Sr. Bethany J. Welch, PhD, SSJ, professed initial vows in the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, at the age of 45, in February 2024. She is now serving in ministry as an associate director with DePaul USA managing a transitional housing program for college students experiencing homelessness. She was recently awarded a research fellowship by Villanova University to conduct a study on this program model that uses surplus church property to respond to the U.S. housing crisis. Sr. Bethany draws, paints, collages and creates her way through life’s big questions as a form of prayer and conversation with the Creator.
