Sisters of St. Joseph Worldwide Celebrate Founders' Day

October 15 is the 359th world-wide anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph. So during the next week, I’m going to try to offer a little about our beginnings.

The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston share a common origin with over 13,000 Sisters of St. Joseph in over 50 countries throughout the world who trace their roots to LePuy, France in 1650. The Sisters of Saint Joseph were among the first Catholic communities to be founded by ordinary women. They were not cloistered and worked to support themselves especially by making lace, a common trade in that region of France. The community grew and flourished among the people of France.

One of the earliest documents of our Congregation is called The Règlements – that’s French for “Rule.” Jean-Pierre Médaille, SJ, the Jesuit priest who was a spiritual guide for our first six sisters wrote The Règlements.

Here’s how it begins: This association is established to provide for many young women or widows not called to the cloister or who have no means to enter it, and who, nevertheless, wish to live chastely in the world.

A bit later The Règlements say: The number in the association [meaning each individual place where sisters live] will ordinarily be thee, it may however increase to six….They will try to have a little house for their association…in places where there will be a number of people called to this new way of life…they may set up diverse houses and associations dependent on one Superior. In keeping with religious moderation, their clothing, dress, and standard of living will be appropriate to their social class and the background from which they come.

There are six virtues that Medaille outlines for the congregation. In 21st century language these are:

The Inclusive Love of God
The Outpouring love of Christ
The Communal Love of the Spirit
The Zeal of Jesus marked by humble self-emptying love [also called anéantissment in our earliest documents]
The Fidelity of Mary
The Cordial Charity of Joseph
All grounded in relationship with God and neighbor without distinction.

These core virtues offer a lifetime of reflection. Do any one of them speak to your heart at this moment in your life?