During its 150th anniversary celebration, the Sisters hosted a dedication and open house of the Congregation’s new administration building adjacent to the Sisters’ Community Living Center in Millcreek.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania began a year-long celebration of the Congregation’s 150th anniversary of service to the Erie Diocese on May 23, 2010, with a Liturgy at Saint Peter Cathedral, Bishop Donald W. Trautman, S.T.D., S.S.L. as Celebrant. A reception at the Bayfront Convention Center followed the Liturgy. Other anniversary events…

After thoroughly reviewing the Congregation’s education ministry and the future of Villa Maria Academy and Villa Maria Elementary, a task force recommendation was to explore a cooperative relationship with Cathedral Preparatory School, an all-male and only diocesan high school in Erie. Villa Maria Academy was also recommended to return to its roots as a single-sex,…

The Sisters assisted in organizing a Human Trafficking Conference at locations throughout Erie and Crawford Counties. The conference featured Kevin Bales, Ph.D., who at the time was the world’s leading expert on contemporary slavery and president of Free The Slaves, a non-profit organization working to end slavery worldwide. He also published international ground-breaking research, including…

Josette Gocella, SSJ, began serving as an administrator of the new International Centre of the Congregations of St. Joseph. The Centre’s Governing Committee invited Sr. Josette and two other Sisters of St. Joseph to serve on its staff. The International Centre is a collaborative effort of the worldwide Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph and…

The Erie Diocesan Sesquicentennial Celebration, with the theme “Share the Faith,” included a lit torch making its way through the Diocese. The torch arrived at the Sisters’ Community Living Center in September 2003 during an outdoor liturgy and celebration. This event led to the annual Circle of Friends celebration, an outdoor liturgy, and a picnic…

Sister Mary Bernard Sheridan, one of the Congregation’s earliest members, was honored posthumously when an official state historical marker was unveiled on the property of Saint Vincent Health Center on Friday, September 26, 2003. Sister Mary Bernard Sheridan began studying nursing at Saint Vincent Hospital in 1877 and became a nurse anesthetist. She is recognized…

Sister Mary Kay McNelis, SSJ, began a Christian Meditation ministry at the Sisters of St. Joseph Community Living Center. Based on the teachings of Dom John Main, OSB, one of the great spiritual teachers of our time and the founder of the World Community of Christian Meditation (WCCM), the ministry focused on teaching meditation as…

Sister Andre’ Feulner began serving in ministry in Labrador in Newfoundland in remote St. Augustin, a small one-time fishing village on the St. Augustin River, population 600. Sister Andre’s ministry of presence included performing baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Sunday services, including homilies, in the isolated community that was visited by a priest twice a year,…