We are moving always toward the profound love of God and love of neighbor without distinction.
(Sisters of St. Joseph Consensus Statement)
We have been serving the dear neighbor without distinction since our humble beginnings in a kitchen in LePuy, France in 1650.
We are committed to continuing Jesus’ mission in the belief that Creation is a sacred trust given to the whole Earth community. We ask in every deliberation, “How does this decision/action impact the Earth community? “We do this to raise our awareness and change our behaviors.
We believe in the interdependence of humanity and nature in the whole Earth community, and recognize our harmful impact.
We lead simple lifestyles and strive to foster the common good through parish service, adult education, spiritual direction and retreat work, direct service of the poor, and justice activities.
Strength for this mission comes from fidelity to community, prayer, our practice of sharing our heart and celebrating the rituals of church and community. Sharing of the Heart is the spiritual discipline which arises from a desire to return to the foundational charism of the CSJ Community as well as from the teachings of Jean Pierre Medaille, a Jesuit missionary, who taught us the rich Ignatian discernment tradition of finding God in all things. We practice Sharing of the Heart in small groups meeting regularly. We ask ourselves simple questions: What has happened to me since we last met? How did I feel? How was my heart led because of this experience? We remember that God’s presence is revealed in the ordinary stuff of our lives. (Excerpted from Sharing of the Heart by Sister Mary Ellen Foster, CSJ).
Our public vows are: chastity, poverty, and obedience.
Our spirit and Charism is unifying love.