goal has been reached when a resident completes the program and has a steady job and the means to live independently. There are also signs along the way that show hard work, commitment, initiative, and…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling, our founder, had a vision for our ministry that continues to guide us. When she started the Joseph House, she had next to nothing apart from a few principles in mind. These principles, and the rationale behind them, were explained by her in this way: 1)….