Community of St. John Baptist: Recent Happenings

2010-09-30T21:05:00.000-07:00

CENTERING PRAYER

Thursday Evenings at the Convent
7:15 - 8:30
Service of Compline with the Sisters at 8:30

More News From Good Shepherd Home

2010-09-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

The Latest News From Good Shepherd Home

There are many new developments at the Home. One of them is the chicken farm. This project has helped the orphanage to become more self-sustaining. Sr. Jane and her helpers (including the children) now circulate thousands of chickens through areas for chicks, “teenagers,” and mature chickens. The chickens sell for 6 to 8 dollars.

Another project is the Grace Bakery, given by Grace Church, Madison. This traditional outdoor oven is a source of bread for the children, and some is sold. Every day at Good Shepherd Home and the annex in Batibo, about 150 people are fed. Common foods are “fufu,” a sort of corn meal, vegetables, fruits, rice, beans, and sometimes meat.

Thirty of the children are now in secondary school. The country uses the European system, in which all students at age 13 take exams to determine which kind of school they should attend. Some prepare for college and others for various professions. The Good Shepherd children walk to a variety of schools, and two seniors are away at boarding school. Several have scored high in the national exams. Two, Gilbert and Maribel, are planning to attend medical school next year. Godi is now going to shipbuilding school in Douala. These are the first of the orphans to reach young adulthood. Good Shepherd Home will be their home until they are ready to live out on their own.

The younger children from nursery to fifth grade go to the Redeemer School on the property, named for the Church of the Redeemer, Morristown. Beyond this level they begin attending schools in Bamenda. The children are also now fully moved into their new 80-bed dormitory, given in part by the Diocese of New Jersey. All of this development has taken place since 2001, and we are grateful to God and the many persons who have made it possible.

News From New York

2010-09-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

Sr. Deborah Francis reads at services

Sr. Laura Katharine works with the staff and the Altar Guild

The Community Serves at the

Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Times Square

Sisters Laura Katharine and Deborah Francis have been active at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York. Sr. Laura Katharine continues to work with the altar guild, as they prepare for the many services that are held each week at the church. St. Mary’s is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with three services each day and six on Sundays. The Sisters will be conducting a Bible sudy in the fall on the Apocrypha, the books of the Old Testament that cover the time between Malachi, the last prophetic book, and the New Testament. Both Sisters are spiritual directors, and Sr. Deborah Francis visits shut-ins and hospital patients. She also helps to collect food from parish members, which she takes to St. Clement’s food pantry on a regular basis.
To learn more about St. Mary’s, look online at http://www.stmvirgin.org/. Be sure to stop in if you are in New York. Noonday Prayer and Eucharist begin every day at 12.

The Garden of Hope

2010-09-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

The Garden of Hope Aids the Needy

The Garden of Hope is a project begun by the Mendham Interchurch Committee and the Community last year on the lawn behind St. Marguerite’s House. With the help of the Mendham Interchurch Committee and several master gardeners, an extensive vegetable garden was created with raised beds and a deer-proof fence. The purpose of this garden is to raise vegetables for the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morristown. All produce from this garden goes to needy families. The Food Pantry was founded in 1994 by a group from local houses of worship which recognized the growing need for food for the poor and the elderly. In recent years, the number of applications to the Food Pantry has grown exponentially. This year Sr. Linda Clare has been in charge of the Garden of Hope, and she was aided by our resident Donna MacKenzie, as well as Cathy Burrafato and Jean Marie DuHamel., pictured here. This year the garden yielded tomatoes. Squash, cucumbers, peppers, beans, beets, chard, onions, lettuce, spinach and eggplant. At this posting date, a total of 310 pounds of produce have been delivered to the Interfaith Food Pantry.

2010-07-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sister Mary Lynne has Returned from

Two Months in Cameroon

Sister Mary Lynne returned to Mendham from Good Shepherd Home in Cameroon on July 22. This orphanage, in the city of Bamenda, was founded by Sr. Jane Mankaa with the help of the Sisters of St. John Baptist. The Board of the Home is pictured above. Sr. Mary Lynne is in the back row and Sr. Jane is in blue in the front row. The Home also has an American Board. Both groups help to guide Sr. Jane in the administration of the Home, which now has 100 children in several locations.

About 30 of the children are in the village of Batibo. Some of these children are handicapped and receive medical care. They are pictured here with Sr. Mary Lynne in their house. All of the children go to school.

At the main Home in Bamenda, Sr. Jane and her Sisters rescue abandoned babies. With nutrition and good medical care, they have a chance at a healthy life.

With support raised by the Sisters of St. John Baptist and local churches in New Jersey, the children enjoy good African-style meals. The Home has extensive gardens, where vegetables are grown. There also are pigs, chickens, and bread made in the outdoor oven.

Esther and Richard enjoy the beach ball brought from America

MORE NEWS from Cameroon will be coming soon!

2010-07-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to RECENT HAPPENINGS at the Community of St. John Baptist. On this forum, we will include up-to-the minute news of the Sisters and our activities and ministries. Please stay tuned and keep us in your prayers!

Commemoration Day - June 26, 2010

Commemoration Day, a day to celebrate the birth of our Patron Saint, John the Baptist, was attended by about 85 people on a beautiful Saturday morning. The celebrant at the Eucharist was the Rev. Stephen Gerth, Rector of St. Mary the Virgin in New York City. Our deacon was the Rev. Elizabeth Ostuni and the Master of Ceremonies was the Rev. George Bowen, all pictured here at the altar in St. John Baptist Chapel. The preacher was our Superior, the Rev. Sister Eleanor Francis.

Five new Associates were received at the service: The Rev. Deacon Jeanette Hile, Edward Acevedo, Philip Muniz, Alix Weisz, and Mark Trautman. After the service, a luncheon was served on the cloister.

Associates are a part of the Community's wider family, and they help the us in our ministry through prayer and service.

2010-07-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

St. John Baptist School

Reunion Picnic

June 27, 2010

Diane Thorburn, Susan Bernthal, Sr. Barbara Jean, Leslie Crawford-Landos, Patricia (PK) Kendle Davis, Tina Treglia

Margie Watts Hopper, Lynn Wilder Mullin, Kit King Rockwell, Carmen Bowser, Sue, a friend

Cecilia Tatem Small, Leslie Crawford, Karen Cooney Nielsen

Dorothy Keedwell Whiteside, Leslie Crawford-Landos, Patricia Kendle Davis, Sister Eleanor Francis, Charon Rollon (Background: Family members)

Other attendees included Angelica Cascone, Sandy Stenner, Kit King Rockwell, Joan Terwilliger Kevitt, Chris Brodeur MacClellan, Celia Kaltenback Crotteau, Pam Finn Nelon, and Lucy Lanzetti (Faculty). Many family members and friends also attended.

More pictures will be appearing soon on Facebook. Please go to SisterBarbara Jean. (SisterBarbara is one word.)

Daytop Preparatory School Graduation - June 19, 2010

2010-07-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to RECENT HAPPENINGS at the Community of St. John Baptist. On this forum, we will include up-to-the minute news of the Sisters and our activities and ministries. Please stay tuned and keep us in your prayers!

On June 19, 33 students graduated from Daytop Preparatory School. Sisters Eleanor Francis and Barbara Jean attended the ceremony, and Sr.

Eleanor Francis spoke to the graduating class. Members of the class have plans to attend college or to begin new employment. The Daytop program prepares young people for independence in the adult world. We are proud of the class of 2010 and keep them all in our prayers.

James P. Curtin, Senior Vice President, Executive Director of Daytop, addresses the graduating class.