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We invite you to continue walking with us for the next 165 years by supporting our mission and ministries with an estate gift or in your will.
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Walking Meditation—How to Walk the Labyrinth
The labyrinth represented wholeness to the ancients, combining the circle and the spiral in one archetypal image. The labyrinth is unicursal, meaning there is only one path, both in and out. Put simply, it is a journey into the self, into your own center, and back into the world again. As a prayer and meditation tool, labyrinths are peerless; they awaken intuition.
Do your best to relax before you enter. Deep breaths will help a great deal. If you have a specific question in mind, think it or whisper it to yourself. You will meet others on the pilgrim’s path as you are walking; simply step aside and let them continue on their journey as you do the same. The three stages of the labyrinth walk are as follows:
Purgation: Here is where you free your mind of all worldly concerns. It is a release, a letting go. Still your mind and open your heart. Shed worries and emotion as you step out on the path.
Illumination: When you have come to the center, you are in the place of illumination. Here, you should stay as long as you feel the need to pray and meditate. In this quiet center, the heart of the labyrinth, you will receive messages from the Divine or from your own higher power. Illumination can also come from deep inside yourself.
Union: This last phase is where you will experience union with the divine. Lauren Artress says that as you “walk the labyrinth, you become more empowered to find and do the work you feel your soul requires.”
Use this walking meditation to become one with yourself and find peace within. May you use this learned tranquility to better participate in other rituals that focus on important aspects of your life.
(This post is an excerpt from Prayers for Calm by Becca Anderson;
Shared by Sr. Marie Stephen Kebort, SSJ, 2025)
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Reflection:
* I pause several times today to remember that each moment is a gift.
* I reflect on my day, noticing the moments that unite me to God and the dear neighbor.
* I reflect on my use of technology as Pope Francis urges in Laudato Si.
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Spreading Joy & Happiness - Sr. Sally Villa, SSJ
Visit the Sisters of St. Joseph Mission & Ministries Foundation website and Facebook pages to learn more: ssjmmf.org or www.facebook.com/ssjmmf
Monthly posts of SSJ Maxims, Spreading Joy & Happiness, “Did you know...”, sponsored ministries, Foundation Newsletter, and MORE!
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We remember . . . Bernadine Gehringer, SSJ - SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ... See MoreSee Less

We remember . . . Bernadine Gehringer, SSJ - SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
ssjerie.org
Bernadine Gehringer, SSJ, formerly Sister Mary Michael, 87, of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, died on June 19, 2025, in the 70th year of her religious life. She was born on Se...0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Enjoying the beauty of Summer.
Special thank you to Vickie Pangratz, SSJ Director of IT, for sharing these beautiful moments allowing for pause and reflection.
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Special Dates 2025
January
- 1 New Year’s Day
- 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- 26 SSJ Mission & Ministries Foundation Thanksgiving Liturgy and Check Presentations
February
- 2 Groundhog Day
- 8 Cathedral Preparatory School Legacy Gala
- 14 Valentines Day
- 17 President’s Day
March
- 5 Ash Wednesday
- 5 Lenten Day of Reflection
- 8-14 National Catholic Sisters Week
- 15 St. Patrick’s Haven Shamrock Showdown
- TBD St. Joseph Day Celebration
- 19 St. Joseph Day
April
- 13 Palm Sunday
- 18 Good Friday
- 20 Easter Sunday
- 22 Earth Day
- 25 St. Vincent Gala
May
- 1 St. Joseph the Worker Day
- 1 Mission Day
- 3 SSJ Neighborhood Network Guess That Tune Gala
- 11 Mother’s Day
- 15 St. James Haven Community Dinner sponsored by the SSJs and SSJMMF, 3-6 pm in Meadville, PA
- 26 Memorial Day
June
- 15 Father’s Day
July
- 4 Fourth of July
August
- 12 Erie Gives Day
September
- 1 Labor Day
- 4 AHN St. Vincent Hospital Mission Day celebration of the Sisters of St. Joseph
- 11-14 Gannon University’s Homecoming celebrating their 100th year and the Sisters of St. Joseph
October
31 Halloween
November
- 27 Thanksgiving
December
- 2 #i Give Catholic
- 2 Giving Tuesday
- 25 Christmas Day