News
Congratulations Erie DAWN!
Congratulations to Erie DAWN on its 25th anniversary of ministry. Erie DAWN has provided services and housing for more than 1,000 women and children in the Erie community. We congratulate Director Maureen Dunn and her staff for a magnificent job of caring for and assisting women to become self-sufficient, independent, productive members of society through…
Read More about Congratulations Erie DAWN!Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ
Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ 70-year Jubilee Encouragement to do something special during Lent from her 10th-grade religion teacher led a young girl to attend daily Mass as often as she could. Today, Sr. Mary Rita Kuhn credits that prayer time and the examples set by the Sisters of St. Joseph to help her discern her…
Read More about Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJMary Rachael McGuire, SSJ
Sister Mary Rachael McGuire, SSJ 80-year Jubilee Sister Mary Rachael recalls going to Mass every morning before her job at the hospital as a young woman and Sister Anna Therese saying to her, “I think you should be a Sister.” The icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help, which hangs in the SSJ chapel, helps…
Read More about Mary Rachael McGuire, SSJStephanie Wagner, SSJ
Stephanie Wagner, SSJ 70-year Jubilee It was during a high school vocation talk when Sr. Stephanie heard, “Some of you are being selfish with God, and He may be calling you.” She discerned that thought for about a year and a half and then realized that she was being called to religious life. She entered…
Read More about Stephanie Wagner, SSJGeraldine Olon, SSJ
Geraldine Olon, SSJ 70-year Jubilee Sister Geraldine Olon entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Joseph Parish in Oil City, PA, in 1950 and professed her final vows in 1956. She attended St. Joseph High School in Oil City, PA, and graduated from Villa Maria College in Erie with a BS in elementary education.…
Read More about Geraldine Olon, SSJMary Claire Kennedy, SSJ
Mary Claire Kennedy, SSJ 70-year Jubilee As a student at Villa Maria College, Sr. Mary Claire Kennedy learned of the rich social teachings of the Church and experienced individuals, lay and religious, who lived their faith very seriously. This had a profound effect on her and led her to join the Sisters of St. Joseph.…
Read More about Mary Claire Kennedy, SSJAgnes Marie Hughes, SSJ
Agnes Marie Hughes, SSJ 70-year Jubilee From the time she was about five years old, Sister Agnes Marie knew she wanted to be a sister. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania in 1950 from her home parish, Immaculate Conception, in Osceola Mills, PA, and professed her final vows in 1956. She…
Read More about Agnes Marie Hughes, SSJMarjorie Adams, SSJ
Marjorie Adams, SSJ Formerly Sister Agatha 70-year Jubilee Sister Marjorie Adams first became acquainted with the religious life while living and studying at Villa Maria College. The spirit and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph, exemplified by joy, dedication, and concern for others, led her to discern God’s call and to become a member…
Read More about Marjorie Adams, SSJMary Herrmann, SSJ
Mary Herrmann, SSJ formerly Sister Rosemary 60-year Jubilee From her earliest memories, Sister Mary Herrmann felt that she wanted to be a “sister.” After beginning her education with the Sisters of St. Joseph, she knew that meant a Sister of St. Joseph. She eventually recognized it as a call to religious life. She entered the…
Read More about Mary Herrmann, SSJReligious Life in the United States Today
The 2020 NRVC/CARA Study on Recent Vocations identified more than 3,500 women and men who entered religious life from 2003 to 2018. On average, around 200 people a year make perpetual profession and about 400 begin the process of initial formation. Key findings about new members: Endless call: Women and men continue to respond to…
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