Sister Ann Ashwood

“Does that mean you are going to be half-a-nun?” asked my puzzled mother as I told her my plans to enter formation as an Agrégée of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia. KS. I never stop marveling at the miraculous gathering of six diverse women in the mountainous region of southern France who felt the Call to love God in loving and caring for the Dear Neighbor under the spiritual direction of Fr. Jean-Pierre Médaille.  Women eager to witness to the goodness of God, living among all people, doing “all the work of which women are capable.”

During the past 15 years, I have lived with women answering that same Call, faith-filled, bright, adventurous souls motivated by Gospel values. Women like my mentors, Sisters Pat Lewter and Faye Huelsmann, who moved to our Western Colorado town 43 years ago with their tent, camping gear, and a fierce desire to provide affordable mental health services to the community. My teachers, Bette Moslander and Marcia Allen, who supported the Federation effort to re-discover the desires of our founders for the Daughters of St. Joseph by researching our earliest documents and enlisted the guidance and desires of Sisters Rosabel Flax and Rosemary Foreman, our first two Agrégées, to re-establish this membership form. And all the other Sisters of Saint Joseph who followed their own callings to serve the needs of the Dear Neighbor no matter what the circumstances.
No, Mama, I’m not half of anything.  You would approve of the friends I hang out with. Women are driven by loving God in loving our neighbors.  These are my playmates and prayer partners.  I am graced to be called a Sister of St. Joseph.