
375th Anniversary
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet join with our fellow Sisters of St. Joseph congregations in celebrating the 375th anniversary of our founding.
In 1650, six ordinary women, under the guidance of Jean Pierre Medaille, SJ, joined together in community under the patronage of St. Joseph in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. These six women had a common desire to grow in their love of God and serve the unmet needs of the people around them, whom they came to call their “dear neighbors.” From their humble beginnings in a small kitchen, the order grew to include communities all over the world.
As a part of our 375th Jubilee Anniversary Celebration, we’ve asked our sisters and charism partners to write blog posts reflecting on integral parts of our history and spirituality, illuminating how these symbols and traditions continue to shape our present and future.
Foundation of the Sisters of St. Joseph
Creating the “Little Design”
As the “Little Design” spirituality of Father Jean Pierre Medaille, SJ began to take shape in the mid-1600s, Father Medaille wrote the Règlements, carefully describing a new community of women in service of the dear neighbor. He wrote: “This association is established to provide for many young women or widows not called to the cloister or who have not the means to enter it, and who, nevertheless, wish to live chastely in the world.”

In 1650, six women of the “Little Design” joined together in community under the patronage of St. Joseph in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. Offering their lives in service to God and the dear neighbor, this religious community devoted themselves to the needs of ordinary people, living among them.
These women had no monastery and no convent but were called to live together in a “common life.” In a small kitchen, the original six sisters cooked, ate and grew together as individuals and as a congregation.
Lacemaking in Le Puy
As early as the 15th century, lace served as one of the mainstays of the economy of Le Puy. Neither wealthy nor educated, the original Sisters of St. Joseph turned to lacemaking to support both themselves and their ministry.

Income from handmade lace and ribbon allowed our early sisters to live out their call to serve the dear neighbor without distinction. Not only did our sisters make lace, but they also taught poor women and children the art of lacemaking. By passing on the trade, our sisters gave them the ability to earn their own livelihoods.
After each day’s ministry, our sisters gathered in their small kitchen to make lace by the light of small oil lamps. As an integral part of their lives and time together, lace began to weave its way into the tradition and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
The Lace is Not Yet Finished

Modern Lacemakers
After the invention of lacemaking machines in the early 1800s, the trade of lacemaking by hand fell out of demand. It could no longer support the life and ministries of a growing congregation, and our sisters had already found other ways to keep their mission alive.
While lacemaking could no longer serve as a means of financial support, the Sisters of St. Joseph did not abandon the art. Even today, many of our sisters continue to practice the art of bobbin lacemaking as a hobby, a means of connecting with our history or even as a tool for spiritual contemplation.
Sister Nancy Marsh, CSJ (pictured right) enjoys lacemaking as a hobby and helps keep the artform alive by sharing her expertise with fellow sisters and partners in mission.
Weaving Threads of Unifying Love
Lace is not only an important part of our history and tradition, but it serves as an important symbol for our sisters. When lace is made, threads are intertwined and connected to one another. Much like the threads in lace, our mission of unifying love calls us to intertwine and connect neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.
Throughout our history, we have made lace both literally and figuratively. In 17th century France, the original sisters wove together much more than thread. They wove together their community, creating a pattern for future Sisters of St. Joseph all around the world. Continuing the work of our earliest sisters, our sisters and partners in mission weave together diverse threads in their ministries and lives into the ever-growing design of the great love of God.
Marjorie,
Thank you for this thorough and proud explanation of
lace-making. Enjoyable!
Catherine