One of the first ministers parishioners at St. Joseph’s meet every week when they come to Mass is Sr. Bea LaFramboise, SP. As a hospitality minister, her job it to make sure everyone feels welcome and has everything they need to fully participate in the liturgy.
Sr. Bea also works with the local L’Arche community which celebrates the gifts of developmentally disabled people to foster a welcoming and understanding encounter with the entire community. Her L’Arche friends receive a warm welcome at the St. Joseph’s Mass as well.
But that’s just on Sunday. You can find Sr. Bea 24/7 on some errand, doing something kind for somebody.
She also volunteers in the SEEL (Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life) program as a spiritual director and coordinates hospitality for the monthly retreat days.
After all that, she still doesn’t really slow down.
To help instill the Providence mission in others, she leads groups of students through the streets of Seattle where they provide food and other necessities to the homeless. It’s called Sacred Encounters. Students from different Catholic Schools in the Seattle Archdiocese participate in the immersion experiences. After handing out sandwiches and toiletries they attend a noon Mass at Christ Our Hope Parish in downtown Seattle.
Every Tuesday, Sr. Bea cooks breakfast for the homeless in West Seattle at the American Legion Center. It is an overnight emergency shelter during extreme severe weather but breakfast is served year-round.
But wait! There’s more!
Sr. Bea, who says she is “actively retired” still drives Sisters from St. Joseph Residence to their medical appointments and every quarter makes homemade cards with them something she very much enjoys doing with others.
She is also the Spiritual Advisor for St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference of St. Joseph Parish in Seattle and she writes the Chronicles for the Providing Peace local community.
Sr. Bea is very busy as are many Sisters of Providence. They may be retired but they are active in their parishes, with their local communities and with others who reach out to the poor and vulnerable in their city and towns.