6 • ThE PiloT • SEPTEMBER 26, 2014By Sister Margaret L. Sullivan, CSJWoven through our 140-plus year history as Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston is a threadlike strand that con-nects us to an immigrant population. First, as immi-grants and then, as daugh-ters and granddaughters of immigrants, we have tended at various times in our his-tory to focus our minis-try both intentionally and directly on the issues affect-ing immigrants to our city. As individuals, every Sis-ter of St. Joseph responded affirmatively to God’s call to religious life. That call was mediated through a vari-ety of circumstances par-ticular to each young woman. Her generous “yes” planted her amidst others who had responded similarly. Collec-tively and together, they com-prise the membership of this apostolic diocesan congrega-tion whose mission in follow-ing Jesus is that of promoting “unity of neighbor with neigh-bor and neighbor with God.” In a recent issue of our con-gregation’s publication, Sound-ings, two women were high-lighted, both of whom were born in 1913; one was the daughter of Irish immigrants while the other came from Ital-ian immigrant parentage.Sister Lumena O’Sullivan, CSJ became a teacher whose perspective broadened from that of an academic professional to embrace a wider concern for the immigrants suffering from a fundamental disrespect of their human dignity resulting in a lack of food, clothing, language, good health, and employment skills and an inability to access the systems whereby these could be addressed appropriately. Sis-ter Lumena then ministered directly among Vietnamese and Laotian immigrants, helping them navigate the unintelligible paperwork requirements within some governmental agencies; she was instrumental in devel-oping an ESL program too. Sister Eustace Caggiano, CSJ initially provided food service within the convent but was drawn to the children play-ing in the unsafe streets outside the kitchen door; she invited them into the safety of the convent yard and developed relationships with them and their families, volunteering at the Cardinal Cushing Spanish Center, wherein she learned of their needs for affordable fur-niture, clothing and scholar-ship assistance. She established “a boutique” operating out of that center where toys, furni-ture, clothing etc. were sold at an affordable price and the income provided scholarships to the local Catholic elemen-tary school. Though skilled in a particu-lar ministry, each found a way beyond those skills to respond from her heart to the needs of the immigrants around her. Alongside the archived histo-ries of these noteworthy sisters are anecdotal tales of other sis-ters who fed the hungry from the back steps of the convent or provided care packages sur-reptitiously to the needy immi-grant families of whom they became aware through their classrooms. The directive of the Sec-ond Vatican Council to return to the spirit of their found-Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston: Attentive to the immigrant neighborPhoto courtesy/Darlene Rogers, Sisters of St. Joseph of BostonThe Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston gather for liturgy in their Motherhouse chapel. Photo courtesy/Anne Marie Garrity, CSJSisters and associates join thousands in the “Stand Up for All Children” march and rally in Boston.ers enabled sisters to adopt a variety of ministries that had not traditionally been theirs. Pastoral and social service skills became more prevalent among us as we responded to the unmet needs that inspired our founders. Direct service to newcomers to our country had included the ways Sisters Lumena and Eustace minis-tered but, more recently, this service has been mediated through and extended by some special ministries of the Sis-ters of St. Joseph; in particu-lar, these include The Literacy Connection and The Women’s Table in Brighton and Casserly House in Roslindale. While our sisters continue to be engaged directly in ministry to new neighbors, they have also established the organizational mechanisms and structures that enable other women and men to become involved in fostering reading, writing, speaking skills, in promoting access to necessary agencies for clothing, housing, health care, and employment, and developing a track to facili-tate citizenship. Today, Sisters and CSJ Associates actively partner with other women and men in ministry to this popula-tion and continue to pray and work for just immigra-tion reform. The arbitrary and unjust nature of some regulations still cries out where families are separated and the path to citizen-ship remains both costly and uncertain as standards are applied unevenly. Wit-ness this summer’s influx of unaccompanied children across the borders of our Sharing Gospel living in our ministries among those who are poor, those who hunger and thirst for knowledge and spirituality, those who work for justice and peace and those who seek new pathways with God.We are Sisters and Associatesexpanding Hope together.Sisters of St. Anne 720 Boston Post Road East Marlborough, MA 01752 www.sistersofstanne.org (508) 485-3791 x419country and the dilemma they posed to a nation rich in land and facilities! The theme of the Year of Consecrated Life, designated by Pope Francis to be cele-brated around the globe from the first Sunday of Advent in 2014 through 2015, is “Wake Up the World!” What better way to celebrate than to con-tinue to minister among God’s people in need, to press on for just immigration reform, and to provide for undocumented and desperate citizens of our world? In this outreach, we, Sisters of St. Joseph of Bos-ton, continue the mission of Jesus by welcoming neighbors “without distinction” into union with their God and with one another. You are cordially invited to consider joining us in answering this wake-up call!SiSter Margaret l. Sullivan, CSJ iS a general CounCilor, SiSterS of St. JoSePh of BoSton. WeBSite: WWW.CSJBoSton.org.
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