Rutland
Catholic Schools Honor Sisters of St. Joseph
Over the past 137 years, the
Sisters of St. Joseph educated thousands of children in
the Catholic schools of Rutland, Vermont. Those years
of service were recognized July 29 at the 2nd
Annual Rutland Catholic Schools fundraising event –
“Honor Our Past.”
The Sisters
were honored for “playing an important role in shaping
the very community and character of Rutland itself”
according to the event’s program.

The first five
Sisters arrived in Rutland in 1873, but their ranks
swelled as the need for teachers increased. Over the
years, Sisters would staff St. Peter’s School, Christ
the King School and Mount St. Joseph Academy. They
would later found the College of St. Joseph. In 2001,
the Rutland Sisters and the Sisters of St. Joseph of
Springfield reunified to form one Congregation.
Service awards
were also given to John Valente and the 1954 Vermont
State Basketball Champions.

Sister
Natalie Cain Honored by Coalition
After 17 years of
working with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition,
Sr. Natalie Cain is leaving her post there. The
organization honored her, as well as other staff and
volunteers at its annual dinner in Williamstown, Mass.
on June 3.
Sr. Natalie, a
native of the Berkshires, developed the Northern
Berkshire Neighbors program shortly after coming on
board at the Coalition. She said that at the time there
was no clear model or plan. “We were to create the path
by walking it. Going where people were, listening,
connecting, getting to know the neighbors and the
community and creating pathways…”
Sr. Natalie
also expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve
the area as a Sister of St. Joseph. “I am happy to
think of myself as one of the mothers of Northern
Berkshire Neighbors.”
The Coalition
was established 24 years ago to improve the quality of
life for people in Northern Berkshire by organizing,
supporting, and empowering the community.

St.
Joseph’s Parish in Newport Recognizes Sisters Service
As St. Joseph’s Parish
in Newport, Rhode Island celebrates its 125th
year, it also celebrates the many years of service by
Sisters of St. Joseph who served there. Many of the
Sisters taught at parish schools including St. Joseph’s
Academy, Sr. Joseph’s Hazard Memorial and St.
Catherine’s Academy.
Parishioner
Laurie Swistak noted that from 1889, when the first
school opened, to 1971 when all the schools and convents
were closed and
sold,
173 Sisters provided an education to thousands of
Newport’s children.
Earlier this
spring, the parish kicked off its anniversary
celebration, and welcomed Sisters who were able to
attend including Sr. Mary Behan, Sr. Mary Bisson, Sr.
Kathy Coyne, St. Ann Keefe, Sr. Alice Kenney, Sr.
Margaret Kenney, Sr. Sheila Murphy, Sr. Mary Quinn and
Sr. Eileen Shea. Swistak said the congregation showed
their love and appreciation with a “resounding
applause.”

New
Computer Lab Named in Honor of Sr. Eileen Joseph
Christopher
A computer laboratory
at
Notre Dame Academy in Worcester is being named in
honor or Sister Eileen Joseph Christopher. The
school's principal, Sr. Ann Morrison, said she was
pleased to announce that the new lab, opening in
September, will be dedicated to Sr. Eileen Joseph who is
retiring this spring after thirty-one years overseeing
the Academy's library. Sr. Eileen served as head
librarian for thirty of those years.
"It was Sr.
Eileen's expertise and guidance that helped create the
Sr. Justina Daly Library seventeen years ago. The
expansion of the library's technology is due in no small
part to her leadership. We thank her for her many years
of service to the Academy, but, more importantly, for
her friendship and loyalty, " said Sr. Ann.

Sister
Angela Deady Named Citizen of Year in Ware
Sister
Angela Deady’s work as pastoral minister at All Saint’s
Parish in Ware, Mass., has earned her recognition by the
Ware Rotary Club. Sr. Angela, along with Pastor Edward
Fitzgerald, was named Citizen of the Year during a
Rotary dinner May 11 held in the parish hall.
Sr. Angela
visits the homebound and works with youth in the parish,
among many other duties. She says she was surprised and
grateful for the award, but says it was really a
reflection on the parish. “We have a great parish and a
great community.”
Rotarian
Claire Kobis says the pair was chosen because they give
back to the community, which exemplifies the Club’s
motto of service above self. “They both met the
criteria to perfection – they are both very deserving.”
Kobis said. She added that the awards dinner drew a
huge crowd from the parish, Ware and surrounding
communities.

