The Joseph House Newsletter

We send our Newsletter to our friends and benefactors to raise funds for our ministry with the poor. Read it to learn more about the people we help, our volunteers, the Little Sisters, issues of justice that affect the poor, and the spiritual values that motivate our work. Recent editions of the Newsletter can be read below.

Would you like to be on our mailing list? Please send your name and mailing address to the Little Sisters (contact information is at the above link). Our mailing list is kept private and will not be sold, rented, or disclosed to any outside parties.

The Joseph House depends completely on private, free-will donations. You can make a donation here:

Recent Newsletters:     June 2011     July 2011     August 2011     September 2011

October 2011

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

Every evening at 5:30 we gather around the table in our convent kitchen and sing this little song:

God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, oh so good, to us.

We then recite a table blessing over the food before us, followed by the Angelus, a prayer that contemplates the Incarnation of Christ.

A line forms and we make our way around the table, serving ourselves from an assortment of bowls and trays. First up is the protein, perhaps chicken or fish — or if it's Tuesday, turkey meatloaf. One or two vegetables come next, sometimes followed by a starch. By the time we get to the salad bowl our plates can be quite full, if we so choose. Then it's off to the dining room and we each take a seat.

You probably have your own dinnertime rituals. Even the simplest ones celebrate a genuine miracle: the goodness of creation and the work of human hands come together to give us life.

And something else is made. As Pope Benedict writes in his book on Jesus of Nazareth, "It is the act of distributing that creates community." Taking food from the common table makes us one, even though at the Joseph House we are not related by blood. But sharing what gives life makes us a family.

Your support of our ministry does the same. People come to us for help and we give to them what we receive from you. Our distribution, however, doesn't end with just material goods: your love for the poor is also carried across. The scorned are given respect and friendship, the troubled find a listening ear and an encouraging word. This is what unites people. This is what God desires for us as His children.

By keeping the Joseph House open and in operation, your generosity provides a place of welcome for those in need. The homeless, the hungry, and families in distress discover that they are not alone, that other people are concerned for their well being.

Becky, 45, was feeling lost, scared, and at the end of her rope. She fell into a downward spiral after her husband walked out on her. She ended up living in her car. Becky has high blood pressure and swelling in her arms and legs. She also suffers from obesity, anxiety, and depression. We wanted to stabilize her immediate situation. A shower, clean clothes, and a hot meal were the first order of business. We then purchased her medication ($107), a gas voucher ($36), cell phone minutes ($20), and two nights in a motel ($120). Becky still has a long way to go. We are here to make the journey with her.
 

 
Courtney, 24, has a one-year-old child. She is terrified of staying in her apartment after a home invasion robbery. Three men assaulted her and then stole everything they could grab. Courtney showed us a document from the police to confirm her story. With her sense of safety shattered, Courtney searched for a new place to live. She could pay the first month's rent, but the security deposit was too much for her. We sent $130 to her new landlord so Courtney and her baby might live without fear.

Although still a young man at age 43, Mason, suffered a stroke several months ago. For the time being he cannot return to his longstanding job at a retail store. Fortunately, his employer is extending him benefits and sick leave. Mason and his wife, Andrea, have four children. Andrea found a part-time job to help pay their bills, but they are still falling behind. Mason came to see us after the electricity was turned off in his home. We committed $100 to his bill and provided him with a list of resources to help him collect the remaining past-due amount.

Joel, 39, lost his job as an electrician last winter. The best he's been able to find since then is part-time work. His wife, Linda, has a back injury. She believes it stems from her former job as a waitress. Joel's trailer has been home for 17 years. Space is a little tight with four kids, but he is grateful to have a place to live. When Joel fell behind in the lot rent and received an eviction notice, fear gripped his heart. We called his landlord and offered $125. With that and help from Social Services, Joel and his family are safe for now. He is determined to find full-time work.

As you know, times are bad. Some people are traveling over an hour to reach the Joseph House Crisis Center for help. Thank you for your continued generosity.

Our founder, Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gintling, established our meal time rituals. She started everything, and she is the mother of our ministry to the poor. Years ago, a visitor came to stay with us for a couple of days, and before she left she confided to one of the sisters: "I don't fully understand your prayer before meals. Sr. Mary Elizabeth always gave the dogs an ice cube at the beginning. Is that a Catholic practice?" No, the sister explained, that was just Sr. Mary Elizabeth!

