Prayer Partners
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April 1, 2025
Sisters in Jesus the Lord Prayer Update and Petitions March-April 2025
Our temporary chapel in Dom Marii, at last in its permanent location! Reredos and pews to come!
Dear Prayer Partner,
Our hearts are so full of gratitude to the Lord for all the blessings of these past two months! Thank you for praying for us.
The renovation of apartments five and seven was completed on March 7! For the two weeks leading up to the Rachel’s Vineyard retreat March 21-23, Sr. Faustina and I went to furniture stores, and worked with our brothers and many students to help clean, hang towel racks, put bed frames together, make beds, and move the office and chapel, laundry room, dining room and kitchen. We found a good deal on mattresses and were amazed to find out that they were vacuum packed in rolls, in two layers of plastic, so that all thirteen mattresses fit into our minivan:
Now Dom Marii is basically set up to host retreats and other events! We will be publishing a list on our website of furniture still needed.
The Rachel’s Vineyard retreat for healing after abortion went so well. Ten women participated, and we commemorated over thirty children at the Memorial Service on Sunday. It was so beautiful to witness as the women accepted their children lost to abortion or miscarriage as full members of their family.
Last weekend, friends of ours from several Protestant churches led a one-day retreat “The Love of the Father.” They had rented a hostel but realized a few days before the retreat that it was not as spacious as they expected. They asked if the retreat could be at Dom Marii instead. Forty people filled our dining room and conference room (they brought extra folding tables and chairs) and several participants spent the night. They loved being here and said they could tell that it is a place of prayer!
On the same day, we were with our parishioners in the city at our Lenten parish retreat:
Parish retreat day, March 29, 2025, Most Holy Mary, Mother of God Catholic Church, Vladivostok
This week, three of our brothers are in two of the apartments making a silent retreat to prepare for their ordination to the diaconate on Sunday, April 6 by Bishop Kirill Klimovich of Irkutsk!
Sr. Faustina and I are flying to the US on April 23 and will be attending two religious conferences, visiting Mother Julia and visiting family before returning to St. Joseph, Missouri on May 16. We will be in Missouri until early August when we head back to Russia. It would be great to see you!
April Prayer Petitions:- For Brothers Edwin, Peter and Pradeep as they prepare for ordination to the diaconate on Sunday, April 6, that they will be holy deacons and eventually holy priests!
- For all those who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Kirill this Saturday, April 5.
- For the two students we are preparing to enter the Catholic Church this Easter, and for all who are preparing for baptism and entering the Church.
- For unity among Christians, especially this Easter as Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches all celebrate Easter on the same day!
- For the young women being called to join us, especially for the one in America most likely becoming a postulant soon.
May you have a most blessed last several weeks of Lent and may the joy of our risen Savior fill your hearts this Easter!
Mother Stella and Sister Faustina
P.S. If you would like to donate towards furniture for Dom Marii or any other expenses, please go to DonorPerfect Forms.
Sisters in Jesus the Lord (Canonissae in Jesu Domino, C.J.D.)
www.cjd.cc
Cathedral Convent of Saint Joseph -
February 8, 2025
Dear Prayer Partner,
May God bless you abundantly for your prayers this last month! This past January was filled with many graces and great joy and has certainly proved to be a wonderful beginning of the New Year!
At the Student Group in the Bishop Slivovsky Room, Vladivostok, January 25, 2025On January 26, we traveled to the city of Ussurijsk to attend the farewell Mass for Brother Stefano, a Franciscan friar who has served at the small Catholic Parish there since 2014 and whose community has also been responsible for the Men’s Homeless Shelter, established in 2007. It was especially touching to witness the love of the parishioners for Brother! In addition to giving him various gifts, several of them expressed their appreciation for Brother Stefano through poem and song! We will all miss Brother and the Franciscans very much!
Big news for the Catholic church in Russia: on February 2, a new bishop was ordained as auxiliary bishop for the diocese of Novosibirsk, one of four dioceses in Russia, bringing the total number of Roman Catholic bishops to six. Bishop Stefan Lipke, SJ, is from Essen, Germany, and has served in Russia for many years, even obtaining a doctorate in Russian Literature at a Russian university. Please pray for him in his new assignment, assisting Bishop Joseph Werth, SJ.