Sister Jane
Morrissey Recipient of St. Joseph Medal

Sister of St. Joseph Jane
Morrissey received the St. Joseph Medal from Cathedral
High School during a dinner May 8 at the school. Sr.
Jane, along with several alumni, were honored for their
outstanding lives of professionalism and commitment to
Cathedral and its core values.
Sr. Jane is a
former English teacher at Cathedral. She says that
being honored with the St. Joseph medal took her down
memory lane to her days at Cathedral - to the 72 Sisters
with whom she lived and the nearly 3,000 students,
faculty and administrators.
“I knew that I
received this honor
with integrity primarily and essentially for learning
with all of them what it is to share in the mission of a
Sister of St. Joseph.
Still I thank God,
knowing the truth of words Emily Dickinson penned in a
letter when still in her teens, "Gratitude is the timid
wealth of those who have nothing.””
Sr. Jane also
served one term as President of the Sisters of St.
Joseph of Springfield, and she was a member of the Elms
College faculty. She is currently a co-director of
Homework House in Holyoke, a free afterschool tutoring
program for at risk children.

Sister
Eunice Tassone Named Unsung Hero
Sister Eunice Tassone
has been named one of the Unsung Heroes of 2010 by the
Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. “The
Unsung Heroes are women who don’t make the news, but
make a difference in their communities, businesses or
volunteer endeavors,” states the letter announcing the
selection.
Nearly
27 years ago, Sr. Eunice established a program called
the Haiti Plunge, which brings teams of youth and other
volunteers to work in Haiti. The program operates
through the Catholic Outreach to Youth Center in North
Adams, where Sr. Eunice is director of development.
The groups
work with a cooperative of nine villages in a
mountainous area about 50 miles north of the capital of
Port-Au-Prince to build schools, wells and other
infrastructure.
Sr. Eunice
will be honored at a reception at the State House on May
19th.

Elms
College Student Receives SSJ Service Award
Elms College senior
Colette S. Green has been named the recipient of this
year’s Sisters of St. Joseph Service Award. Green, a
21-year old nursing major from Springfield, was selected
because of her commitment to the mission of the Sisters
of St. Joseph.
In addition to
her schoolwork, Green has worked at Baystate Medical
Center, and volunteered with her church group and with
the Elms College Campus Ministry. She has also tutored
local elementary school students and has done volunteer
work in Honduras and New Orleans through the Elms
Service Trips.
Green has also
participated in the Elms Step Forward/Step Ahead Program
since sixth grade and program co-director Eileen Kirk
says, “Green exemplifies both the mission of the college
and the Sisters of St. Joseph, as she is one works
tirelessly and unselfishly in her ‘commitment to the
service of others.’”
Green says
that service is something she loves doing. “It’s
rewarding far beyond what any paycheck can give you,”
she says. The SSJ Service Award was established in 2004
as a way of recognizing Elms College students who
exhibit “a spirit that echoes the love of humanity and
dedication to service.” The award was given during the
College’s Honors Convocation April 18th.
Elms College
is a coeducational, Catholic, liberal arts college in
Chicopee, founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1928.
Interfaith
Connections Project Recognizes Sr. Eileen Sullivan
Individuals with intellectual
disabilities should be included in parish life and Sr.
Eileen Sullivan has been working to make that happen at
St. Michael’s Cathedral Parish in Springfield Mass for
ten years. Her efforts and those of others were
recognized by the Interfaith Connections Project of
Western Massachusetts during a celebration April 28th
at St. Michael’s.
Sr. Eileen
said of the award, “I was humbled and delighted to share
the award with three mentally challenged men who were
recognized for their participation in the parish.”
The Interfaith
Connections Project is a group of concerned clergy,
individuals and organizations who are committed to the
integration of persons with disabilities into local
faith communities.

