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Joy Jensen SL

Joy is a vowed member, and she resides in the Motherhouse infirmary. Previously, Joy was a community organizer in St. Louis at St. Alphonsus Liguori “The Rock” Church, a historic Catholic church with a predominately African-American faith community. She also did some teaching at St. Louis University after receiving her doctorate. She enjoys reading American history and spy thrillers. Joy also enjoys knitting.
Home » Archives for Joy Jensen SL

Spotlight on Loretto Wisdom Women

By Joy Jensen SL / March 1, 2023 /
Woman in bright teal blouse and nametag smiles brightly indoors.

Editor’s note: We are featuring interviews of Loretto Community elders. We are grateful to the sisters and to Joy Jensen for sharing wonderful snapshots of our beloved Community members. The…

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Anchoresses in the Infirmary: Life During the Pandemic

By Joy Jensen SL / May 5, 2021 /
Long, four story brick building with a cross above the entrance.

In March 2020, life changed for us residents of the infirmary. In medieval England anchorites and anchoresses lived alone in stone cells attached to a church and had the mission…

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In the ‘Land of Knobs’

By Joy Jensen SL / June 10, 2019 /

If you drive to Bardstown, Ky., on Route 49 from Loretto, you will see a high, cone-shaped hill rising from the surrounding trees near the hamlet of Holy Cross. Everyone…

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A Reflection on Ask the Beasts

By Joy Jensen SL / May 8, 2019 /

A few years ago a juvenile red-tailed hawk was injured while flying into an electrical line. It died of starvation. I searched and found it under a tree. I stroked…

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Our Loretto Motherhouse Farm Is an Ecosystem of Its Own

By Joy Jensen SL / February 1, 2019 /

Did you know that our Loretto Motherhouse farm is an ecosystem? Remember that an ecosystem is made up of living and non-living things that interact and exchange energy. A farm…

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The Folk Architecture of Little Loretto

By Joy Jensen SL / November 1, 2018 /

BLittle Loretto (the first Loretto Motherhouse, located near St. Charles, Ky.) is an example of Upland South folk architecture in early 19th century Kentucky. Folk architecture is architecture built for…

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Little Loretto as Landscape Spirituality

By Joy Jensen SL / November 1, 2018 /

Little Loretto occupies a sacred place in Loretto’s history and memory. The landscape of Little Loretto evokes what is precious in Loretto spirituality. Little Loretto is an example of landscape…

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The Secret Garden Revisited: A Reflection

By Joy Jensen SL / October 1, 2018 /

A bird feeder hangs outside on my Infirmary window. A Chipping sparrow visits it daily and is occasionally joined by a Harris’s sparrow. After eating they fly to the Japanese…

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Loretto Recognizes Responsibility to Work With Others to Defer Climate Change in Ohio River Basin

By Joy Jensen SL / June 1, 2018 /

Editor’s Note: This is the last of the four-part series. The Loretto Motherhouse is situated in the Ohio River Basin. The basin is an area that drains into the Ohio…

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Motherhouse Natural Flyway for Neotropical Migratory Birds

By Joy Jensen SL / May 1, 2018 /

Did you ever spot a Kentucky Warbler or a Yellow-breasted Chat? They fly freely in the Loretto Motherhouse forests. They are neotropical migratory birds that are protected under the Migratory…

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A Secret Garden: The Motherhouse Courtyard Ecosystem

By Joy Jensen SL / April 1, 2018 /

Editor’s note: Joy has written a series of four articles to inform us about the ecosystem at the Motherhouse. In this issue, we will present the first two. Look for…

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What Are Ecosystem Services?

By Joy Jensen SL / April 1, 2018 /

We have read about ecosystems. But what are ecosystem services? The notion was popularized by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report in 2005, and it is often used in forest management…

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