Bishop Woost Blesses Joseph’s Home; Featured in Diocese Enewsletter

With nearly 75 supporters on hand to celebrate, Diocese of Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop Michael G. Woost blessed the new Joseph’s Home on Wednesday, July 23.

Soon, the fully accessible home will house 11 male residents. Final touches are being applied, and the furniture will be installed over the next few weeks. Residents are expected to move in before the end of August.

Wednesday’s celebration featured not only the blessing, but remarks from Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine Congregational Leader Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA; Joseph & Mary’s Home Executive Director Beth Graham; and JMH Board Chair Mike Spangler.

To read the Diocese of Cleveland’s coverage of the event – which was featured in their weekly Thursday newsletter – please click here. Or, you can read the whole story below.

More photos from the blessing that offer a sneak peek at the new Joseph’s Home will be shared next week!

Newly renovated Joseph’s Home is blessed by Bishop Woost

Written by the Diocese of Cleveland Communications Office

Benefactors, staff and other supporters of Joseph’s Home gathered on July 23 for a blessing to dedicate the newly refurbished facility in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood.

Established 25 years ago by a “Dream Team” of eight Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine in response to a need for housing medically fragile men experiencing homelessness, Joseph’s Home has evolved into an ongoing ministry that also has a component – Mary’s Home – for women on the same site. It continues as a ministry of the CSAs.

Beth Graham, executive director of Joseph and Mary’s Home, said the property formerly housed St. Joseph Parish. When Joseph’s Home opened in 2000, it was located in the former convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame, who had staffed the parish school.

(See photo gallery above from the blessing and dedication ceremony.)

Mike Spangler, chair of the Joseph and Mary’s Home Board of Directors, welcomed guests to the blessing, noting that the home grew from the CSAs mission of “always focusing on unmet needs, a lesson that comes directly from St. Augustine, who once said, ‘in all things, charity.’”

Spangler thanked the “Dream Team,” some of whom were able to attend the event, including Sister Joan Gallagher, CSA, Joseph’s Home’s first director, the CSAs and “all who have contributed their time, talent and treasure to ensure that men and women experiencing homelessness have a place to heal. Thank you for believing in this life-giving mission. We could not do it without you. As we bless Joseph’s Home today, we are hoping you each feel our sincere gratitude for making this dream come true,” he added.

Spangler also offered his thanks and appreciation to the CSAs, Bishop Woost, the leadership of the Sisters of Charity Health System, the Joseph and Mary’s Home staff, his fellow board members, Joseph and Mary’s Home residents and all donors for the part they played in the ministry.

Graham, who has led Joseph and Mary’s Home since January 2020, said when she first came on board, she found it to be “warm and homey and the residents seemed comfortable and well-supported. But the building seemed inadequate,” she said. Graham mentioned the challenges faced by the medically fragile residents, some of whom had mobility issues, including those who were amputees or wheelchair-bound.

“I made a promise to myself that if I ever got the chance, I would change the building … Fast forward to today, and I am filled with gratitude that you made this new home for healing possible … You made this possible in spite of the many after-effects of a global pandemic, including inflation and economic ups and downs,” Graham said.

“A group of volunteers took time from their families and other activities to raise money. And many individuals, including our staff and board, foundations and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, listened to our needs and responded in remarkably generous ways,” she added.

Graham said multi-year capital campaign had an initial goal of $2.2 million, but it raised $2.9 million.

“The $2.2 million was for bricks and sticks,” she said, explaining it was used for a major renovation of one wing of the old school building, which was built in 1966. The other side of the building, which houses the women (Mary’s Home) was renovated previously through another campaign. It was blessed in late 2021, and the first residents occupied the rooms in 2022. Ten client suites are available for women.

Additional funds raised by the just-concluded campaign will be used for an endowment to ensure stability and sustainability, Graham added.

When asked why did they do this, Graham quoted her late father, who said, “Try walking a mile in another person’s shoes.” She said that meant putting yourself into someone else’s situation would bring a new perspective. “I think all of you did that,” she said to attendees at the blessing ceremony.

Sister Judith Ann Karam, CSA congregational leader, credited the many people who make Joseph and Mary’s Home and the sisters’ other ministries possible. “The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine are fond of saying, ‘We can never do it alone.’ As I stand here today, I am reminded that is true. The Sisters of Charity Health System’s mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus to God’s people and you are our co-ministers in living out this mission,” she said.

Sister Karam offered a short history of the CSAs’ work in the Diocese of Cleveland since their arrival from France in 1851, noting they were Cleveland’s first public health nurses.

“And, for the last 174 years, that focus on nurturing the whole person – no matter their age, no matter their background – hasn’t changed. We have founded and operated hospitals, nursing schools, orphanages, schools, foundations and social service ministries like Joseph and Mary’s Home, all with the intention of helping people find a better path than the one we originally met them on,” Sister Karam said.

Joseph and Mary’s Home originated when one CSA sister, who was a social worker, saw many people coming into the emergency department who needed healing but were unsheltered. After discharge, they had no where else to go, so they returned to the bridges, shelters, etc., and often rotated back into the hospital. With the founding of Joseph’s Home, they could welcome the men to a new place to continue healing and to look forward to permanent housing.

“Thanks to the leadership, staff and supporters, the home created here is a warm, welcoming place where men and women receive the recovering health, emotional, social care and compassionate support they need to stabilize and obtain housing,” Sister Karam said, “Stopping the seemingly endless cycle of streets, ER visits and back again. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing that fire to help neighbors in need continue to burn within your soul.”

Bishop Woost told the group that the building being blessed and dedicated “Should enliven our faith and make us grateful. We know the words of the psalm, “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor.’ Whenever we look to the interests of our neighbor or the community and serve them, we are, in a sense, God’s own co-workers. Let us pray for his help through this celebration … that God will bless Joseph’s Home, its future residents and all of us who have worked towards its completion.”

After a brief prayer service, the bishop led attendees into the building where he blessed a table filled with crucifixes that will hang on the walls of client suites, offices and common areas. He also walked the hallway blessing and sprinkling holy water in the 11 client suites, entryway, clinic, laundry room, staff offices and break room, community room, dining room and kitchen.

After the blessing, guests were invited to a reception in the dining room.

Graham said Regency Construction, which also renovated Mary’s Home, oversaw the Joseph’s Home project. Work began in November 2024. The residents will move from the old convent, located across the parking lot, to the new rooms in August.

Since opening, Graham said Joseph and Mary’s Home has provided temporary housing to about 1,000 medically fragile men and women. About 100 per year are served, with 80 days as the average stay. However, she noted it is challenging to find suitable, accessible and affordable permanent housing. The staff continues to build its network of housing options and building relationships with property owners and managers. Graham said more than 90% of Joseph and Mary’s Home residents are able to move into permanent housing.

The dedication and blessing was a bittersweet event, since Spangler noted that Graham would be leaving Joseph and Mary’s Home for a new position next month.

She offered her thanks to all who helped make the ministry a success, adding that it was a privilege to have served.

Click here to view a short video featuring the first resident of Mary’s Home.