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A 90th Birthday For Sr. Francis Joseph, June 10, 2009

James Russell Lowell (1819-91) wrote a poem called “The Vision of Sir Launfal” that’s mostly forgotten nowadays, but one line is still quoted: “And what is so rare as a day in June?” We got a great answer to this question on Sunday, June 7, when we celebrated the 90th birthday of our Sr. Francis Joseph. Thanks to the generosity of her nephew Charles Scarpello and his family, as well as the hard work of the West Philadelphia community and the help of many of the friends of the community, Francis Joseph had herself “a rare old time”!

It was Trinity Sunday. The parish of St. Francis de Sales in West Philly celebrated the feast with much solemnity inside the church building, then moved outside into the parish garden to continue the celebration in a different key: “Happy Birthday, dear Francis” rang out cheerfully as the sun shone brightly down on over 150 Francis friends and fans. The guest of honor herself, wearing a fetching sun hat, sat under a borrowed canopy and greeted old friends and new with her usual joy. Everyone ate, drank and was merry throughout the afternoon.

It was a day to remember a bit more of Russell’s old poem:

And what is so rare as a day in June?

              Then, if ever, come perfect days;
              Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,
              And over it softly her warm ear lays:
              Whether we look, or whether we listen,
              We hear life murmur, or see it glisten. . . .

Life was not only murmuring, but shouting with joy there at the corner of Springfield Avenue and Farragut Street! Ad multos annos, Francis!

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If you'd like to send a note to Sr. Francis Joseph to greet her for her birthday, please write to info@assumptionsisters.org We know she'll be so happy to hear from you.

Sr. Francis Joseph in the Catholic Standard & Times, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

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Sr. Francis Joseph on her

90th birthday...

...and a few years ago

With the Scarpello family