News

We want to keep you in the loop of what’s happening in the SSJ Erie community. Browse through this section to explore our most recent publications, our Facebook feed, our Jubilarians' bios, and the most recent obituaries of our Sisters who have passed.

We remember . . . Elizabeth “Betty” Ruza, SSJ

| December 18, 2023

Elizabeth (Betty) Ruza, SSJ, age 87, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on December 15, 2023. She was in the 69th year of her religious life. Sister Betty, formerly Sister Mary Olive, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on April 1, 1936, the daughter of the late Stephen and Anna Ruza. She…

Sisters in the Sun Bench Blessing

| October 23, 2023

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:…

Sisters of St. Joseph Join LCWR in Solidarity with the People of the Middle East

| October 23, 2023

“Never has the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets violence.” Pope Francis, Angelus, September 1, 2013. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania join with the members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and in solidarity with the global community of faith, standing in the…

U.S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph Joins in Calling for a Ceasefire and Humanitarian Aid in Israel-Palestine Conflict

| October 23, 2023

“Continuing to send weapons increases dehumanization, destruction, and trauma.” More than two dozen national Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph, sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to take the necessary steps to de-escalate the conflict in Israel-Palestine, including calling for a humanitarian ceasefire and for all parties to…

Fall 2023 petite Journeys

| October 4, 2023

Sisters in the Sun Bench Campaign

| September 28, 2023

(Pictured above: Sr. Mary Arnold Tan (left) and Sr. Mary Rita Kuhn.) Thanks to many generous donors, the Sisters of St. Joseph have 20 new, all-weather outdoor benches on the grounds of the Community Living Center. The Sisters are grateful for the opportunity to meet with friends in comfort and safety, sit in their beautiful…

PHOTO AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE: (l-r) Eva Mastromatteo of Erie News Now interviews Stephanie Hall, SSJ Associate and Communications Director, and Nancy Fischer, SSJ, as part of a 5-part series during Catholic Sisters Week.