Walking past Chrisann’s room, I saw that the lights were off and a low gray light bathed the room on a rainy, stormy afternoon. Ann and Pat, our two nurses, were both sitting quietly. That struck me as unusual. If I see them together in a resident’s room they are usually busy, cleaning or adjusting someone in the bed, or trying to understand a …read more »
Going Home
June 2, 2014 by
This morning one of our residents, a young man with late-stage cancer, flew home to Central America – back to a country and a family he had not seen since he left 11 years ago. His journey home, which actually began several weeks ago, took a small village of people to make happen. When Alberto arrived at Joseph’s House from a local inpatient …read more »
A Dream Coming to Life
May 18, 2014 by
We were blown away this weekend to win Make DC’s Designing Dreams competition. Of course, we are thrilled that our dream of a new healing garden as a gateway to Joseph’s House took a huge step forward. As the winner, Joseph’s House will receive $20,000 worth of donated design services to envision and design a fully accessible and welcoming healing …read more »
“Te Iubesc”
April 4, 2014 by
Lying in her bed, Colette was teaching a few of us how to say “I love you” in her native Romanian. “Te iubesc,” we struggled to say with an accent that matched hers. Though I first met Colette six or seven years ago, when she first lived at Joseph’s House, it was the first time I’d heard her speak in her native tongue, which she had started to …read more »
Epiphany
January 29, 2014 by
January 8th was the fourteenth anniversary of my mother’s death. Seeking a place for quiet and reflection, I was drawn to the National Cathedral. I’ve been an occasional visitor to the Cathedral over my years in the city, but had visited more frequently in the preceding months for events large and small – a memorial service for Nelson Mandela, …read more »
NPR: “A Big Helping of Christmas Compassion at Joseph’s House”
December 22, 2013 by
Rachel Martin, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday came for breakfast to get a sense of what Joseph’s House is like around the holidays. The tree was decorated, the lights were up and there was plenty of hot coffee. There was definitely a sense of holiday cheer in the air, but in most ways the breakfast was like it is on other days. Plenty of …read more »
A Special Evening with Filmmaker Poet Nic Askew
September 20, 2013 by
Filmmaker Nic Askew spent a day at Joseph’s House sharing meals, talking with residents, observing the rhythms of the house before he picked up his camera to begin filming. Only when he had a sense of the place and the people, did he feel comfortable turning his lens towards us. You will immediately feel his slow, deliberate style when you watch …read more »
Homecomings
August 23, 2013 by
August is a month of homecomings at Joseph’s House. Actually, it is a month of farewells and homecomings. We begin the month saying final good-byes to our service year volunteers before welcoming back former volunteers and staff who return to help out for a week or two while we are short staffed. We are grateful for their return because we can more …read more »
In Their Words: a Year of Service at Joseph’s House
July 24, 2013 by
Our year-long volunteers are finishing up their service at Joseph's House. In these videos, they reflect on their time here, sharing their thoughts on everything from what makes our community life possible and the experience of sitting vigil to the power of laughter in a home that cares for the dying. Neshia Alaovae, Jesuit Volunteer …read more »
I Still Have Joy
May 22, 2013 by
The first week or two that Tony was at Joseph’s House he was always in such a good mood, always so cheerful that I thought, “Is this guy for real?” Turns out, he is. Tony is a chef and from the day he arrived he started cooking for the house, preferring to orchestrate big dinners. His favorite is a feast of fried croaker, steamed clams, greens, …read more »