Sr. Mary
Gallagher Honored by Catholic Library Association
The Catholic Library Association honored Sister of St.
Joseph Mary Gallagher for her fifteen year commitment as
the General Editor of the CLA’s professional journal,
Catholic Library World during its April meeting in
Minneapolis.
Sr. Mary is
retiring from her position as editor, effective with the
June 2010 issue. She retains her position as archivist
and special collections librarian at Elms College in
Chicopee.
During the
group’s annual business meeting, Sr. Mary was given
several gifts, including a collage of the June issue
cover page with her photo and scenes from Elms Alumnae
Library superimposed over it.
Sr. Mary says
she is overwhelmed by the gifts and accolades she
received but that it takes many people working together
to publish an issue including several Sisters of St.
Joseph who serve as reviewers of books and media.

Sisters
Meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Two Sisters of St.
Joseph had the honor of meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu
while he was in Springfield recently. Sisters Eleanor
Dooley
and Mary T. Shea attended Tutu’s Inaugural Address at
the opening of the Desmond Tutu Public Health Awareness
Series at Symphony Hall April 20.
The multi-year
series is designed to advance public health awareness,
prevention through education and the transformative
power of teaching and ideas co-sponsored by American
International College and The Medical Knowledge
Institute.
During their brief
conversation, Sisters Eleanor and Mary thanked the
Archbishop for coming to Springfield to address
the community on the important issues dealing regarding
worldwide healthcare.
Mont Marie
Health Care Center Scores Highest in Western Mass on
Family Survey
Family members rate the
care that their loved ones receive at the Mont Marie
Health Care Center as the best in Western Massachusetts,
according to a survey just released by the State
Department of Public Health.
The Mont Marie
Health Care Center, a not-for-profit skilled nursing
facility owned and operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Springfield, was among 430 nursing homes surveyed by
the state last fall.
The Health
Care Center scored 4.79 in overall satisfaction, well
above both the statewide average of 4.22 and the Western
Mass average of 4.20 (on a scale of 1-5).
When asked if
they would recommend the Mont Marie Health Care Center
to a friend or family member, 98% of the respondents
said “yes.” Commenting on the high score, Center
Administrator Sister Elizabeth Sullivan said, “The
numbers indicate the trust level and credibility that
family members have in our staff, who respond to the
needs of residents on a daily basis with compassion,
respect and diligence.”
The survey
collected detailed information about nursing home staff,
physical environment, activities, personal care
services, food and meals and resident’s personal
rights. It also asked respondents to rate overall
satisfaction and ability to meet residents’ needs.
Surveys were mailed to approximately 34,600 family
members of nursing home residents across the state.
This is the
third time the state has conducted this survey. The
Mont Marie Health Care Center scored 4.64 in the first
survey in 2005 and 4.63 in 2007.
The Mont Marie
Health Care Center is a licensed 84-bed facility.
Originally built as an infirmary for the Sisters of St.
Joseph, the Center has been open to the public since
1995.

Construction on Schedule for New Senior Housing Project
The
new St. Joseph Residence at
Mont Marie in Holyoke is expected to open in
late September 2010, as planned.
The Congregation of the
Sisters of St. Joseph is financing the facility with a $4.3 million Section 202
Capital Advance from the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development for the project. The grant will also
provide a three-year rental subsidy of $438,000.
Additional funding came from the Massachusetts
Department of Housing and Community Development.
This is the second time in
three years that the Congregation has been awarded HUD
funding for a senior housing project.
Sister Mary Quinn,
President of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield,
says, “St. Joseph Residence will respond to our
neighbors who are in need of affordable housing as well
as supportive services. This project speaks to the heart
of who we are as Sisters of St. Joseph serving our “dear
neighbors.”
HUD Project Manager Sheila Galicki
says of the project, “The Sisters of St. Joseph are wonderful
partners. Their mission mirrors HUD’s mission of
providing affordable, safe housing for the elderly.”
The two-story facility will
include 30 one-bedroom low income apartments for people
over 62 years of age with varying needs for supportive
services. The Sisters of St. Joseph, co-sponsoring the
project with Mercy Housing, designed the facility to
provide housing that prolongs independent living as an
alternative to long term care placement.
All apartments will be of
senior-friendly design and a percentage will also be
handicapped accessible. The building will include
a community room with kitchen, a computer/sitting room
and a large courtyard for recreation. The
facility, at 38 Lower Westfield Road, will sit on the
east side of the Mont Marie campus overlooking the
Connecticut River valley.
Information
about applications is available from property manager
Sandy Pelletier at 413-532-9356.