On October 27, we will mark the seventh anniversary of our founder's passing into eternal life. There is a tradition of praying for the dead during the month of November. We invite you to send us the names of your deceased loved ones, and we will place them on a special St. Joseph altar that will be set up in our chapel. St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death. We will add our prayers to his for your loved ones. Through the mercy of God, one day we will all be reunited in heaven.

We hope you enjoy the season of pumpkins, falling leaves, and cool, crisp days. May God bless you!

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary

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September 2011

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

A man once wrote to us from prison:

"Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world because it really is impossible to quit and take a good rest."

He was making a joke about his long hours of idleness. Other aspects of his incarceration left him with little humor. There was nothing funny about the overcrowding, lack of privacy, noise level, loneliness, and constant threat of violence and degradation.

Like most inmates, one day this man walked out of his cell. The opportunities he found in prison for work, education, and rehab prepared him, to some degree, for the next chapter in his life.

But what happens when men and women are released from jail and they have no money, no state-issued I.D., no place to stay, and family members who want nothing to do with them?

This occurs more often than you may realize. We encounter many homeless ex-offenders at the Joseph House. Through our Hospitality Room at the Joseph House Crisis Center and our job-readiness program at the Joseph House Workshop, we do our best to respond to their needs.

The work is challenging, and sometimes we don't know where to begin. We have to meet them with the Gospel. The survival techniques that inmates learn in prison need to be "unlearned." Underhanded dealings may have seemed necessary behind bars, but they are no longer suitable. New skills must take their place, along with habits that will blossom into virtues. Not every ex-offender is ready, but for those who are, a process of discovery is waiting for them. They see that new actions lead to new consequences, and this creates their longed-for life.

Former inmates know it firsthand: the world isn't waiting with open arms to welcome them back. Everyone can agree, however, that prisons should not have revolving doors. We're positive our work reduces the number of re-offenders. Works of mercy are always in the public's best interest.

Bradley is a resident of the Joseph House Workshop. It is not unusual for the men in our program to have a history with the law. Bradley became acquainted with the penal system through various drug offenses. Let him tell you what's been happening since then:

I was lost and now I am found

"I was scared to leave the detoxification ward at the hospital. I thought, "If I leave here, I will die." Right before I entered the detox ward I tried to kill myself. I told my Social Worker on the ward how I felt.

"Thank God and to her and to the Joseph House I entered the Joseph House Workshop a few days later, where I was made to feel welcome and at home. I participated in classes at the Workshop including those using the books Battlefield of the Mind and Purpose Driven Life, led by the Workshop staff. I attended AA meetings along with the other residents and went to church at St. Francis de Sales.

"I began to realize that I had thrown God away when I began using drugs and alcohol at age 12. Since I have been clean and sober, I can think more clearly. At the Joseph House Workshop I have been able to make a garden and harvest a lot of vegetables. My brother has taught me how to do this.

"I know God is helping me and He helps me know and do what is right. Since coming to live at the Joseph House I have been accepted back into the lives of my children. I have been at the Joseph House a little more than four months. Without God and the Joseph House, I know I could not have done all this. I would like to continue to help myself and others. In the future, I would like to bring others to Christ."

Finding gainful employment is a key goal for the residents of the Workshop. Bradley is very skilled in one of the construction trades. He is already employed, and his boss greatly appreciates his work and looks after him. There is another tell-tale sign that Bradley is making good progress: he is thinking of other people.

The Joseph House Workshop opened six years ago this month. The Workshop provides shelter and support services for homeless men. It promotes their transformation into productive and responsible citizens.

We depend on our volunteers, staff, and your support to make this program successful. Presently, five men live at the Workshop and three are employed. The Workshop makes a tremendous difference to individuals who would otherwise have few options.
 

 
The caseload at the Joseph House Crisis Center did not ease up over the summer. The poor are feeling desperate. We will tell you more about the people we help next month. We are so grateful that you enable us to give direct assistance to those in need.

It's been said that angels cannot be brave because they cannot be hurt. Only our vulnerability gives courage meaning and helps to makes it a virtue. Courage can reveal itself anywhere. We don't have to do great things, we simply have to carry on our day-to-day living, accepting responsibility for our decisions, doing what is right despite the pain and losses that come our way. . . . But perhaps these are great things.

The anniversary of 9/11 reminds us that ordinary people can be called to do extraordinary acts of courage. We pray for all those who risk their lives to keep us safe and free, and for the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. May we never forget that peace is the fruit of justice.

