The Sisters of Divine Providence invite you to join them for a special social justice event honoring the 2025 recipients of the Bishop Ketteler Award for Social Justice — Sister Karen Bland, OSB, of Grand Junction, Col.; and Most. Rev Mark Joseph Setz, bishop of El Paso, Texas.

The event is set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, at Kearns Spirituality Center in Allison Park, Pa. Freewill offerings will be accepted. To RSVP for in-person attendance, please email socialjustice@cdpsisters.org. You may also join the live stream by clicking here.

In 1998, the Sisters of Divine Providence instituted the Ketteler Award to honor annually individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to social justice. The award is named for Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler, Bishop of Mainz, Germany, and co-founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence. Honored in Germany as the “social justice bishop,” Bishop Ketteler was a tireless fighter for the rights of the working class. He was bishop from 1850 until his death in 1877, at the age of 65.

The School Sisters of St. Francis welcome you to join them for a special Lenten program on The Canticle of Creation. The program is set for 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, at the Franciscan Resource Center (FRC) in West View, Pa.

It was January of 1225 when St. Francis first sang his Canticle of the Creatures. Let’s join in and celebrate the oldest poem written in the Umbrian dialect, delving into its meaning for the people of 13th century Italy, but most especially what it can say to us in the third Christian millennium.

All are welcome, and no RSVP is necessary. The FRC is located at 1023 West View Park Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15229.

It's time to register for the School Sisters of St. Francis 20th Annual Golf Outing to benefit Marian Hall Home. Enjoy a day on the green on Saturday, August 25, 2018, at Pittsburgh North Golf Club with fun, food and great prizes -- all for a good cause. Golfers will enjoy the four-person scramble format, skills competition, hole-in-one prizes on all Par 3's, and the 2018 Chevy Cruz awarded to the golfer who hits a hole-in-one on Hole 16. Register to golf as an individual for $100, or enter your foursome for $350. 

Not a golfer? Consider advertising in the event program, sponsoring a tee or being a corporate sponsor. Donations of prizes and gift cards for our themed raffle baskets are welcomed. There are countless ways to support this important event. The deadline to register is July 27. Get involved on or off the green by contacting Sister Marian Sgriccia at 412-761-6004 or msgriccia@marianhall.org.

The former Mount Assisi Academy Preschool program is moving to a new location. The teaching team cannot take everything with them to their new home. Therefore, the School Sisters of St. Francis welcome preschool families, neighbors, home-school families, preschool programs and elementary teachers to attend a moving sale from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 4. The sale will be held at Mount Assisi (GPS Address: 1515 Quaill Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15202), and shoppers are asked to enter through the Marian Hall doors.

Come check out the classroom furniture, teaching materials, arts and crafts supplies, toys and books, all while helping out the new program. Don't miss the "make a donation" bargains!

The School Sisters of St. Francis are excited to host their first ever Spring Fling in 2018, set for 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at Mount Assisi Convent. While it will be a smaller-scale event, it will capture the same excitement, fellowship and fun embodied by the Sisters’ Spring Festival for more than 70 years!

Spring Fling will include delicious homemade halupki and chicken dinners, a plant sale, bake sale, raffles, fun for kids, and a giant rummage sale. Join the Sisters and make a day of it by bringing the whole family.

All proceeds from Spring Fling will help to support the Sisters’ ministries, as well as their retirement needs. The School Sisters of St. Francis have been serving the Pittsburgh area since 1913 and have called Mount Assisi home since 1928.

The GPS Address for Mount Assisi Convent is 1515 Quaill Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15202.

The Greensburg Diocesan Council of the National Council of Catholic Women Prayer and Outreach Group to Combat Human Trafficking is partnering with St. Vincent College Campus Ministry Human Trafficking Awareness Group to host an educational forum in honor of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. It will take place on Saturday, February 10, 2018, from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Vincent Grove, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa., near the college campus.

