Chestnut Hill College Community,  

I write with enthusiasm looking forward to gathering as a college community for Fall Convocation and a Founder’s Day Prayer Service on October 17th. This ceremony will be an opportunity for us to come together in a meaningful way, reconnect to the roots of our history, deepen our commitment to mission, and ask God’s blessing on our academic year. 

Faculty, staff and students are all encouraged to participate in this rich opportunity of personal and communal reflection. Together, we will listen to the story of the Sisters of Saint Joseph who founded Chestnut Hill College 98 years ago, and reflect upon our core values of transformative holistic education, just relationships, innovative thinking, responsible action and an animated spiritual life.  

In tandem, this month (October 15th, specifically) marks the 372nd world-wide anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph in LePuy, France. More than 3 centuries later, as a sponsored work of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Philadelphia, we continue living the mission through a profound desire for union with God and the dear neighbor.   

Please join us in celebrating the Sisters of St. Joseph in our own community and praying for God’s blessing upon them in celebration of Founder’s Day: 

FALL CONVOCATION AND FOUNDER’S DAY PRAYER SERVICE 

Monday, October 17th 

2:00 p.m. 

Motherhouse Chapel 

I am grateful to the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, for welcoming us to celebrate this prayerful gathering in their Motherhouse Chapel, a beautiful and sacred space. That day, greeters will be stationed in the driveway between St. Joseph’s Hall and the Motherhouse Chapel to direct you to the proper entrance of the Motherhouse. Offices on campus will be closed from 2:00 - 3:00 pm to allow all staff the opportunity to attend.  

My hope is that you choose to attend as departments, student groups, and teams for this special moment of the fall semester.  

With warm regards,

William W. Latimer, Ph.D., M.P.H.