In God's love,

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
 

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August 2011

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

Some time ago, a writer volunteered to do a story on our Soup Kitchen for a national magazine. An essential part of our ministry at the Joseph House Crisis Center, our Soup Kitchen serves more than 20,000 meals per year. It provides a valuable service since about 16% of the people in the United States do not get enough food each day.

Unfortunately, the writer's editor turned down the idea. "It has been our experience that soup kitchens do not attract the most highly motivated individuals," he wrote to her. "Sometimes what comes through is selfishness, laziness, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, or something similar. Such results tend to give soup kitchens and, in fact, poverty a bad name."

His attitude was disappointing, but perhaps not too surprising. Misconceptions abound about people who depend on soup kitchens and other forms of assistance. Not everyone comes for a handout. Sure, some people probably do give poverty a "bad name." They are not motivated to help themselves, carry a sense of entitlement, want something for nothing, and will lie in order to get it. But the same is true for a lot of people who are not poor.

Of those who live in poverty, many are honest and resilient. Their generosity can put others to shame. Some of the frequent guests at our Soup Kitchen are lonely and enjoy the sense of community they receive. As you know, poverty traps all kinds of people. Rather than any personal failings, it is injustice, illness, and the sometimes tragic circumstances of life that bring them to their knees. They have no choice but to ask for help.

We welcome all people at the Joseph House because that communicates God's love and shows respect to each person as a child of God. This follows the example of Jesus. Also like Jesus, we do not necessarily have to accept everything people do when it does not reflect the glory of God within them. There are times when all of us need to be challenged, not just the poor, and it needs to be done in a spirit of love and for the individual's greater good.

Workers in the Lord's vineyard have an important responsibility. There is one question they must always keep in mind: How do you really feel, deep within your heart, about the people you serve? The answer will help determine what they become.

Helping people in need is not easy. Often for every step forward there are two steps back. But believing in people can pay off.

Patrick has been convicted of a felony five times. Years of incarceration, homelessness, and drug addiction are in his background. He has been at the Joseph House Workshop, our residential program for homeless men, for about four months.

As a man in his thirties, Patrick may have been seen as washed up, hopeless, and a burden to society. The staff of the Workshop, however, refused to give up on him.

Patrick spent long hours making job searches using the computer. That was a good start, but he needed to go out on interviews. His own fears and doubts seemed to be holding him back. The persistent guidance of our Assistant Program Director finally won him over.

Realizing he needed to forge ahead, Patrick went out and made a good impression on his job interviews. In fact, he was offered one of the best-paying jobs anyone at the Workshop has ever received. He's on track to be the supervisor of a commercial carpet cleaning crew. On his first payday, Patrick said almost in disbelief, "This is the first paycheck I've gotten in two and a half years."
 

 
Over at the Crisis Center, the hardships continue. Annie, 59, came to us with an overdue water bill. She has fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes pain throughout the body. Rent and utilities take most of her disability income. The remainder goes toward prescriptions, three doctor bills, and a tax bill. Annie receives $10 a month in Food Stamps. She lives on cereal most of the time. We sent $110 to the water company before they turned the water off.

Taylor, 38, is divorced and unemployed. Her only income is a monthly child support check ($464) she receives for her daughter. Taylor lost her job when her employer went out of business. Last winter after she ran out of heating oil, she started to heat her home with electric heaters. Then the sky-high electric bills came in followed by a disconnect notice. We paid $120 toward her bills to give her time before the cut-off. Hopefully, Taylor will find a new job soon.

Ramona, 42, had to flee to a women's shelter to escape her husband. He is now in prison. Just when Ramona felt safe again she discovered she needed immediate surgery to remove abdominal tumors. This kept her from her job as a nursing assistant for several weeks. With no income, Ramona missed a rent payment and received an eviction notice. We called her landlord and offered $125 to stop the proceedings. She accepted it.

These are just a few of the people we help every week because of your compassion. We understand how budgets can be stretched tight. Recently we've had our share of extra expenses, most notably plumbing problems in our Salisbury convent (the plumber could stick his finger through one of the corroded pipes).

And so it goes. Let us never fail to pray for one another. Thank you for reading this Newsletter, and may you be blessed with happiness and good health.