The forum will feature Dr. Marlene Carson, PhD, a ‘SurThriver’ of domestic minor sex trafficking and founder of The Switch National Anti-Trafficking Network. At age 15 she became one of the tens of thousands of girls and young adult women who are exploited daily. Dr. Carson’s work in this field has been featured on Katie Couric, Oprah’s website, the CNN Freedom Project and the national news.

Human trafficking is the world’s second largest underground crime and a large number of victims are sexually exploited. “Unfortunately, child exploitation is the fastest growing crime," Raissa Federline, coordinator of the group. Sex trafficking also is a reality in our area, and many victims are youth. We believe more teachers, counselors, medical and mental health professionals need to be educated and made aware of how to identify victims of child exploitation. We hope this forum will do just that.”

For more information or to register, contact Raissa Federline at rsvpf@hotmail.com or call 724-537-2064.

Marian Hall Home, a sponsored ministry of the School Sisters of St. Francis, will host its annual Night at the Races event on Saturday, February 3, 2018, in the Mount Assisi Gymnasium (GPS address: 1515 Quaill Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15202). Doors open at 6 p.m., and races begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, including admission, food and beverages. You can also buy and name your own horses for $10. 

In addition to the horse races, there will be a Treasure Chest cash drawing and raffles of great prizes. Proceeds benefit Marian Hall's Benevolent Care Fund. To purchase your tickets or horses, call 412-761-6004.

Please note that this event is for ages 21 and older only.

The Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh will host Sacred Music in Sacred Space: A Concert in Honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 29, at Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel Mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood.

The concert will feature the North Hills Chorale, soloist Jessica Lee and the Good Sherpherd Parish Hand Bell Choir. Admission is free (offerings accepted) but reservations are required. Call 412-586-3999 or visit ccapgh.ticketleap.com to reserve your tickets.

The 2017 Change A Heart Gala is set for Saturday, October 21 at Sts. John and Paul Parish, Cardinal DiNardo Center, 2586 Wexford Bayne Road, Sewickley, Pa. 15143. The Franciscan Volunteer Program is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.

Meet under the big top to celebrate changing hearts in the Pittsburgh region during an evening of circus fun and laughter. Take a trip down memory lane with the sights, sounds and smells of this unique version of “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Enjoy the antics of Giggles the Clown, who creates twisted, awesome, on-the-spot improvisation inflation creations, while being amazed by the magic, mishaps and multitudinous manipulations of O’Ryan the O’Mazing during this spectacular one-ring show! 

Reception runs 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by recognitions and auctions from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The ring master will be Doug Shields, former Pittsburgh City Council member. Tickets are $50 per person or $350 per table of eight. For more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, visit volunteers@sosf.org or call 412-821-0861. 

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) Region IV invites all religious to The Real Sister Act: The Uneasy History of Black Catholic Sisters in the United States. This daylong exploration of the history of racism in religious life is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11, at Kearns Spirituality Center, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park PA 15101.

The featured speaker will be Dr. Shannen Dee Williams, historian, professor and author of the forthcoming book Subversive Habits: The Untold Story of Black Catholic Nuns in the United States. She will explore how these sisters helped to break racial and gender barriers in the Church and country.

Admission is $45 (including lunch). The registration deadline is September 25. For more information, email Sister Diane Bardol at dbardol@greynun.org.

The Sisters of Divine Providence will host their third annual Craft Extravaganza on Saturday, October 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Providence Heights — the Sisters' historic landmark building at 9000 Babcock Boulevard in Allison Park. We invite everyone to join us in shopping from a great selection of more than 70 crafters in seasonal, jewelry, woodworking, ceramic, cosmetics, home décor, pottery, greeting cards, totes, clothing, candles and more. To complement the crafts, there will be basket raffles, a quilt raffle and food concessions. Admission is FREE. For more information, please visit cdpsisters.org/2017CraftExtravaganza.

The School Sisters of St. Francis invite you to join them for A Celebration of the Transitus. This special service commemorates the death of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast the Church celebrates on October 4. The program will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3, in the chapel at Mount Assisi Convent (GPS Address: 1515 Quaill Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15202). Refreshments will follow. Admission is free. Please RSVP to Sister Lorita Kristufek at 412-761-6004 or loritakris5@gmail.com by September 29.

