Despite the presence of snow, it wouldn’t be spring without ż’s Feast of Saint Joseph celebration. Each year, the ż’s community celebrates the mission-driven work of University founders Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJs) and their patron, Saint Joseph.
On March 20, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners gathered in the Rauenhorst Ballroom and engaged in service projects — including writing cards to CSJs, assembling “Welcome Home” kits for women leaving incarceration, legislative action to support our dear neighbors, and sewing treatment-accessible sweatshirts for dialysis patients. All the while, participants learned about opportunities to get involved with CSJ initiatives and wider community programming.
The afternoon also featured a prayer service, with reflections from President ReBecca Keonig Roloff ’76 and Provost Dianne Oliver, PhD, in addition to readings from Francis Fagerlund ’24, Meredith Toussaint ’25, and Joan Mitchell, CSJ.
“Let us look to Joseph as our model of wisdom. He is depicted as a man of humble means: a husband, a father, a carpenter, and a man of great faith,” said President Roloff during the prayer service. “It is wonderful to see so many members of our ż’s community completing acts of service as a way to honor and celebrate Saint Joseph.”
Now, as they have throughout the past several centuries, the CSJs exemplify these values with their commitment to the community through their dedication to loving the dear neighbor through service, social justice, and reflection.
“We work not to create the ideal world, for that task is too big, but to take the next step in a journey we don’t fully know,” said Provost Oliver. “One that seeks to bring just a little closer together the world we hope for and the one we have.”
Photos by Patrick Clancy Photography