For over 15 years, our Social Justice Ministry and Women's Guild have supported  two very special local service projects.  Below is a summary, and for more information and lovely pictures, click on this link to view or download:  /documents/2025/5/Care%20for%20the%20Environment%20Projects.pdf

1)  Beautifying the grounds at the Troy Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, located on nearby Stow Hill.  Members of the Social Justice ministry plant shrubs, flowers and vegetables on the grounds of this facility, bringing great joy to the residents here.  The team has re-worked these once barren grounds15 years ago to an assortment of gardens in the courtyards and around the patios. They have overcome some difficult obstacles, particularly watering, as there are no external water faucets, making it very hard for staff at the facility to maintain the gardens.    This highly committed  team lugs in water for the seasonal plantings, and to keep the plants healthy throughout the primary growing seasons.  This loving service project contributes to the Social Justice ministry's objective to foster "Caring for the Environment" one of the 7 Catholic Social Justice Principles.  This team is especially grateful for the generous financial support of the Women's Guild.  

2) Restoring headstones at St Joseph Cemetery in Troy, the final resting place of the Sisters of St Joseph Carondelet.  Many of the Sisters' graves date back over 100 years, and need professional restoration work to 'bring theses headstones "Back to Life"!  With the help of the Troy Irish Genealogy Society, the team trained on the process to clean the graves with the same environmentally safe solutions that are used to clean headstones in military cemeteries, government monuments and buildings.  Over the years, the team has restored more than 70 Sisters' graves, offering prayers for these women as they complete the task;  and they have many more dozens of headstone to keep them busy for some time!  The team is grateful to the Irish Genealogy Society for donating the cleaning solution.   This work fulfills the mandate from  the 7 Corporal Works of Mercy to "Bury the Dead".


If you are interested in working with this team, please email Liz, Donna and Anele, they would love to have you join them!
 - Liz Smith, [email protected]
- Donna Vaugh, [email protected]
 - Anele Dzekciorius, [email protected]