A Sister of St. Joseph … What Me?!

Why not you? Are you a single Roman Catholic woman seeking “more” in your life? Are you sensing a call that you can’t quite name? Have you ever considered religious life?

The Sisters of St. Joseph founded in Le Puy, France in 1650 arrived in Canada in 1851. Across the centuries these women of prayer have served God in their neighbour, living the Gospel in numerous ways always “listening” to the needs in an evolving Church and society. Today, we continue, “reading the signs of our times” in order to best serve where the world’s unmet needs arise. Today you will find Sisters of St. Joseph across the globe still serving the poor, the sick and most vulnerable with love and respect, still educating in a variety of settings, welcoming refugees, supporting seniors, teaching meditation and prayer to children, simply “listening” to people’s hearts and stories, providing spiritual accompaniment. We care for the environment in response to the call of the Church in our day. Sisters are active in interfaith and ecumenical prayer and dialogue. Sisters of St. Joseph initiate, lead and participate with others in vital social justice initiatives, such as addressing child poverty, protecting water sources for life, supporting life at every stage and in every way, reaching out to prevent human trafficking and caring for those caught in the trap, injustice and agony of modern slavery. Sisters of St. Joseph in their being, becoming and actions attempt to be the “real presence of Christ” in the contemporary world. We are all called to wholeness and holiness. Each of us has many gifts to bring. Perhaps your gifts are gifts that harmonize with the spirit, spirituality and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Through the unifying love of Christ, Sisters of St. Joseph are animated by a life of prayer and a contemplative spirit in all times and places. We live with simplicity and compassion, nurture community, caring for God’s creation. We minister with active, inclusive love bringing healing and hope in God’s beautiful but broken world. We are “ordinary women, doing ordinary things for the extraordinary love of God”. Could this be you?

We invite you to take a look under the tab, “Becoming a Sister” on this website where there is new material inviting and guiding discernment of call and outlining the various stages of formation in the “making of a Sister of St. Joseph”.  Consider reading this part of our website .. You may be surprised by God or you may know a woman who may be interested. The invitation is to a life of love, a life of joy, a life of hope lived for God and others. A Sister of St. Joseph … what me? Why not?

Mary Rowell, CSJ
Vocation Director

New Horizons of Hope: A Gift to Vocation Ministry for Canada

I am writing this post on the eve of the 2017 World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life (February 2^nd). In 1997 Pope St. John Paul 11 instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. The celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation or Candlemas Day, a day when traditionally candles are blessed in churches symbolizing Christ, Light of the World. So too members of communities of consecrated life are called to be light in the world as they live out their particular vocation together with all others who are called through their special vocations to be light for our times.

For many who have experienced what appears to be a demise in consecrated life there seems to be little light around religious vocation! Yet, in his new book, “Religious Life in the Twenty First Century: The Prospect of Refounding”, Diarmuid O’Murchu, presents a picture of future promise. He notes the need for a commitment of members of religious communities to “evolutionary becoming” – involving openness to change, attentiveness to emerging patterns of consciousness, lives responding generously to an unfolding future already present in process today. That future, according to O’Murchu is a future of hope.

O’ Murchu says: “In time - in God’s own time new seedlings will sprout. For me, at least, history leaves us in no doubt about that fact. Sometime in the latter half of the twenty first century, probably towards its end, we can expect a new breakthrough for the vowed life. We can do nothing to bring it about at an earlier date; it is a divine initiative and not of our making. However we can anticipate it with eager faith and by cultivating that discerning predisposition so characteristic of the great foundresses – and of the great founders too – prepare ourselves for the new horizons our God has waiting for us. Central to this discerning anticipation is the wisdom to read the signs of the times and identify urgent needs requiring a radical new Gospel response.”

In light of such hope we do well to be open to the Spirit still calling women and men to consecrated life, encouraging them in their becoming and praying for that new life in God’s own time.

At a practical level, the National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors (NAVFD) whose President, Mary Rowell, and Executive Director, Nancy Sullivan are members of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada, report the faith in and support of that hope from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in the form of a substantial grant to Canada. The grant will enable NAVFD to conduct, across the country, much needed research relating to vocations to consecrated life and to prepare and initiate a vibrant and open action plan in profound hope and promise.

Mary Rowell, CSJ: Vocation Director
Photography: Christine Carbotte, CSJ