When chaos surrounds us—especially on a large scale that blends the personal drama with the world stage—it can be hard to keep our bearings.

by Frank McCann, CSJP-A

Water is one of our most precious resources, one that many of us take for granted. Yet, for more than 844 million people worldwide, or one in every nine people on Earth, access to clean and safe water is still out of reach.

by Susan Rose Francois, CSJP

When the very first Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace professed vows on January 7, 1884 in Nottingham at Our Lady Chapel in St. Barnabas Cathedral, they did so in the presence of Bishop Edward Gilpin Bagshawe. His critical insight that we require both social analysis in light of the Gospel and development of the capacity to dwell in the peace and love of God are as relevant to 21st Century readers as they were to those first expectant, and most likely anxious, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace gathered at Our Lady Chapel, ready to begin their new adventure.

No matter what is happening in the world, there is always a population of disenfranchised, underserved, and usually poor, who are struggling. As our editorial board planned this issue, we realized we wanted to hear from people at the nonprofit ministries that serve those populations.

by Susan Dewitt, CSJP

Love my enemy, do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me, pray for those who mistreat me – how do I begin to do that?

by Christabel McCooey

I have a confession to make. I have been avoiding news about Brexit like the plague. Ever since the first vote on 23 June 2016, wherein 51.9% of British voters opted to leave the European Union, I have had an impulsive urge to steer conversations away from the subject.

by Sheila Lemieux, CSJP

Recently, my niece Megan came to me expressing how troubled she was regarding the Church’s response to the abuse of children, as well as by all the other disturbing events happening in our world today. She was looking to me not only as her beloved aunt, but as a Catholic sister who could help her make sense of what is happening.

by Cristina Turino

Since their earliest days, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace had expressed an interest in the care and instruction of the blind poor. Bishop Wigger of Newark invited the Congregation to take the reins of the three year-old Home for the Blind in 1889. This initiated the founding of St. Joseph’s School for the Blind, the first Catholic school for blind children on the East Coast, which still stands today as an ambitious innovator in the education of the visually-impaired.

by Max Lewis, CSJP-A

As a card-carrying neurotic, I expected my first inpatient hospital experience to be awful.

by Katrina Alton, CSJP

The phrase “illegal immigrant” has become common parlance to describe men, women, and children, who because of economic poverty, can’t buy their way out of countries crucified by war and terrorism, or droughts and floods. Over the last 15 years all routes to enter the UK as a “refugee” have been closed, creating an asylum system so complex, so racist, and so arbitrary that even experts in this field struggle to keep abreast of changes.

by Frank McCann, CSJP-A

With their lives packed into a few suitcases, the young couple and their one-year old daughter were at the airport for their flight to America when the Taliban launched an attack on the airport in Kabul.

by Susan Dewitt, CSJP

A long time ago, when I was a proudly agnostic graduate student of English literature, I was captured by the poetry of George Herbert who spoke to God with intimate love and longing.

by Melinda McDonald, CSJP

What is the dawn that leads to a transformation of the earth?

by Susan Rose Francois, CSJP

When a butterfly first stretches out its wings and takes flight, its metamorphosis is complete.

by Margaret Byrne, CSJP

The horrific fire that took 72 lives and destroyed Grenfell Tower in London in June 2017 has faded from the media, but for those following the story much has been happening.

by Deborah Fleming, Chief Financial Officer

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace have responded to the most critical needs of the times throughout their entire history.

by Susan Francois, CSJP

Our Congregation’s spirituality has been rooted in a shared desire for peace from our founding.

by Frank McCann, CSJP-A

In scripture a Kairos time means an appointed time, an opportune moment, or a due season.

by Katrina Alton, CSJP

“It’s an absurd contradiction to speak of peace, to negotiate peace, and at the same time promote or permit the arms trade.”