Summer Sister 2020

For a number of years, I have extended an invitation to join me in St. Louis, for a period of time during the summer. I imagined it as an experience of community, retreat, sabbath, vacation, R&R, eco-emersion, and nurturing body, spirit while leaning into the future of religious life.
In 2020, the time of coronavirus lockdown, I dared not hope or invite. Yet this year I have been blessed to have a summer sister join me for a few months and it has been all that I had hoped for. Mutual blessing and sharing community, spirituality, and justice. I hope to continue this in future years, and I would definitely recommend that others offer this opportunity if you are able. 
Here's a link to a prior invitation. If you're interested in more information or would like to join me in 2021, drop me a line and we'll talk more.
ALSO - if any women discerning religious life would like to spend several weeks in a live-in experience, let me know and we will see what we can arrange for that too. We have several houses where you might be able to join us.
Amy
www.ahereford.org

Masking for the Dear Neighbor

We are living through extraordinary times. I am reminded of the beginning of Dickens’s book: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We are facing a pandemic, an economic meltdown, social unrest, violence, and injustice against people of color and against immigrants. As people of faith, we are called to live with an extraordinary commitment to the gospel.

As Sisters of St. Joseph, we are called to reach out to others, whom we call our ‘dear neighbor’. There is no stranger for a Sister of St. Joseph. There are only dear neighbors to whom we reach out in prayer, kindness, and service. We have been asked to wear face coverings. In some regions and organizations, we are mandated to wear masks. We have learned that our masks provide limited protection to the wearer and substantial protection to the dear neighbor whom they encounter. Public health professionals tell us that we are all interconnected. The health of all is interconnected. Public health officials echo the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph: we are all Dear Neighbors. So I am wearing a mask for the dear neighbor.

Stay safe and healthy!

Peace,

Amy