Earlier this month, we were blessed to have an Orthodox priest as a guest in our monastery. This was the first time that we had ever hosted one of the Russian clergy, and we recognized in it a rare and beautiful opportunity to strengthen ties between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches here in Vladivostok. We spoke at length about the Faith and the various history and traditions of our Churches. Preceding our conversation, however, Father eagerly insisted on serving us the dinner prepared in his honor, which, although rather unusual and unexpected, created a jovial atmosphere that lasted for the rest of the visit!
The student group has begun learning about St. Ignatius of Loyola’s “Discernment of Sprits.” So far, we have covered a brief history of St. Ignatius’ life and the event which gave rise to his 14 rules, as well as Rules One through Four. Each night, we have begun Lectio Divina with Biblical passages that highlight the particular Rule that is to be discussed later that evening. When the time comes for sharing, the students have been very open regarding their personal struggles and growth in the spiritual life. It has been truly inspiring to witness their vulnerability and honesty during these gatherings.
Sr. Joanna has continued to visit the after-school center in Romanovka. Two Saturdays were especially fun, as the children were able to go ice-skating! Some of the children were very eager to race Sister on the ice, which, it seemed, necessarily ended with crashing into the walls of the rink. While not on the ice, Sr. Joanna continues to give short English lessons to the children, play unconventional games of chess, and simply get to know each child better through frequent conversation and often lively interaction.
Concerning Sr. Joanna’s vocational journey, through much prayer and discernment, Sr. Joanna has come to believe that God is truly calling her to live a much more contemplative life in America, despite her great love for Russia. She returned to the States on February 6. Although this decision has filled her with a deep sense of peace, she has expressed numerous times how much she will miss our community as well as those she has come to know in Vladivostok and St. Joseph. We miss her already!
She sends all of you her love and prayers and asks that you will please keep her in your prayers, as well! If you wish to contact her, please write to her at this address: [email protected]. She is staying in contact with us and would love to stay in contact with everyone else that she has come to know and love while being with the Sisters in Jesus the Lord.
Here are our petitions for February:- For the steady work and safety of those renovating Dom Marii, our convent on Russian Island.
- For the six students who will make a three-day Ignatian Spiritual Exercises retreat February 9-12 in Khabarovsk, Russia, and for safe travel for them and for us on the train.
- For Sr. Joanna, that the Lord will help her in this time of transition, and that He will continue to lead her as she takes the next steps on her vocational journey.
- For the young woman who has applied to join our community, that the Lord will continue to bless and guide her during this time.
- For the catechumens who wish to enter the Church this Easter, that their growing faith will take deep and lasting root in their hearts.
- You are in our prayers daily. Please email any prayer petitions you may have to this email.
If you would like to donate financially in addition to blessing us with your prayers, there is a new “donate” buttons on our website Donate - Sisters in Jesus the Lord - Saint Joseph, MO that gives several options, and you will receive an instant receipt through a new program given to us called “donor perfect.”
In the joy of Christ’s birth,
Mother M. Stella, CJD
P.S. The three of us gave a short concert on the Feast of the Presentation. Videos should be on the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Missouri, Facebook page soon.
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January 2025
Dear Prayer Partner,
Thank you so much for your prayers! We hope that you have had a most blessed and grace-filled Christmas and that the Christ Child will continue to fill your hearts with his peace and light during this New Year!
In our convent chapel, newly decorated for Christmas on December 24, 2024God has certainly been using your prayers! It has been so beautiful to see the faith of some of the university students! During the Christmas octave, several of the students rode with us early in the mornings for daily Mass and also made extra holy hours in the Church.
On December 27th, on the Feast of St. John the Beloved, we held our annual Christmas party for the students. Men and women from both young adult groups attended (Russian and English language). We hosted the party in our convent and the guests generously either brought their own dishes or helped us cook ours! Each person was given a candle to place by the crib of the Infant Jesus and we sang multiple Christmas carols – in several different languages! On January 1st, we showed “It’s a Wonderful Life” to the students and had a very fruitful discussion afterwards, as many of the students themselves had questions about life and God’s unique purpose for them. Also, on January 3rd, we hosted our annual ice-skating event for them on the Island.
This Christmas Season, we put on an informal music concert for the patients at a mental hospital. We were so touched when one of them begged us not to leave and even joined our ensemble for part of the concert! Furthermore, we attended the New Year’s celebration at Tropinka, the after-school center in Romanovka. We sat with the children during a visit from Father Frost (the Russian version of Santa Claus), ate lunch with them, and then played and sang with the children for the last several hours!
