A lovely fall morning greeted the Sisters of St. Joseph and generous donors, family, and friends who gathered for a liturgy and blessing of the benches that were donated during the Sisters in the Sun Bench Campaign. Following the liturgy, Fr. Jerry Simmons shared a faithful blessing in front of the SSJ Community Living Center:  

O God, we ask for your healing presence on this bench and all the benches on this campus that the persons who use them in all seasons may relax and enjoy your creation and be moved inwardly to know your kind and loving spirit. Creator God, please bless the donors of these resting places for their generosity and love of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the honor of many and in memory of their loved ones who rest in you.

Pictured above: Eileen McLaughlin (right) dedicated a bench in memory of her two daughters who attend VMA – Cynthia McLaughlin VMA ’69 and Michele McLaughlin Suprunowicz ’74. Eileen’s son, Mark, joined her for the blessing.

Fr. Jerry Simmons’ blessing was inspirational – thank you, Father!

Jeanne Marie Ryan and Arlene Chaney sit comfortably on the bench they dedicated in memory of Mary Thomas Downing, SSJ

Norma Hiller and Bridget Power Barber, Villa Class of 1970, stand by their class bench in honor of SSJ Sisters Mary Rita Kuhn and Mary Arnold Tann.

Kathleen Gausman, Jane Zawacki, and Paul Gausmann represent the Gausman Family and their bench in memory of SSJ Sisters Margaret Arcelia Proesl, Mary Judith Gausman, and Anita James Gausmann.

Enjoying The Drexler Family bench: Mike Drexler (center), flanked by Mary Grace Lewis and Ginny Hughes, with Sr. Mary Drexler, SSJ, and Sue Drexler (sitting).