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
 

Depending on Divine Providence

Our founder, Sr. Mary Elizabeth, wanted the Joseph House to depend completely on Divine Providence for its support. She believed this will keep us close to God's will. It gives us the greatest availability to do what God wants, and not what the state or a funding agency wants us to do.

Sister also had other considerations. In a letter she wrote to a benefactor, she recalled "the true purpose for which the Joseph House was founded, i.e., to give individual persons an opportunity to help the less fortunate and give Christian witness through their concern. It is a chance for them to show the brotherhood of all men. . . .

"[This] is very real to us and a most important part of our work. These people who help Joseph House feel the responsibility of helping their brothers in need. They know that if they do not give, then their fellow human beings will suffer. This is the way we were meant to live — and this is what the Joseph House hopes to accomplish."

You are the agent of God's Providence. You have been called to share in the suffering of the poor by making a sacrifice to help them. In doing so, you minister to our Lord Himself, who said, "Whatever you do for the least of My brothers and sisters, you do for Me." Your charity leads nowhere else but to the gates of Heaven (cf. Mt 25: 31-40).

Our heartfelt gratitude is with you always!

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July 2011

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

One day one of our Sisters was waiting in line at the grocery store. A young boy was sitting in the cart in front of her and looking through a magazine of cartoon characters. "That's my favorite," he said out loud while pointing to a figure on the page. He turned the page and pointed to another brightly colored fantastic creature. "That's my favorite," he repeated. He then did the same thing a third time.

Sister smiled and said to the boy's father, "Your son has just taught me a lesson about God."

The man looked puzzled. "How's that?"

"Your son is looking at his cartoons the way God looks at us. He loves each person in the world as if there was no one else, as if we were all God's personal favorite."

That's a lesson we must never forget. At the core of our self worth is knowing that God loves us. He alone peers into the depths of the human heart and knows our potential. God created us, willed us into being and desires that we spend eternity in supreme happiness. No matter what, we can never lose hope because His love will never leave us. Counselors often speak of having an "unconditional positive regard" for those under their care, but the greatness of God's love goes beyond that. We are the apple of His eye, and our names are written on the palm of His hand (cf. Deut 32:10; Is 49:16).

If knowing God's love is step 1, then extending it to our neighbor is step 2 (cf. John 15:12).

Jesus shows us what it means to love one another. Throughout the Gospel He heals, feeds, consoles, forgives, and serves other people. His love is universal and poured out for all. Jesus shows us without question that love is a verb.

Incarnating love is what our ministry is all about at the Joseph House. We bring people together so their good intentions to help others can become actions. Times are tough for everyone, especially for the poor. With your support, the hungry are fed, the homeless find shelter, the sick can pay for medical care, and struggling families keep the electricity on in their homes. We cannot do it without you.
 

 
A recent visitor to our Crisis Center was Naomi, 32, who is married and the mother of two young girls. Naomi's husband, Edgar, was laid off from his job. He is now employed part-time at a store that sells closeout merchandise.

Naomi is in poor health, but manages to work as a baby-sitter to bring in some extra cash. She and Edgar find it next to impossible to pay their monthly rent of $700. The only other bills they have are the absolute necessities such as electric and water. Even so, they can't keep up with the payments. We paid $130 toward their delinquent electric bill to avoid a cut-off.

Evelyn, 43, came to us very worried. She lost her job two months ago and her husband is confined to a rehabilitation hospital with serious health issues. Their only income is his disability check, which is $50 less than their monthly rent. The Department of Social Services gave them two months of rental assistance, but Evelyn needs to find a job before the rent is due again. We sent a check for $120 to the electric company to cover Evelyn's past-due bill.

Kristen, 30, is another woman whose husband is undergoing a long-term hospitalization. They have two daughters. Kristen is working, but her take-home pay amounts to only $450 each month. She is feeling overwhelmed by the basic family expenses. Her husband, who has heart problems, should be released from the hospital in several weeks. Hopefully he will be able to return to work. In the meantime, we paid $200 toward their electric bill.

Noelle, 40, has throat cancer. A feeding tube supplies her nutrition. Her teenaged daughter took a day off from school and drove her to the Crisis Center. Noelle is in a desperate situation. She cannot work and must rely on her disability income. The monthly rent takes 75% of her check. There is not much left for utilities. She gets Food Stamps, but without help from food pantries her family would go hungry. We paid $80 to the gas company to keep Noelle's service from being disconnected.
 

