BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS  Jennie getting ready for the pet blessing with the Sisters
We CSJB Sisters have always really loved our pets. Please enjoy this slideshow of beloved past pets from our long history in the U.S. and England. Click the arrows to look through the photos. CONCERT AT THE CONVENT
This concert benefits our Capital Campaign and is free with a voluntary donation of any amount. Our Capital Campaign raises funds to repair and preserve our landmarked historic buildings. This current phase hopes to raise enough to replace the 115-year-old roof on our retreat house, repair the stucco on the convent, and rescue the CSJB cemetery which is heavily damaged by weather and age. CLICK HERE for more details about Phase 2 of our Capital Campaign. THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE  The CSJB Sisters are once again honored to be a co-sponsor of the Mendham Faith Leaders' "Blessed to be a Blessing" 4th Annual Community Thanksgiving Food Drive. This annual drive benefits the Morris County Interfaith Food Pantry Network, which distributes approximately 1.5 million pounds of food per year. It will be held on Sunday, November 12 from 9 AM to 12:30 PM at Hilltop House, 14 Hilltop Rd. Mendham, NJ 07945: You can donate fresh or frozen and shelf stable items to volunteers in the parking lot. FRESH OR FROZEN: Turkey & turkey breast, large chicken, ham, potatoes, yams, squash, onions, carrots, apples, oranges, lemons, butter SHELF STABLE: Milk, soy milk, stuffing mix, instant potatoes, canned gravy, muffin/roll mix, salad dressing, canned pumpkin, canned corn, hearty soup (low salt), tea, coffee, 100% fruit juice, canned fruit, applesauce, Jell-O and pudding mix, brownie/cake mix, salt, pepper, seasoning. This annual food drive is sponsored by the Mendham Faith Leaders: Brookside Community Church UCC, Community of St. John Baptist, Grace Lutheran Church, Hilltop Presbyterian Church, Mendham United Methodist Church, St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Last year we collected a total of 1532 pounds of food including 33 turkeys for families in need.
Also - please be sure to check out our Nun Better Etsy shop for handmade jewelry and gift items made by the CSJB Sisters! Sister Mary Lynne, Sister Suzanne Elizabeth, and Sister Victoria Michelle make beautiful devotional items from the highest quality materials. The Nun Better Shop at the Convent and Retreat House have even more handmade items. The Sisters also provide repairs and take orders for custom pieces. Just email srmc@csjb.org to arrange an in-person visit to our shop. Here's a review from one of our Etsy customers:  THE GOOD SHEPHERD HOME IN CAMEROON  Aben Cistus (center), who grew up at GSH provides computer and technical training for orphans with his ACT Foundation, and serves healthy fruit after each workshop.
If you are interested in becoming a Good Shepherd Home sponsor for as little as $40.00 a month, please email gsh@csjb.org for more information.  Godgift and his mother Dr. Akwa Gilberto, who grew up at the home, founded the Mother Jane Legacy Foundation to provide medical care to orphans and the poor. Here is his latest report: "Dear Mother Superior, It is always a great honor writing to you and CSJB. Thank you for the great work of God you do. A sincere thank you to our American friends and partners. At the Mother Jane Legacy foundation our mission is simple yet powerful: "A world where the rights and dignity of the underprivileged children are met. The medical condition of Godgift whose life we rescued is deteriorating as he suffers from Malnutrition as the mother is unable to feed well, This is unacceptable. The MJLF is pleading to it friends and partners to come to the rescue of Godgift and the mother! At 18 years old, she master the art of hair plaiting, we hope to raise funds to develop her skills and so leave the streets. Dear Mother Superior, one of the reasons I face enormous difficulties is due to the fact that I have to pay for the rent where our office is Located, a monthly fee for the website to be active and a monthly Motivation to our field agents Mr. David and Madam Jackline which has been suspended till further notice. Lastly, it is good you know, I have stopped the education for 63 vulnerable children this academic year and allow only 5 of them this include: Lidwine doing Midwifery in university, Christian, Syndy, Ransome and Nene Faith, since we didn't receive help not even a single penny. It was painful doing so but the weight was enormous on Dr. Gilberto. Last year, upon graduation 🎓, Dr. Waldman and Wife supported me greatly making it easy at the time. Next month I am supposed to submit my annual report to the Cameroon government for evaluation as recommended. Thank you dear mother Superior! Blessings! Dr. Gilberto." If you’d like to donate to the Mother Jane Legacy Foundation, please contact Sister Monica Clare at srmc@csjb.org.
I want to take a moment to share with you the incredible impact your contributions have had through ACT FOUNDATION. It's a story of resilience, hope, and the transformative power of education, and it's all thanks to your compassion and belief in our cause. Imagine, for a moment, the faces of the children we have the privilege of working with. They come from some of the most underprivileged backgrounds, facing challenges that can seem insurmountable. Many of them had never seen a computer, much less had the opportunity to learn how to use one. Their dreams were obscured by the harsh reality of their circumstances. But then, through the grace of your generosity, we stepped into their lives. With your support, we've empowered over 500 children with the gift of 21st-century ICT skills. The transformation in these young minds is nothing short of remarkable. You've given them more than just technical skills. You've given them the keys to unlock their dreams. You've shown them that, despite their circumstances, they have the potential to achieve great things. Your contributions have ignited hope in their hearts, and for that, we are eternally grateful. Your continued support in funding for these initiatives is instrumental to our mission. We believe that these 21st-century ICT skills can provide these underprivileged children with opportunities for a brighter future. We extend our deepest gratitude for your support, love, and prayers. We look forward to further collaboration in the coming months to make a positive impact on the lives of these children." If you’d like to help the ACT Foundation, please contact Sister Monica Clare at srmc@csjb.org. THE SOCIETY OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS  Sr. Monica giving a presentation to SCP in Kansas City Sister Monica Clare was one of three keynote speakers at the Society of Catholic Priests’ (SCP) annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 3-6. SCP is a growing society of women and men serving as priests, deacons, and consecrated religious throughout the Anglican Communion. The Society aims to promote priestly spirituality and catholic evangelism.
