- December 20, 2022 Association
By Associate John Rossman
On Sept. 25, sisters and associates in St. Louis came together in community, sharing a meal, and enjoying each other's company. The event was hosted by the Jane Behlmann Associate Group and was held in the Carondelet Motherhouse dining room. Upon arrival, guests entered their names into the attendance prize raffle. Sister Mary Ellen Tierney provided many splendid attendance prizes this year.
So Many Familiar Faces
COVID took so much of our community time, the gathering was like a reunion. Seeing the smiles, warmth and love in the room, you'd think it'd been decades since we'd been apart. Fist bumps, hugs and catching up brought back the familiarity of being a member of the Community of St. Joseph.
Call to Dinner
Sister Sandra Schmid introduced all of the associates that joined the community since January of 2020, amid cheers and welcomes for those that were present that day. She then introduced and thanked the hosting group for the picnic. Purposefully stilling the room, she began the meal prayer, blessings and thanks for all of the food preparers. Blessings for those unable to attend and thanking God for what lies before us.
Everyone found a spot to enjoy their meal amongst new or old friends in the smaller group of each table, each in turn sharing that which has transpired over the last couple years. Eventually, everyone was table hopping to catch up with others in attendance.
The Community of St. Joseph is Strong
Gatherings such as this bring us together and rejuvenate the charism within us. The Associate Leadership Team (ALT) of St. Louis (formerly the Associate Regional Leadership Team) wants to thank everyone involved in helping put together this successful event.