Dear Friends of Joseph House: On the day the Joseph House Crisis Center opened in 1984, a newspaper quoted Sr. Mary Elizabeth as saying, “A beautiful thing has happened. It means an awful lot to us to finally have this.” We are just as grateful today. Over the years, the Crisis Center has grown with…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: “We’re all in this together.” We’ve heard this over and over again during these past few months. And it’s true: we are not alone in dealing with the pain, hardship, and anxiety that this year has brought. The normal course of our lives has been disrupted, not only by the…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: According to an article we read, a historian has postulated that periods of civil unrest in our country follow a 50-year cycle. That’s about how long it takes for society’s unresolved issues to reach a boiling point. The last time our nation saw widespread protests and demonstrations—some peaceful, some not—was…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: The stay-at-home orders we’ve experienced may have brought a renewed emphasis on your home life and its attendant joys—and tensions. Surprisingly enough, helpful guidance can be found in the tradition of monastic spirituality, which might sound otherworldly but is actually very practical and down to earth. After all, monks have…
Important Note: This Newsletter was written long before protests and riots swept across our country following the killing of Mr. George Floyd. All of us need to be fearless in confronting every instance of racial hatred—whether in our hearts or in society—and use peaceful means to create a world that reflects our highest ideals of…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Even after a couple of weeks we are still not used to this new way of living. We are writing this Newsletter in the middle of April, a critical time for the spread of COVID-19. From morning till night we are on guard against an invisible enemy, a virus that…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: Our hearts are heavy as we begin this Newsletter. On Sunday, March 8, 2020, Our Lord came to call Sr. Joan Marie Albanese home. Sr. Joan died at Wicomico Nursing Home here in Salisbury. She had previously been under the care of Coastal Hospice in our convent, and the wonderful…
Dear Friends of Joseph House: A marvel of modern life is that we can go to the grocery store any time of year and find a wide selection of produce. Even when it is still cold outside, the market bins are filled with bananas, grapes, lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, carrots…you name it. Another marvel of modern…
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…