KNOWING WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST  Sister Victoria Michelle led one of her popular retreats on Oct. 28 on Zoom entitled “Knowing Who You Are in Christ.” Participants learned about the depth of Christ’s love for them through scripture and prayer. If you’d like to learn about Sister Victoria’s upcoming retreats, please contact her at srvm@csjb.org EASTERN SPIRITUALITY FOR WESTERN SEEKERS
ANTI TRAFFICKING WORKSHOP
CLICK HERE to arrange a NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking presentation at your church or business. Many thanks to our CSJB Associates the Rev. Nate Darville and Eloise Hiris for making this event possible. Visit the NJ Coalition against Human Trafficking website at www.safernj.org HOW YOU CAN HELP: Report any signs of trafficking to: Our Sisters in England, along with the Rt. Rev. Alastair Redfern, founded the Clewer Initiative, an anti-trafficking program in the Church of England: CLICK HERE to sign up for the Clewer Initiative newsletter to learn more. ST. MARGUERITE’S RETREAT HOUSE Our Retreat House is having a busy October. This month we welcomed ACOA from October 6-8, W66 from October 13-15, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Manasquan from October 20-22, and St. Martin’s Men’s Group from October 27-29. Sadly, we also had to say goodbye to one of the favorite members of the St. Marguerite’s staff – Buddy the friendly dog. Buddy was Retreat House Manager Brad Kalos’ dog for many years, and he crossed the Rainbow Bridge after a long and happy life. We miss seeing him on his daily walks, and we know that the guests will miss him as well. Thank you, Buddy, for your ministry.  Buddy the Retreat House dog was gentle, shy, and sweet. ONE HOME  Sr Eleanor Francis, Sr Linda Clare, and Sr Monica Clare display the Convent Banner from OneHomeOneFuture which was shared with St Marks in Mendham to kick off an educational campaign within the region. "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16 On October 4th 2023 OneHomeOne Future hosted a national webinar to roll out their resources for groups to share. In a historic moment, 31 US denominations and faith organizations including The Episcopal Church joined together to launch this multi-faith campaign to strengthen vitality, relevance, and community connection across generations – to care for our shared home – in local congregations nationwide. One Home One Future is a campaign that educates, activates, and supports clergy, congregants, youth, and all spiritual people in meaningful and just solutions locally, regionally, and nationally in ways that are accessible and positive. One Home One Future offers you several inspiring pathways to engage, to meet you where you are and help your congregation. You can explore the pathways below:
SERMONS BY THE SISTERS
ASSOCIATES AND OBLATES
ST. JOHN BAPTIST SCHOOL ALUMNAE Please enjoy this slideshow of vintage photos of St. John Baptist School girls at work and play: CSJB BOOKS
LOOKING AHEAD
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR
We pray especially for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO
The DCLM Fund The Ross Foundation The S.A.D. Foundation The Community of the Transfiguration The Rt. Rev. Carlye J. Hughes The Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin The Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool The Rev. Kevin Coffey The Rev. Cynthia L. Black, DD, and the people of the Church of the Redeemer The Rev. John A. Rollins The Rev. Lorna Erixson and the people of St. Mark's Mendham The Rev. Margaret Otterburn and the people of the Church of the Messiah The Rev. Victoria McGrath and the people of All Saints Millington The Rev. Anne C. Thatcher and the people of St. Peters Morristown TO SUPPORT OUR GENERAL FUND
YOUR LEGACY FOR CSJB  The majority of our buildings, chapel furnishings, Convent and Retreat House furnishings, and ongoing ministry funds were made possible through legacies. It is mainly through the kindness of legacy donors who believed in our mission that we have carried forward the plans of the Holy Spirit for our Community from 1852 to the present time. The restoration of the Convent in 1960 was made possible by a legacy gift. Before that gift, the Sisters lived at St. Marguerite's for ten years because the Convent repairs were too expensive to undertake. Many thanks to all the kind people who have expressed interest in being CSJB Legacy donors. Our promise to you is that your legacy will continue God's work. CLICK HERE for information about becoming a Legacy donor.  Autumn leaves along the driveway at CSJB
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Archives
November 2023
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP PRESERVE OUR SACRED SPACE?
The cost of replacement for our septic system was $481,598 and our friends and benefactors provided the entire amount! Thank you! THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR CSJB CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WISH LIST: St. Marguerite's Roof: 
We are hoping to raise $500,000 to replace the 114-year-old roof at St. Marguerite's. Thanks to generous donors, we have already raised over $70,889.00. CLICK HERE to learn more about the CSJB Capital Campaign |
Location
82 West Main Street Mendham, NJ 07945
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