Mission Committee

The Federation Statement provided the Vision Context
for the Mission Committee:

United by a common story and charism
we, Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada
form a Federation whose purpose is
to focus and empower one another
in the passionate living of our mission
of active and inclusive love

Its operating goals and objectives are clear:

Goal:

To claim our identity as Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada

Objectives:

• To provide experiences of our Vision for Mission which create energy and passion for living the mission
• To develop a public voice and to act together on specific issues of justice in order to participate in the transformation of our world.

In searching for team membership, the qualities identified as important for included:

• a certain degree of passion with regard to our mission of active and inclusive love;
• sufficient credibility and moral authority within the congregation to speak about the Federation’s hopes;
• some skills and experience in strategizing;
• some time to be in communication with Executive Director, in person or via telecommunication.

Following are the Sisters who have graciously agreed to become part of the Mission Committee and who we believe possess the wealth of experience and profound understanding of our spirituality and mission:

Sister Anne Karges

Sister Anne Karges joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton in 1964. As a young sister Anne graduated from McMaster University in Hamilton with a degree in English and French.. Next was Teacher’s College followed by 10 years of teaching at the elementary school level. Her ministry of teaching led to places like Hamilton, Fort St. John and Dawson Creek B.C. Anne graduated from Creighton University, Omaha Nebraska with a Masters of Christian Spirituality in 1987. From 1983-84 she took part in the Associate program at St. Ignatius College in Guelph and became involved in the ministry of spiritual direction and retreats. From 1984 - 1999 Anne was involved in vocation and formation ministry within the Hamilton Congregation. As well she served on General Council from 1989 - 1999 and participated in several committees and boards. It provided an opportunity to have many rich “mission experiences” and Federation experiences.

Since 2000 Anne has been a Pastoral Minister at St. Teresa Parish Kitchener. This has led to a variety of wonderful experiences “with the people” and with the school children. She is currently a board member with Catholic Family Counselling Centre and St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation. Every day is a day lived fully and a day of new learning.

Sister Anne Karges

Sister Kathleen Lichti

Sister Kathleen is a member of the Sisters of Joseph of London. She received her undergraduate education at the University of Western Ontario and completed two Masters programs – the first in Religious Education in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by a second in Sacred Theology at Regis College, Toronto. Sister Kathleen taught high school from 1976 to 1987, mostly as Religion Teacher and was High School Chaplain from 1983 to1985.

Over the years she has also shown great strengths in the area of facilitative leadership particularly in spiritual direction and adult spirituality and was Co-Founder of the Adult Spirituality Centre in Windsor. In administration, Sister Kathleen has held several positions as Superior and Administrator, and in 2002-2003 acted as Interim Executive Director of the Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada. She is presently involved in parish ministry in Woodstock, Ontario.

Sister Kathleen Lichti

Sister Mechtilde O’Mara

Sister Mechtilde O'Mara entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto in September 1957 after completing (or so she thought) her university studies at St Michael's College in the University of Toronto. She had graduated in 1956 and prepared at OCE during the following year to teach high school. Her education up to the university level was almost entirely under the auspices of the Sisters of St Joseph in St Catharines, and for grade thirteen in Toronto.

After the novitiate, she taught high school for a while (Math, English, Latin and Religion), and then went back to university to study classics (Latin and Greek: languages, literature, history, and art) as a preparation for university research, teaching, and administration. For more than 25 years she lived in the residence at St Joseph's College, helping to build community with the young women there while teaching at the university. Her research leaves have taken her to Harvard, Cambridge, and St Paul Universities and to the Vatican Library.

In health care, her first mission was to St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto. She served for many years on the Board of Directors of St. Michael's Hospital and several of the board committees for many years. A part of the CSJ intercongregational SAIL group from its genesis in 'CSJ's under 65' she addressed the gathering in the summer of 2003 on 'The Sabbath.'

Sister Mechtilde O'Mara

Sister Helen Russell

A member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough, I hail from Cornwall, Ontario. I entered community in 1968 and taught elementary school for ten years in three Ontario locations. Then, I began pastoral ministry in Parry Sound. Later, I worked for four years as deanery resource person in religious education, before moving to Keewatin-The Pas in Manitoba for fourteen years. There, I served as pastoral administrator in two different Cree parishes. Moving to The Pas, I became pastoral assistant at the cathedral and assumed the role of diocesan contact for Development and Peace.

I am grateful for my experience with aboriginal people and am currently serving on the Leadership Team in Peterborough.

Sister Helen Russell