Sr. Mary James Keating was born in Bethlehem, PA.  She worked as a bookkeeper for the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company before entering the community.  Her first contact with the Sisters of Bon Secours came when she told her parish priest that she wanted to become a nurse.

Sr. Mary James entered the Novitiate in 1942, and graduated from the Bon Secours School of Nursing in 1947.  She served the sick in Grosse Pointe, Mich,; Methuen, Mass., Darby and Rosemont, PA.; Wildwood, N.J.; and Richmond, Va.  She became a registered X-ray technician in 1958 and served in this capacity for many years.

Sr. Mary James ministered at the Osteopathic Medical College Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., for 17 years.  She also did home nursing as well as visiting the sick and elderly until her retirement in 2003.  “By caring for the sick in their homes, I have been able to carry on the original charism of the Sisters of Bon Secours,” says Sr. Mary James.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is hosting a special career event for 5th graders in the Baltimore area to educate them on spiritual life vocations as a Priest, Brother, Sister or Nun. WBAL-TV Channel 12 News reporter Jennifer Franciotti has the story:

Video: Focus 11: Archdiocese Targets Youth About Careers

Tonight at 7:00pm, Sister Pat Dowling, CBS vocation director will launch the Sisters Chat Room for women who are exploring their call to religious life. Featured guest is Sister Chris Webb who will share her story of being called to religious life and how she knew. Sr. Chris is preparing to make final vows November 12 and will be sharing what this means over a four week period with women who exploring their own calling to religious life. To access Sisters Chat go to our home page and click on Sisters Chat. Instructions for logging on are found on the Chat Room page. Hope to see you on Sisters Chat!

Sr. Fran Gorsuch meets God in the faces of those she helps. “My spirituality is at the moment of encounter— to bee there, to hear their nee ds. As sisters, we’re called to universal love. Some people may not appear lovable, but you get to know them. We’re all so much more alike than wee are different,” she says. Sr. Fran sees our similarities in an unlikely place: among immigrants from Haiti, Latin America, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, now living in Rockland County, outside of New York City. As director of Community Initiatives with Bon Secours Charity Health System’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, NY, Sr. Fran advocates for disadvantaged people in communities that have some of the fastest growing immigrant populations. She helps people who need medical care by connecting them with appropriate caregivers, including Good Samaritan. Sr. Fran is part of the Rockland County Immigration Coalition, an organization that helps defend and protect their rights and human dignity of all who seek to … continue reading…

Join Catholics around the world in 60 hours of Eucharistic prayer for vocations which coincides with Pope Benedict’s 60th anniversary of ordination. Join us June 29 to July 1 (Feast of the Sacred Heart) in praying for vocations. We offer the following prayer.

Jesus, you call faith-filled men and women to follow in your footsteps of serving people through a vocation in the Church as brothers, priests, and sisters. We pray that young people may open their hearts to hear your call and to answer with generosity to a vocation to consecrated life as religious. May those who you call be examples of your love and live the Good News to such an extent that they become the Word for others. May the Holy Spirit inspire young people to be Christ for others. Amen.

For information about consecrated life as a sister, contact us at 410-442-3172 or email at: CBSVocations@bshsi.org.
.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations was a couple of weeks ago, but I want to share this video and ask for your support in praying for vocations to religious life.  I’m sorry I don’t know who developed it (I would otherwise acknowledge them - perhaps the USCCB).  God’s call to live life as a sister has a long tradition. Not many are called, but it is a valid life calling even for today. Life in a convent is not strange – like other vocations its about relationships and living a faith – filled life. Thanks for helping us pray for vocations.

Create your own video”>http://animoto.com”>video slideshow at animoto.com.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

“Simple Truths We Learn In Life”
by Sister Mary Magdalen Condry, CBS

Truth #10:

Give without expecting recompense.  Give without expecting anything.  You do a good deed to somebody; you don’t expect a person to be forever grateful to you.  They may be extra nice to you at first, but you should not anticipate any sort of return.  Give and move on.

I would like to send a message of love and congratulations to five of our Sisters who are celebrating their Jubilee this year.  A Jubilee marks the number of years as a Sister.

(Pictured Left to Right)

Sr. Kathleen Moroney – 60 Years
Sr. Anne Lutz – 50 Years
Sr. Nancy Glynn – 50 Years
Sr. Margaret (Peggy) Mathewson - 50 Years
Sr. Mary Ellen Wagner – 60 Years
Congratulations to you all, and thank you for 270 combined years of dedication to the Sisters of Bon Secours’ spirituality and charism: compassion, healing and liberation.

Read more about our Jubilarians:

Sr. Anne Lutz entered the Sisters of Bon Secours on November 21, 1960 from Darby, Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Bon Secours Hospital School of Nursing, Baltimore and the University of Detroit. Over the past 50 years, she has served in various nursing and administrative capacities in Bon Secours facilities in Baltimore, Maryland and Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She also … continue reading…

Vocation Rally held at Catholic Campus Ministry of Howard University and nuns and priests and accompany students to talk about religious life, how to discern a catholic vocation (one’s calling), prayer, and ministry.

The Sisters of Bon Secours invite you to participate in World Day of Prayer for Vocations as you ponder your own vocation. 

In 1963, Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday as World Day of Prayer for Vocations (WDP).  Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows us well and gives His life for us.  We rejoice in the Good

Shepherd who leads us into fullness of life. 

May God give you grace and understanding to know God’s call for you in life.  May God’s presence reveal his deepest wishes for you.  We pray today for those who are discerning their life vocation that they may listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd who guides them.   

Everyone has a vocation.  

A vocation is a call from God to be the person you are meant to be.  Each vocation is sacred and is a way we live out our life.  

Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52

Psalm 100

… continue reading…