The Sisters of the Humility of Mary invite you to their 2017 Harvest Day, set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 30, at Villa Maria (225 Villa Marie Road, Pulaski PA 16143). Come and experience the best of fall and the beauty and reverence of our land by taking part in activities for all ages.

In addition to The Villa Market Barn and The Villa Shoppe, look for music, hay rides, children's activities, face painting, animals, farm fresh food, Jot the Clown, a gift basket bonanza and more. Don't miss delicious butternut squash soup and sweets from our bountiful bakery.

Admission, parking and most children's activities are free! Help us to help others by bringing a donation of canned goods. Come have some good, old-fashioned family fun on the farm!

Calling all hospitality ministers, ushers, eucharistic ministers, homebound and nursing home ministers, cantors, music ministers, daily and weekend lectors, etc.! This time together will be formative, informative and spiritually enriching. This mini-retreat will renew your understanding of the sacredness of your ministry, update your understanding of Liturgy, and invite each of you to a recommitment to this generous service to your parish community.

The School Sisters of St. Francis welcome you to their St. Francis Center for Renewal (395 Bridle Path Road, Bethlehem PA 18017). The program will be facilitated by Sisters Barbara DeStefano and Anita Kuchera, OSF. A $25 per person offering is requested (includes coffee and pastry). For more information or registration visit www.stfrancisctr.org or call 610-867-8890

The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill invite the public to participate in a Peace Walk and Pet Blessing at the Sisters of Charity complex on Saturday morning, September 23, 2017. Guests will gather at Doran Hall, 441 Mt. Thor Road, Greensburg, at 9 a.m. for registration and light breakfast refreshments. Following a special blessing of the pets at 9:30, participants and their pets are welcome to walk or run a scenic course on the beautiful historic grounds overlooking the city of Greensburg until noon. There will be a Pet Mini Market on site.

Entrance fees for the event are as follows: single adult-$25, families-$40, students-$5. Pets walk free. All proceeds benefit the Seton Center for adult daycare and Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children. To register, call 724-836-0406, ext. 6615 or email tmurphy@scsh.org.

The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill is an international apostolic congregation of women religious who serve in five countries, seven United States dioceses and four United States archdioceses. The Sisters of Charity have traditionally ministered in the areas of education, health care, pastoral care and social services. For additional information about the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and their ministries, visit www.scsh.org.

The School Sisters of St. Francis will host their annual Spring Festival from 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, at Mount Assisi Convent, Quaill and N. Balph Avenues along the Bellevue/Ross border in suburban Pittsburgh, Pa.

This special day of community and good will promises fun and food for the entire family. Highlights include bingo, raffles of Steelers and Penguins items, bake sale, plant sale, kids games, crafts, gift baskets, fun plush prizes, special marquee raffles, and a variety of great prizes.

Throughout the day, the air will be filled with the tempting aroma of scrumptious halupki and baked chicken dinners cooking in the kitchen. Patrons also can enjoy a variety of delicious a la carte items, baked goods and ice cream. Plan to bring the entire family and spend a special day with the Sisters. Parking and admission are free.

This event is the single largest annual fundraiser for the School Sisters of St. Francis, who have called the local community home since 1913. It is a day when Sisters from Mount Assisi are joined by their fellow Sisters from Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Texas, as well as alumni from the former Mount Assisi Academy to make the day possible.

All proceeds from the Spring Festival help to support the Sisters’ ministries for all ages, from the very young at Mount Assisi Academy Preschool, to caring for the elderly at Marian Hall Home. The youngest served is 3 years old, and the eldest is 100 years young!

Mount Assisi Convent, located just moments from the Bellevue/West View Exit of I-279 North, is conveniently nestled among the Bellevue, Avalon, West View, Ross, Emsworth, Perrysville and Brighton Heights communities. For more information or directions, call 412-761-6004.