THE LOVE OF CHRIST IMPELS US

As I had promised in the previous INPUT, I will continue with THE LOVE OF CHRIST IMPELS US as we visit our houses located in the East.

ST. MARY'S COMMUNITY: Huntington, West Virginia

This community consists mostly of our retired sisters. However, I doubt if my sisters would consider themselves retired. Even though for some, their active ministry has come to an end, they are still active in the apostolate with their prayers. In fact, these sisters (as well as others in some of our other houses) are praying for you especially.

Adjacent to our convent is St. Mary's Hospital. St. Mary's provides excellent health care to the people of Huntington and the Ohio Valley. Many of our sisters minister at the hospital in pastoral ministry, bookkeeping, mission coordinator (where we keep our values alive through our employees), dietary, mailroom, and hospital board members.

Other sisters are active in the local parish-kindergarten teacher and CCD coordinator, and one resident artist.

VINCENT PALLOTTI HOUSE: Huntington, West Virginia

This is a smaller house located behind our hospital overlooking the Ohio River. All the sisters are actively involved working in the hospital, in our infirmary with the older sisters, gardening, and cooking. one is a pastoral associate at a local parish while another ministers at the Newman Center at Marshall University. one sister is a counselor at a local mental health center.

ST. JOSEPH'S CONVENT: Buckhannon, West Virginia

This small house is connected to a hospital, too. However, this hospital is quite a bit smaller and sits in a rural area. In fact, deer visit the grounds and enjoy nibbling on the sisters, flower gardens. The sisters who live in Buckhannon are involved in St. Joseph's Hospital, and one sister does prison ministry and volunteers at a public school in the area of special education.

PALLOTTI CONVENT: Laurel, Maryland

Laurel is situated between the cities of Baltimore and Washington, DC. Our main apostolates are St. Vincent Pallotti High School and a Day Care Center. Recently we built a new convent for our sisters. our high school kept expanding until it expanded right into our former home. We thought it was time to move. One sister is a lab technician who uses her talents to help the poor in DC. We also have a sister who is a chaplain for an area hospital and is involved in parish ministry. Another is the continuing development director for the province. Since formation never ends, she helps provide spiritual updating and retreats for us throughout the year.

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