Sisters of St Joseph of Peace name new Leadership Team

SJP Sisters new Leadership Team

Source: Sisters of St Joseph of Peace

At a gathering marked by prayer, discernment, and deep communion, the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace elected a new Leadership Team to guide the community for the next six years.

Gathered for the 24th Congregation Chapter from September 12-19 in the Diocese of Nottingham, England, sisters and associates listened attentively to the movement of the Holy Spirit as vowed members discerned and elected those called to serve in leadership.

The newly elected Leadership Team consists of:

Congregation Leader: Sister Sheena George, CSJP;
Assistant Congregation Leader: Sister Melinda McDonald, CSJP;
Congregation Councillors: Sister Margie Fort, CSJP, and Sister Sukyi Hur, CSJP.

The Congregation's new team assumes office on January 7, 2027, serving through January 6, 2033. Together, the team will work collaboratively to guide the congregation and shape the future direction of its sponsored ministries.

In answering the call to leadership, these sisters bring diverse gifts and a unified commitment to the congregation's charism of promoting peace through justice. Detailed biographical profiles for each member of the incoming leadership team are provided below.

Sister Sheena George, CSJP, a native of Kerala, India, is a member of the Congregation Leadership Team of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace. She holds a master's degree in pastoral counseling and a bachelor's degree in theology and psychology from Fordham University, along with specialized chaplaincy certification.

Sr Sheena has served in hospital chaplaincy, elementary and middle school education, and young adult ministry while also helping establish and run a House of Hospitality for asylum refugee women in Jersey City.

In addition to serving on the Congregation Leadership Team, Sister Sheena has served on the board of York Street Project and is on the national board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) for the 2025-2028 term. Deeply committed to promoting peace through justice, Sr. Sheena continues to be a voice for systemic change and the care of vulnerable populations.
In addition to her ministry and service, Sr. Sheena enjoys spending time in nature, which provides her with opportunities for reflection, renewal, and appreciation of God's creation.

Sister Melinda "Mindy" McDonald, CSJP divides her time between the CSJP formation house in Jersey City with women who are joining the Congregation, and St Michael Villa in Englewood Cliffs, the retirement residence for the sisters.

An AIDS-certified RN, Sr Mindy worked for 25 years as an HIV/AIDS nurse, in NYC, NJ, and Rwanda. She later ministered as a hospice homecare nurse. She has master's degrees in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Fordham University, and in Earth Literacy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

She served previously on the Congregation Leadership Team for the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace, is a long-time board member of Waterspirit, an eco-spirituality ministry of the Congregation, and currently serves as a co-director of the CSJP-Associate Program in the East.

Sister Margie Fort, CSJP, lives in the Pacific Northwest where birdwatching and long neighbourhood walks are favourite pastimes. Most recently she served as councilor on the Congregation Leadership Team and is a member of the Congregation formation team, mainly responsible for novitiate formation. She is an educator and licensed clinical social worker who is bilingual in English and Spanish. Past ministries have included parish work, community mental health and work with non-profits serving vulnerable adults affected by poor health, poverty, lack of legal status and homelessness.

Sister Sukyi Hur, CSJP, originally from Busan, South Korea, is a licensed acupuncturist with a Master of Science in Acupuncture, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine degree, and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University (2022). She completed the Leadership Development Program offered by the Collaborative Leadership Development Program for Women Religious and Associates (2017).

She integrates her passion for healing, spirituality, and beauty into the congregation's mission of peace through a variety of ministries. These include establishing a healing clinic in Bellevue, where she treated patients with acupuncture and herbal medicine for several years. She has also provided acupuncture care to fellow sisters and served as sacristan and floral arranger for the chapel at St Mary-on-the-Lake. For her, the art of floral arranging is an expression of prayer.

Additionally, she has offered spiritual support, led children's faith formation and catechetical programs for the Korean Catholic community, and served on the advisory council for the Partners in the Gospel and the One Parish Planning Process at St Madeleine Sophie Parish in Bellevue, Washington. Most recently, she served on the congregation's Chapter Planning Committee for the 2026 Chapter.