Lucianne Nelson had often mulled the idea of going on retreat. When she finally attended a women’s retreat at St. Joseph Spiritualty Center several years ago, Lucianne was grateful to leave everything behind, decompress, and savor the solitude.
“I saw how important God was to them,” she recalls, referring to the retreatants. “They shared the positives and negatives in their lives and accepted everyone just as they are.”
From that pivotal retreat, Lucianne began a long journey (extended by the pandemic) toward becoming an Associate. With her sponsor, Carla, by her side, Lucianne was installed as a member of the CSJ Association on September 26.
In remarks that day, Carla said, “Through her continued faith in God, untiring perseverance and openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Lucianne patiently waited to make her promises until she was able to be here today in this beautiful, peaceful, holy place surrounded and supported by her family, the Sisters and her fellow Associates.”
Lucianne credits Carla as well as Associate Judith Lewis for supporting and inspiring her to become an Associate.
Lucianne has been married for 40 years to Mark, who was a volunteer years ago at the Harvest Festival. She has a son Ross, daughter-in-law Brooke, grandson Logan; and daughter Julie. A graduate of Carlow University, Lucianne worked for 35 years as a speech and language therapist in public schools through the Beaver County Intermediate Unit. She is a parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima in Hopewell Township.
“My hope, as an Associate, is to share my belief in God,” Lucianne said. “It is vital to show our neighbors and friends that they are all accepted just the way they are. God will direct my spiritual growth to share in any way that I can in this community.”
What is the CSJ Association?
It is group of approximately 100 Christian women and men who embrace our mission of unity and reconciliation. Rooted in the richness of prayer, Associate members commit themselves by formal promise to be associated with the Sisters of St. Joseph.
They meet regularly in small faith communities, responding to a deep desire to grow in relationship with God and with one another and to embody a spirit of union in their lives. The Association conducts a formation program, which includes an annual weekend retreat. A series of orientation sessions are offered each year to provide Associates with an ever-deepening sense of our spirit and spirituality.
Want to learn more? Please contact Mary Cay or Judy!
Mary Cay Burke-Hamill, CSJA
412-229-8778
stmarycay@comcast.net
Judy Lewis, CSJA
412-831-5654
lewisjudith68@gmail.com