Constitution of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Relationships are central to the spirit and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Communion is the origin of our energy, moving us to serve our world in need. We invite you into our community! Below you’ll find more information about the variety of ways to join our family of Joseph.
We are ordinary women who do together what we could not do individually—give communal and corporate witness to God’s love.
Through our religious vows, we profess lifelong conversion and witness. We listen attentively, we love freely and we live simply.
“As a Sister of St. Joseph, the vows to me are in constant dialogue with my intuition and my relationship with the Divine. They are ways of living that grow deeper throughout my journey in life.”
Sally Koch, CSJ
“I found what I was looking for spiritually as an associate. Following the congregation’s charism of unifying love has filled that ‘want,’ that ‘need.’ Thirty-odd years later, I continue to be satisfied with that spiritual nourishment.”
Associate Pat Hunt
Associates, named consociates in the St. Paul Province, ‘ohana in Hawaii, amigas in Peru and familia de San José in Chile (we abbreviate them all as ACOF), are women and men from various faith traditions, married and single, who extend the mission and share the spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph without becoming vowed members.
The agrégée commitment is an emerging relationship in our congregation. Agrégées embrace our charism and mission of unifying love of God and the dear neighbor without distinction. They are called to make a deep commitment to our congregation and to each other in community.
“The agrégée affiliation with the CSJ community calls me and my family to strive to live our lives within the CSJ mission, grounding us in life and spirit.”
Agrégée Jennifer Tacheny
“The amount of personal reflection and introspection I have gone through because of this program is life-changing. I have come to know myself in tremendous ways, which would have never been possible outside of the context of being a St. Joseph Worker.”
Lillia Smyers
St. Joseph Worker, 2020-21
The St. Joseph Worker program is a year-long service opportunity for women in preparation for a lifelong commitment to social change and personal transformation. Individual growth and development are built on the values of leadership, spirituality, social justice and intentional community grounded in living simply and sustainably.
See all stories about vocations
Our founder, Father Jean Pierre Médaille, SJ said in the 1600s, “All are called to enter more profoundly into their vocation, even if their ways of living it are different.” Now in the 21st century, the people called together by our charism continue to find new ways to live their vocations.
We asked some of our newest members to share what life is like as a woman discerning religious life during a time in our world of change, letting go and finding a new way.
Letting go. Though the reasons may vary, as these sisters from across the congregation share, it is something we all must learn to do.
We asked some of our newest members to share what they would like other women seeking religious life to know.
Additionally, every day there are small ways to partner with us in our mission.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters. We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and our dear neighbors. We seek to build communities and bridge divides between people. Since our first sisters gathered in 1650, our members have been called to “do all things of which women are capable.” The first sisters of our congregation arrived in St. Louis, Missouri in 1836, and we now have additional locations in St. Paul, Albany, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Japan and Peru. Today, we commit to respond boldly to injustice and dare to be prophetic.