 
Daryl, 52, lives alone and is disabled (kidney failure). He walks with difficulty because of a partial amputation of his foot. He lives in a rough neighborhood and vandals broke a window of his apartment. The replacement cost was added to Daryl's rent bill. Along with utilities and out-of-pocket medical expenses, it was too much for his disability check. We paid $130 to the landlord to prevent Daryl from being evicted.

The Joseph House is the last resort for many people in need. We increasingly turn people away because of a lack of funds. Your generosity makes a difference to someone.

The image on the front page of this Newsletter was a favorite of Sr. Mary Elizabeth, our founder. She kept a copy posted in our office. Her dedication to serving God by serving the poor led first to the creation of the Joseph House in 1965 and then to that of the Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary in 1974. On July 7, we celebrated the 37th anniversary of our community's beginning.

As Little Sisters, we give joyful witness to God's goodness and provident care. Please pray for us, and ask the Lord to call more women to join our little family. Thank you for your abiding concern for the less fortunate. You are remembered each day in our prayers.

With our wishes for a happy and restful summer,

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary

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June 2011

Dear Friends of Joseph House:

The pomp surrounding the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was a reminder of the protocol that the monarchy must follow. Thankfully it is not for us.

The Scripture reading from the ceremony, however, is a different story. The twelfth chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans sketches a basic program for living a Christian life. His guidelines are timeless and apply to everyone, both royalty and us "commoners." They are words to live by:

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. (Romans 12: 1,2, 9-18)

Marriage works and bears fruit because of the commitment that husband and wife make toward each other, a commitment lived out in the day-to-day realities of showing honor and affection and so forth. Our commitment to Christ is also lived out in the things we do each day.

Together with you, we share a special commitment to serving Christ in the poor. The people we help at the Joseph House Crisis Center depend on us, and we depend on you. And do we ever! The number of people seeking financial assistance from us has been increasing dramatically. On some days, up to 45 families will sign in for help. That's twice the usual number. Our Food Pantry is almost empty. We've cut back on how much food we can give to each household.

More and more people are falling into economic hardship. More people are coming to us from other counties because services are being cut everywhere. It's not getting any easier for the poor and homeless.

After being evicted from their home, Amber, 34, and her husband Shane, 37, are living in a motel room with their three children. Amber works at a nearby discount store. Shane was recently declared legally blind following eye surgery. His former job as a delivery driver is simply no longer an option.

Amber is struggling to pay the weekly motel bill. Until Shane starts receiving disability they have no hope of saving money to move out. They feel trapped and very stressed. We paid for two weeks at the motel ($440), and a volunteer gave $10 to their young daughter to buy a small Easter gift for her parents.
 

 
Regina, 47, is a veteran of the Gulf War. A few weeks ago, she was walking along the road when she was hit by a car. The accident has kept her out of work. The Veteran's Administration gave Regina some generous assistance, but it wasn't quite enough. She came to us the day before she was to be evicted. We called Regina's landlord and promised $100. He agreed to stop the proceedings.

George is 61 and worked on the production line at a poultry plant for 30 years. His health is no longer good and the physical demands of his job are too much for him. He currently has no income and no home of his own. He relies on various family members to give him a place to sleep at night.

When George was 18, he almost died of a mysterious illness. He told us that he experienced going to heaven. It's beautiful, he said, like nothing else here on earth. Tears came to his eyes.

George needed $60 to pay for several prescriptions. We called the pharmacy and said the money is on the way.

Patty, 48, has lupus and several cardiac ailments. She had a partial amputation of her left hand because of circulation problems. Her feet are also in danger. She can no longer work as a hotel clerk. Patty has a new case worker who hopefully will be a good advocate for her in getting state benefits. At the moment, Patty's income is zero. We paid $130 toward the over-due rent.

The poor need our help. By putting ourselves in their place we know what to do. Thank you for being generous.

Weddings are a symbol of hope. When a man and a woman say "I do" that's a promise for the future, come what may. God makes that same promise, that same commitment, with each and every one of us.

We celebrate this month the commitment of Sr. Connie Ladd, our Mother Superior, who marks 25 years as a Little Sister of Jesus and Mary on June 30. Sr. Connie's fidelity to God's call has blessed so many people — especially our little community! Her special gifts add immeasurably to our life and ministry. May the Lord give her an abundance of His grace and keep her forever in His care.

And to you, dear friends, we wish a happy, restful, and peaceful summer. We always pray for you.

Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
 

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