Sister Faustina continued giving catechism lessons to a Nigerian student who was a Pentecostal, as well as to an Indian student who wishes to convert from Hinduism.
We were able to restart the Christmas festival of Christian Choirs which included our parish choir, three choirs from the Protestant Churches, and singers from the Armenian Orthodox Church. Mother Stella was also able to attend the Russian Orthodox Christmas Liturgy, a gesture that we hope will foster greater friendship and unity with the Christian East!
Renovations-wise, apartment 5 is coming along well! Next month, we should be able to order furniture for the new guest rooms! A local architect friend is working on plans for our chapel. We are preparing for a Rachel's Vineyard retreat at Dom Marii, our convent, March 21-23.
Here are our petitions for January:- For the steady work and safety of those renovating Dom Marii, our convent on Russian Island.
- For two students and other people who wish to enter the Church this Easter, that their faith and relationship with Christ will continue to grow and mature.
- For the young women that God is calling to join our community, particularly for a young woman who has applied to join us.
- For the health of Fr. Sebastian d’ Silva, pastor of Our Lady of the Pacific Parish in Nakhodka, about a 3 ½ drive Southeast of Vladivostok, who has been in the hospital since Christmas.
You are in our prayers daily. Please email any prayer petitions you may have to this email.
In the joy of Christ’s birth,
Mother M. Stella, CJD
Sisters in Jesus the Lord (Canonissae in Jesu Domino, C.J.D.) - For the steady work and safety of those renovating Dom Marii, our convent on Russian Island.
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December 2024
Dear Prayer Partner,
Thank you so much for your prayers! Here we are in Advent, preparing for the joyous birth of Jesus in just a few weeks.
With parishioners and guests after our music concert before Mass, Lesozavodsk, November 23, 2024Our prayers petitions of last month are being answered!This past month has been so filled with blessings—Sr. Joanna and I were able to visit the Catholic parish in Lesozavodsk (a five and a half hour drive north) and give a concert there, as well as visit an elderly Catholic who has Mass only six times per year. The parish there has Mass only once a month but continues to give a little bag of food to seventy impoverished children each week and has a very active pro-life center. Through the generosity of a benefactor, we are able to supplement the pro-life center’s funds for diapers and baby formula.
Renovations here on Russian Island resumed on Monday, December 2. Apartment 5, where we first lived in 2014, has need of much repair. Cracks that developed in the plaster from a previous crew that worked too quickly will soon be fixed in the kitchen and apt 7. A small bathroom is being added to the attic. The last steps needed for our convent should start this spring—drying out the foundation and improving the drainage, as well as tuck-pointing the façade. An architect is helping us with the design for our convent chapel.
At the grocery store near our parish, we ran into the son of one of our most faithful parishioners, Maria Egorovna. She died in April 2023, but never had a Catholic funeral or burial due to a communication error. On November 28, Fr. Daniel Maurer, CJD, our pastor, celebrated a beautiful memorial Mass for her. Her son and daughter-in-law and daughter were able to attend, as well as several parishioners. Following the Mass, we drove to her grave and Fr. Patrick Napal, CJD, blessed it. A little bird started singing during the graveside ceremony. Everyone joined us afterwards at our convent for a little funeral lunch.
The Russian and English language Catholic student groups continue to meet on Thursdays and Fridays. The discussions have been profound. Last Friday, we had a joint holy hour, with confession. The parish Advent retreat was last Saturday, December 7, a very grace-filled day. Four male candidates became brother novices this Saturday, December 7. Three other brother canons professed their first vows on
December 8. The parish children are practicing on Sundays for the nativity skit for Christmas Eve.Prayer Petitions for December:
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For the steady work and safety of those renovating Dom Marii, our convent on Russian Island.
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For all those who have fallen away from their faith in Jesus, that their hearts will be rekindled with a desire to love Him this Advent and Christmas, especially former parishioners in Vladivostok and current students at the university.
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For the young women the Lord is calling to be sisters with us.
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For the health of Fr. Sebastian d’ Silva, pastor of Our Lady of the Pacific Parish in Nakhodka, about a 3 ½ drive Southeast of Vladivostok.
You are in our prayers daily. Please email any prayer petitions you may have to this email.
In joyful anticipation of Jesus’ birth,
Mother M. Stella, CJD
Here’s a beautiful prayer you might want to offer daily through Christmas Eve:
St. Andrew’s Christmas Novena
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires (mention your intentions here), through the merits of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.
