Meet the 2013 - 2014 Mission Corps Volunteers!

On August 18th, two young women committed to a new journey, spending 10 months serving as SSJ Mission Corps volunteers! Our two new volunteers, Maggie and Claire, will be living in intentional community in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood.  During their year as Mission Corps volunteers, Maggie and Claire will live intentionally and simply, with a focus on the spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph and a commitment to Social Justice.

Please take a moment to let Maggie and Claire introduce themselves:


Hi! My name is Claire Geruson. I am a recent grad of Boston College with a degree in elementary education and theology. More recently however, I left my community at BC I am one of the newest residents of the SSJ Mission Corps! I grew up in the Philadelphia area and attended Mount Saint Joe's for high school.  One of the most important things to me growing up, has been working and living at St. Francis Inn in Kensington. That opportunity and many more have helped me to return to the neighborhood full time! I am working at St. Anthony of Padua School in Camden, NJ. Other than having to pay the toll at the Ben Franklin Bridge every day, I also have the privilege of teaching 5th and 6th grade special ed. My students are exciting, challenging, always posing new questions for me to think about! (Imagine that!) I am so grateful for the Mission Corps and all that I have gotten to learn so far. We could not have felt more welcomed by every sister we met. I hope to learn a fraction of that hospitality this year!

My name is Maggie Myers. I went to Marple Newtown High School, then graduated from Saint Joseph's University in May 2012 with a degree in International Relations and German. During university I worked at ELS, a school that teaches English to foreign students. I studied abroad for a semester in Cyprus and researched relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. After graduation I taught English in a university in Turkey for one year. While in Turkey, I found the SSJ Mission Corps program and applied. This year I'm working in Visitation, teaching ESOL and working with the aftercare program. Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve and work with this incredible community!

Rejoicing in the New!

Happy Monday Morning!

After only two full months of work, I am writing to officially introduce myself. Last June, the Mission Corps' first official Director, Colleen O'Grady, moved on to a new step in her life, working in Campus Ministry at St. Joseph's University.  In August, I humbly and gratefully stepped into the position that she and the Sisters of St. Joseph built from the ground up.

During these first two months as Director of the Mission Corps, I have been reflecting a great deal on the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph: "We live and work to bring all people into union with God and one another." The mission permeates every part of the work I do and the welcome I have received as the new director. I am very grateful to be so warmly accepted into this community and proud to work to further this mission through the work of the Mission Corps.

And finally, I will just take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Becca Little, and I recently moved from Chicago, IL to Philadelphia to begin working with the Mission Corps. In Chicago, I lived in intentional community while completing a Master of Arts in Social Justice and Community Development and doing communications for the Ignatian Spirituality Project, a Jesuit non-profit organization which provides spiritual retreats to men and women experiencing homelessness. As an alumna of both the Augustinian Volunteers and the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, I am so excited to be working with the SSJ Mission Corps.

Thank you for your suppport. Stay tuned for a post introducing Claire and Maggie, our two MC volunteers for the year.

Peace,
Becca
SSJ Mission Corps Director