The Sisters of St. Joan of Arc and Karin Yarosh will contribute to the welfare of poor backstretch workers at racetracks, and work with the military.

The sisters will also work to re-evangelize the racing industry due to the large number of converts the Protestants are making of the Hispanics working on the backstretch.

The sisters' patrons are not only St. Joan of Arc, but also Karin Yarosh (1955-1986), a very devout Catholic female jockey on the Maryland circuit (and parishioner of St. Joan of Arc Church in Aberdeen, MD) who suffered career-ending injuries in 1976, and bore them heroically before being called home 10 years later. Karin's efforts secured Worker's Compensation for jockeys and exercise riders in Maryland, whose state plan is the most generous of WC laws in the U.S. However, Karin never benefitted from the legal victory.

The sisters in final profession will wear a full-length purple tunic with light pink scapular, white wimple and silver-grey veil, and St. Joan of Arc/Karin Yarosh medal. In chapel they will wear a silver-grey cape with a purple Cross of Lorraine on the left shoulder. As a sign of their profession, they will wear a gold wedding band.

When on mission on the racetrack Backside, the sisters will wear a shorter version of the habit with head-wrap silver-grey veil. To this ensemble will be added blue jeans and "duck" boots. The St. Joan of Arc/Karin Yarosh medal will be worn under the habit. Among the sisters' apostolates will be food pantries next to racetracks, social work when necessary (to include medical), and private apartments for chaste female backstretch workers.

Prayers to St. Joan of Arc

Karin's Website