"Associates enhance our charism . . . as they carry it to other areas of the world."

This is just one of the messages that moved Sister Mary Morgan to take action. "I knew very little about CSJ Associates because I had never lived where there had been a group. And I had no idea how to get one started," she says. "So I asked questions here and there."

Sister Mary's enthusiasm for the Associates program took off last spring when she heard Sister Rosemary Jeffries, RSM, speak to our Sisters and Associates. Sister Rosemary challenged our Sisters to reach out to those who are searching for a deeper spirituality and to embrace those who share our charism of unity and reconciliation.

Drawing inspiration and hope from that presentation, Sister Mary, a parish social services minister at St. Catherine of Sweden, planned to attend an orientation session on the Associates program. She and Sister Mary Cordia Grimes extended personal invitations to potential Associates at their neighborhood parish, St. Titus in Aliquippa. When some women expressed an interest in the orientation session, but could not attend, Sister Mary, along with Sister Mary Cordia, Sister Mary Fides Ruppel, and CSJ Associate Rose Capone planned the session at St. Titus.

Their focused outreach at St. Titus attracted the interest of several women who were among 10 to make the formal promise to become members of the CSJ Association. New members are Mary Ann Bautti of Beaver, Suzanne Carson of Wexford, Frieda Dolde of Baden, Lori Ann Gregory of Aliquippa, Patty Milovich of Aliquippa, Barbara Onn of England, Carole Panella of Aliquippa, Janice Paul of Center Township, Jill Stubber of Aliquippa, and Lili Wolfe of Aliquippa.

The Associates' formal commitment to grow in relationship with God, self and neighbor follows an initial formation period that includes six orientation sessions on the history, spirituality, maxims, directional statement, consensus statement, and charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

"The mutuality in the relationship between ourselves and the Associates is a blessed gift," Sister Mary Morgan says, referring to Sister Rosemary's comments. "Just as they hunger for a deeper spirituality grounded in the oneness of all, we, too, are renewed in our desire for an ever-growing union with God, with each other, and with the dear neighbor."

Sister Mary says that this spirit of unity among vowed and non-vowed women is rooted in our Sisters' early beginnings. Referring to the Confraternities of Mercy, she explains that these laywomen shared the same spiritual formation and apostolic ministries as the vowed members. "These women were an integral part of our roots," she says. "How exciting and provident that we should seek the 'resurrection' of that powerful movement of the Spirit in our own times."

-- Summer 2002

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