March 19, 2018

Dear Sisters and Associates,
Greetings Rome, as we prepare to celebrate the Feast of dear St. Joseph.

Each year the focus of reflection for our celebration takes a different slant respecting the ever-changing needs of the time.
Today, we are living in an extremely difficult time in which suffering due to greed and corruption manifests itself every. Let us imagine for a moment that we are holding our beloved planet in contemplative silence, bringing the awareness of the deep pain and suffering in our world closer to ourselves. In the midst of this, add the image of Joseph, a gentle man who held Mary very close to him in compassion and love, while both experienced rejection and loneliness within their society. We are called to share this same love and compassion.

Our persecuted sisters and brothers in the Middle East and parts of Africa are being chased away, journeying in fear to unknown lands, and other victims of all types of violence are crying out in cities around the globe.
If we sit in contemplative silence, one of the calls our 2017 Extended Council, we will sense more clearly which people are stretching their arms toward us to be embraced in love.

In our busy and demanding ministries, what posture of ours will draw these people into the amazing arms of our love and compassion? Do the other persons with whom we work or whom we encounter everyday feel tender compassion in our voice? Do I have time and patience to listen to what is not being spoken by them?

Often in life, the loving embrace we share with the needy, graces us to look at life’s demands with a positive attitude and fills us with greater energy and ability to respond to God’s call with love and hope.
As we celebrate our Feast, may we challenge ourselves to live the grace of Joseph’s embrace.
With love and gratitude,

Sr. Sally Hodgdon
Sr. Mariaelena Aceti
Sr. Ieda Tomazini
Sr. Philo Pazhuruparambil