St Joseph’s Spirit

Prepared by Mary Cresp RSJ

The Sisters of St Joseph

Founded by Julian Edmund Tenison Woods and Mary MacKillop – 1866.

Sisters of St Joseph Founded Le Puy, France, 1650

It was while I was in Auvergne that I formed the idea of the Sisters of St Joseph. I found that in many parts of France, a convent system prevailed which was of great assistance to the Church in every way. The daughters of farmers and humble people were the sources from which the convents were recruited. They were not highly educated, nor probably very refined, but they lived a life of great edification, and supplied most of the wants which religious communities could fulfil.… They lived in great poverty and simplicity, and there was no fine ladyism about them. J. T. Woods, ‘Memoirs’.

Chapter Decision, 2001

To explore connections and networks with other Josephite Congregations throughout the world.

Research was required for this.

World ContextWorld ContextWorld ContextWorld Context

We Christians have no road map for We Christians have no road map for humanity. We have no more idea than humanity. We have no more idea than anyone else what will happen to anyone else what will happen to humanity in the next hundred or humanity in the next hundred or thousand years. So, with the thousand years. So, with the disappearance of confidence in disappearance of confidence in progress, we have to recover a progress, we have to recover a genuinely Christian hope. If we may genuinely Christian hope. If we may do so, then humanity will discover in do so, then humanity will discover in us something for which it longs and us something for which it longs and which is ours to give.which is ours to give.

Timothy Radcliffe OP

Our hopeThe unity (communion) of all peoples with God and

each other

To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Cor 12:7)

Charism (Greek – “gift”)

a gift of the Spirit given to persons and taken up by a group to carry out the mission of Jesus, serving with a special spirit which tells us something special

about God.

Charism flows out of how the person understands God

God is compassionate love. (The Hebrew word “Compassion” comes from the same word as “womb”)

God’s compassion is shown through us to others.

What is the particular experience of God of our founders?

(Sisters) are to .. (make) their children happy by the way in which they show in practice that the service of the Lord is sweet. Let them remember that children will be attracted to Jesus by a bright smiling exterior, but would be repelled by too much gloom, or spoiled by boisterous hilarity.” (First Rule, 1867).

The Sisters in the Providence should consider themselves the servants of the poor, and therefore treat the inmates with the most affectionate consideration. They must bear with much, and be mild and patient. No deserving poor person should be refused food and shelter, for the Sisters are only the administrators of a bounty which is God’s, who expects that everything should be done for His poor. (Book of Instructions, “Of Charitable

Undertakings”)

How will those who share the Josephite spirit act?

What face of God

will they try to

show?

Julian Tenison Woods

Born in London on 15th November, 1832

Julian in France

In 1853 goes to France and tramps the countryside

of Auvergne before entering the Marist Novitiate in Lyons

meets small groups of working class religious women (Sisters of St Joseph of Le Puy) who minister with the poor, giving them religious instruction and teaching them basic skills so that they can support themselves.

New Horizons

1854 Julian returns to England and his family

(because of ill health) Travels to Hobart Town at the suggestion

of Bishop Wilson with a view to teaching and doing final studies for ordination

He goes to Adelaide to join his brother

1855 Meets Bishop Murphy (Adelaide)

Ordination

1856Julian places himself under the

guidance of the Jesuits at Sevenhill to prepare for ordination as a priest in the Adelaide diocese

January 1857He is ordained and moves to

Penola

Australia

FranFrancece

Julian sees need for Sisters of St Joseph

(Recalling Sisters in France) … I had been accustomed to regard a nun as one on whom a great deal of money had to be spent, and who must be raised above the labouring classes, both in means and in education. I felt instinctively that a nun to be one with the poor, and a servant of the poor, should belong to the humbler classes, especially as the immense wants of the Church in that direction could only be effectively and abundantly recruited from that class. But when I saw how the want was supplied in France, I made up my mind that I would use all my efforts to extend these institutions

to my own country, though I never dreamt of trying myself to establish a thing of the kind at that time, as naturally, it seemed utterly out of my power. J. T. Woods, ‘Memoirs’.

Why are charisms given by the Spirit?

1650

An Age of Turmoil

Reformation,

Wars of Religion,

Famine,

Social changes.

Religion and Politics mixed

Civic powers to Church

Church needed civic permissions

Power clashes

Rome – all women Religious to live enclosed in monasteries.

Dowry required. No lower classes. Apostolic work

joined to Monastery.

If needed for good of diocese, women could live as Apostolic Sisters if they did not “look” like nuns. (not classed as nuns)

Some Bishops used civic powers to recognise them as consecrated laywomen.

Women Religious

1650

Father Jean-Pierre Médaille SJFather Jean-Pierre Médaille SJ

Lived in small, unnoticeable groups, serving God in the neighbour.

Got lay women to work with them.

Work – practical. • Do whatever is in the power of women

to do!

Sisters of St Joseph

Sisters of St Joseph in France

Dressed as widows

Survived without strong male leadership (Fr Medaille removed)

Push to become monastic (rather than “Apostolic”).

Ministries gradually focussed on education, health care

History before Revolution (1790’s) lost.

The Revolution (1790s)

• Six Sisters executed.

• Many others imprisoned.

• Properties destroyed, confiscated.

• Sisters impoverished, homeless, returned to families.

• Some carried on ministries as best they could.

After Revolution (1807)

Mother St John Fontbonne

Sisters of St Joseph officially “refounded” 1807 (Mother St John Fontbonne).

“Religious” (monastic) dress Hierarchical structure

(according to conditions laid down by Napoleon).

Apostolic Sisters now the accepted way of being Religious.

Branches of Le Puy Sisters of St Joseph Throughout World

Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart Throughout the World

Sisters of St Joseph from Le Puy and from Australia

Very similar: God is found in ordinary life.

God’s compassionate (or great) love is shown. “ordinary”, “roll-your-sleeves-up approach”,

hospitality, practicality, “being with” the other, simplicity, humility, no fan-fare, serving God in the neighbour.

Not the only onesbut this is who we are!

Do you identify with “Josephite”?

Is this your charism? “ordinary”, “roll-your-sleeves-up

approach”, hospitality, practicality, “being with” the other, simplicity, humility, no fan-fare, serving God in the neighbour.

If our life in Christ means anything to you

if love can persuade at allor the Spirit that we have in

common,or any tenderness and

sympathy,then be united in your

convictionsand united in your love,with a common purpose

and a common mind.

Philippians 2:1-2.

Our aim - To signify hope

Our goal