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November 2024
Dear Prayer Partner,
Thank you so much for your prayers! This month, November, is dedicated especially to prayers for the souls of those who have died. We are praying for all our deceased benefactors and prayer partners.
Catechetical training and family conference, Khabarovsk, Oct 31-Nov 3, 2024 We just had the great blessing of attending our diocesan Catechetical training conference October 31-Nov 3 in Khabarovsk, Russia. This city is still in our deanery, but is 11-13 hours north by train, depending on which one you take! The three of us traveled by night train and we stayed with the Servidora sisters. The first two days were training for us, followed by a family conference for the parish. The theme was
marriage and family. The adults broke into small groups to discuss difficulties in married life. Our main presenter was Pavel Savchenkov, who used to lead the far Eastern Catholic youth conferences (seated next to Fr. Jose, IVE). The children enjoyed being with Sr. Faustina, Sr. Joanna and Sr. Peina, one of the Servidora sisters.
It turns out the organist was away, so we were asked to lead the music each day, which was a great joy for us, and they enjoyed the singing!
Other news: two weeks ago, Sr. Faustina and Sr. Evgenia of the Sisters of the Charity of St. Anne, who also serve here in Vladivostok, were able to restart a Russian language young adult group for the parish! They had a great first meeting and plan to meet on Thursday evenings. The English language student group continues to flourish on Friday evenings.
November 21-23, we look forward to visiting Lesozavodsk, one of the Vladivostok satellite parishes, with Fr. Myron. Fr. Vicky, our brother canon, has been having Mass there monthly, and we have not been in over a year. With three of us here, one sister can lead the student group while the others go. Sister Joanna looks forward to being with the children at the after-school center in Romanovka more often this month, on Tuesdays and some Saturdays. She and Sr. Faustina are leading Catechesis of the Good Shepherd together for 3-6 year olds on Sundays.
Prayer Petitions
- For the resuming of our renovations on Russian Island, that the workers will be able to come soon to renovate the last apartment.
- For the repose of the souls of parishioners, benefactors and prayer partners, and all the souls in purgatory.
- For the young women the Lord is calling to be sisters with us, and for our brothers preparing to become novices.
- For an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our parish advent retreat day, December 7, in Vladivostok.
Prayer for those who have died:V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.And may the souls of all the faithful departed,through the mercy of God, rest in peace.Amen.
You are in our prayers daily. Please email any prayer petitions you may have to this email.
In Jesus,
Mother M. Stella, CJD -
May / June 2024
Dear Prayer Partner,
Happy Easter! I know it has been many months since an update was sent with prayer petitions. Thank you for your faithful prayers for us. Much has happened in recent months.
Icon of Our Lady of Fatima
"In You Is Unity"On Monday, April 29, Sr. Catherine Marie was formally accepted as a novice into another community as Sr. Christina Marie. Please pray for her as she continues her vocation with the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Light.
Sr. Joanna Marie has decided to take more time to discern before her perpetual vows, so her vows will not be on June 29 of this year. However, we are going to have an open house that day at our motherhouse in St. Joseph, Missouri on Saturday, June 29 from noon to 4pm. Please come and see our beautifully restored convent, newly carved altar and new icon of Our Lady of Fatima!
Sr. Faustina and Sr. Joanna have been together in Missouri since early February. I am here in Vladivostok until June 19. We will have some time together in Missouri including our community retreat July 2-9. Then, Sr. Faustina will return to Russia, and I will join her by the end of August. God willing, we will all have Christmas together in Russia!
The Catholic student group in Vladivostok continues to grow. It is such a joy to study the Bible and pray together with students from all over the world: many countries in Africa and South and Central America, as well as Russia and Ukraine. Rachel’s Vineyard continues to expand across Russia: I recently helped lead a retreat in Novosibirsk, and another will be in Ussuriysk near Vladivostok May 24-26. In April, Russian Catholics led Rachels’s Vineyard retreats in St. Petersburg and Kazakhstan.
In the US, Sr. Faustina has been setting up a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium at the St. Gianna center (Early Childhood Center) next to the Cathedral of St. Joseph. She and Sr. Joanna are frequent cantors for Sunday and school Masses. Everything is finding its place in our new convent (we moved in December 23). Sr. Joanna is completing her third year of studies at Benedictine College and continues to teach catechism to parish children on Sundays. They are hosting a “come and see” May 22-23 for any young woman considering religious life at our convent in St. Joseph, Missouri.
