The Art of Letting Go
Letting go. Though the reasons may vary, as these sisters from across the congregation share, it is something we all must learn to do.
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“The Spirit calls us to turn beyond ourselves to serve a world in need.”
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.
Join our community
Become a Sister
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
Become an Associate
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.
Explore the Agrégée Call
The agrégée commitment is an emerging relationship in our congregation. Agrégée companions 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 Companion 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
Volunteer as a St. Joseph Worker
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.
Recent stories
See all stories about vocations
What would you like other women seeking religious life to know?
We asked some of our newest members to share what they would like other women seeking religious life to know.
Utica’s Prayer Powerhouse
Associates promise to pray “individually and communally with the Sisters of St. Joseph.” Maria Beck takes that promise seriously.
Our Christmas gifts and prayers
As we celebrate the Christmas season, we asked some of our sisters and associates to share about the gifts and prayers they are offering the dear neighbor this Christmas.
Support our mission in other ways
Additionally, every day there are small ways to partner with us in our mission.