A Visit from Sister Kitty for World Poetry Day

From time to time, Sister Kitty appears at my office door with a poem to share. She doesn’t email it or send a link — she recites it, right there in the room. Those brief visits have become a small joy in the rhythm of the week.

With World Poetry Day coming up, I asked if she might offer something new for the occasion. She happily obliged, arriving this week with a fresh poem and, after reciting it aloud, sharing a few of the poets she loves to read and return to.

We’re delighted to share Sister Kitty’s new poem here for World Poetry Day, along with a few of the poets who inspire her. In the words of Sister Kitty, “I learned it in school. People will think we only learned sad poems in school…and maybe we did...the Irish tend to be melancholy!”

Take a moment to enjoy the poem — and perhaps discover a new poet along the way.

To Daffodils By Robert Herrick

Fair Daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;

As yet the early-rising sun

Has not attain'd his noon.

Stay, stay,

Until the hasting day

Has run

But to the even-song;

And, having pray'd together, we

Will go with you along.

We have short time to stay, as you,

We have as short a spring;

As quick a growth to meet decay,

As you, or anything.

We die

As your hours do, and dry

Away,

Like to the summer's rain;

Or as the pearls of morning's dew,

Ne'er to be found again.

Sister Kitty, “I also love Padraig O'Tuama in this podcast and so do over a million other people. Try him out. https://onbeing.org/series/poetry-unbound/”

- Connie Rodgers, and Sister Kitty Stafford

images: Álvaro Serrano/insplash

St. Joseph's Day

Yes, he was a simple carpenter from Nazareth. He was a man in love with a young woman, Mary of Nazareth, and together they dreamed of building a life.

What might those dreams have been? Perhaps that his small carpenter’s shop would provide for their needs, while Mary’s hope, in time, would be to bring forth children who would continue the ancestral line of David. Like many young couples, they likely imagined an ordinary life—quiet, faithful, and rooted in their community.

Little did they know that everything would change. Mary was already with child.

One can only imagine what went through Joseph’s mind when he learned of Mary’s pregnancy. In their culture, a woman found to be pregnant outside of marriage faced the harshest consequences—stoning to death. The situation must have filled Joseph with anguish. Was he confused? Did he question Mary’s faithfulness? Such questions would be natural under ordinary circumstances. Yet these were anything but ordinary circumstances.

Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Joseph was deeply troubled:
“Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” (Matthew 1:19)

Joseph was a man of honour. Even in his turmoil, he sought a way to protect Mary.

image: Josh Applegate / Unsplash

Then Matthew recounts what happened next:
“Just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…’” (Matthew 1:20)

Mary’s unconditional “fiat”—her yes to God—opened the way for Joseph to trust as well. Listening to the message carried in his dream, he followed where God was leading. Together they set out on a journey that would be filled with uncertainty and trust.

Later, amid the political turmoil of King Herod’s reign, Joseph again listened to the guidance of dreams. Warned of danger, he protected his family and fled. When it became unsafe to return to Bethlehem because Herod’s son Archelaus ruled Judea, Joseph was once again guided in a dream. He turned toward Galilee and settled in the small town of Nazareth.

Joseph was a man who trusted God’s quiet guidance.

Today, we see the spirit of Joseph alive in those who welcome the stranger, the unwanted, the unrecognized, and the displaced. In their compassion and courage, they reflect the inclusive spirit of Jesus—a spirit that refuses to treat anyone as a stranger.

We give thanks for Joseph, patron of the universal Church, and for the thousands of Sisters of St. Joseph who claim him as their patron. Like Joseph, they continue to listen for God’s voice in the dreams and uncertainties of our time, courageously moving into the unknown territories of today.

-Sister Kathleen Lichti, CSJ

Reflecting on the World Day of Prayer

Sister Elaine Cole, left.

World Day of Prayer 2026 was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in North London on Friday, March 6.  The prayer service was prepared by Christian women in Nigeria with the theme, "Come Unto Me".  The program included testimonials of a Nigerian widow bearing the burden of systemic oppression; of a Nigerian woman bearing the burden of religious persecution; of a Nigerian woman bearing the burden of poverty and despair.  The members of the planning committee led the singing of the Theme Song that was written and composed especially for the service entitled "Come Unto Me".  The first verse is as follows: 

Are you down and feeling lonely, are you weary and oppressed, you don't have to be discouraged, Jesus says, "Come unto me".  

The women in the photo are members of the planning team for the event and are from the Anglican, Lutheran, United and Roman Catholic Churches.  Sister Elaine Cole, far left, was a member of the team representing the Sisters of St. Joseph.  You can find her behind the flowers and flags.   

In 2027 World Day of Prayer will be celebrating one hundred years of Christian women from around the world coming together in spirit, uniting on a common day to pray for relevant issues affecting women and children.  Amen!

Header Image: Milada Vigerova/Unsplash

The Energy of March

March carries a vibrant energy of awakening, urging us to shake off the sluggishness of winter. 

The arrival of spring stirs excitement and motivates us to embrace new opportunities.  This fresh energy can be channeled into building routines or pursuing creative endeavors. 

As nature begins to bloom, it reflects the potential of growth within.  This is the perfect time to set intentions for the months ahead and take inspired action toward your goals. 

The energy of March supports projects that require focus and momentum. 

Let this awakening energy inspire you to see the world with fresh eyes.  Whether it is starting a new hobby or reconnecting with an old passion, March encourages you to embrace each day with enthusiasm and curiosity. 

-Sister Ann MacDonald, csj

Image: Alaric Duan | Unsplash

All That A Life Can Bear

This morning, as I sit quietly looking out my window, the sky begins to paint itself deep pink verging on red. The colour bleeds into the expanse of the sky and within minutes, the magic recedes again into blue-grey sky. I know that this will happen again and again for the watching.

As I look down at my iPad, news breaks of war in Iran. The United States have cemented their bond in a joint attack on Iran. The goal explicitly and somewhat confusingly expressed is regime change. People are both exhilarated in the hope of some form of liberation and terrified. They realise that to kill the Ayatollah and a few visible leaders is not the end of a violent and repressive system. The world is holding a common collective breath.

“The world is holding a common collective breath.”

Time to shift and get ready to see my brother who is hospitalized after a stroke leaving his right and dominant side severely compromised. We are close. I watch as he works hard and methodically to open a single serving milk carton solely using his left hand. He lifts the milk carton with the same hard-working left hand and drinks. One more mission accomplished for now.

These three events all within the opening hours of a Saturday morning in late February, 2026. They are clearly not unique to me. They are common in their own way to all of us.

These questions surface:

• How much can the human nervous system bear?

• How much of life can we digest in these short time frames?

• And most importantly, how can we become safety and belonging for and with each other?

-Sister Margo Ritchie, csj

Images: Victoria Morgan/Tim Christopher Klonk/Unsplash