We pray for you daily at Vespers. Please send us any prayer petitions you may have. In the meantime, we are so grateful for your prayers for us! We hope to see you on June 29. Please RSVP by email: [email protected] or by phone: 816 500-6345 (same contact info for the “come and see” event).
In our risen Lord,
Mother M. Stella, CJD
Click here to become a prayer partner.
May Petitions- For the Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in Ussuriysk (near Vladivostok) May 24-26.
- For peace in Ukraine and Russia.
- For Our Lady of Fatima’s intercession for unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, especially as the Orthodox begin their Easter season (Easter: May 5 this year!).
- For the young women discerning their vocation who are coming to visit us May 22-23 in Missouri for a “come and see”.
June Petitions- For our parish pilgrimage day on June 1 to the memorial in the woods outside Vladivostok, where many people, including parishioners, were martyred in the 1930’s.
- For safe travels for Mother Stella back to the US June 19-21.
- For Sr. Joanna on her discernment retreat May 25-June 24.
- For vocations to our community, and for our brothers who are studying Russian in preparation for ordination.
Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima
Dearest Lady of Fatima, our Foundress and Mother,
guide us in the mission that you have inspired
and to which your Son has called us,
so that we may do all and only
what He, our Lord, desires. Amen. -
November 2023
Your prayers make all the difference for helping hearts to be converted and our work to continue in Russia!
Click here to become a prayer partner.
L-R: Sr. Joanna, Sr. Faustina, Mother Julia, Mother Stella, Sr. Catherine, July 2023 at Maryknoll Sisters, NY Dear Prayer Partner,
Thank you so much for your prayers! A newsletter will be in the mail soon. Praise God, I have completely recovered from the surgery that removed a benign tumor from behind my heart in March, and the surgeon confirmed that I do not even need to go back for any more follow up visits. We had two wonderful visits with Mother Julia at the Maryknoll motherhouse in July and August.Sr. Catherine and Sr. Faustina are doing well in Russia. They are helping to prepare four children for baptism. One of the little girls, age six was not sure she wanted to be baptized, and her parents were waiting, but this past Sunday, she came and asked for baptism. She said that Jesus came to her in a dream, and told her that she and her mom, dad and sister would all go to heaven! The Catholic student group continues to grow and there are more students at Mass this year than in the past. Sr. Catherine is very involved with one-on-one mentoring and healing programs for adults and spiritual direction. The sisters sang at the dedication of the new Catholic Church in Nakhodka on October 14, "Our Lady of the Pacific."
Sr. Joanna and I are well in St. Joseph, Missouri. We hope to move into the new convent by Christmas. We are very involved with sacred music at the parish and for the school Masses, and with catechesis, too. Rachel's Vineyard retreats for healing after abortion continue here in Missouri and across Russia!
Prayer for the deceased for this month of November: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Gratefully in Christ,
Mother Stella on behalf of the Sisters in Jesus the Lord
P.S. I was on EWTN Friday, November 10 on "EWTN News In Depth: Spirituality, Faith & Work of Women Religious." It's now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ERMPtGGhdMo?si=IQfv4JdZ14XYW8GX
Also, see "The Russian Influence on an Order's Maroon Habit | EWTN News In Depth November 10, 2023": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm-xuUwAdLE
November 2023 Prayer Intentions
For the Pro-life prayer congress and Rachel's Vineyard retreat in Belarus, surrounding the Nov 18 anniversary of the legalization of abortion in Soviet Russia (1920).
For all the deceased members of Most Holy Mother of God Catholic church and for the conversion of their family members who do not believe in God.
For the drainage system to be installed properly around Dom Marii, that it will protect the foundation for decades to come.
For the children and adults preparing for baptism in Vladivostok this month and at Easter.
Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for our mission work would be most appropriate.
Our community, Canonesses (Sisters) in Jesus the Lord, is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) who was a sister of the Visitation Order in France was responsible for spreading the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus throughout the Church. She said in one of her letters:
"It seems to me that our Lord's earnest desire to have his sacred heart honored in a special way is directed toward renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the sacred heart is an inexhaustible fountain and its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to his good pleasure."
A prayer that we sisters say daily is the following:Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, inflame our hearts with your love.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help us to make you known and loved by all.
Orthodox Seminary Chapel Icon
in Vladivostok, Russia
(Photo taken with permission)
Chapel of the Martyrs of
Most Holy Mother of God Catholic
Church in Vladivostok, Russia