News & Events

At the turn of next month, the Sisters of Saint Joseph celebrate their foundation in Boston 147 years ago. The Sisters were sought after by Rev. Thomas Magennis, founder of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Jamaica Plain, after he witnessed their teaching ministry in New York. In early October of 1873, Sr. Mary Regis Casserly and three other sisters answered the official call from Archbishop John Williams to serve the children of working-class immigrants.

Raising the voices of the marginalized is essential to achieving equality. The struggle for a voice in government for all Americans was not completed in 1920; our yearning for social justice continues today. We still need voices of inclusivity, like those of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, to be heard – and the the age-old adage still rings true:  A woman’s work is never done.

We, the Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph, compelled by the Gospel and by our heritage to be responsive to the “dear neighbor” without distinction, are disheartened to learn of these sweeping changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which the Department of Homeland Security recently announced. Click to read the full statement and recommended action.

Since we last gathered, we have all been faced with two pandemics: Covid-19 and Racism. Our plan for all our prayer gatherings this year is to look together at each of these pandemics in light of these questions: How do we pray/or how have we been praying in these challenging times? How do we stand in a “posture of hope?”

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is grateful that the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s attempt to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA recipients have long contributed to our communities and our economy. Catholic sisters will continue to advocate for bipartisan legislation that addresses the injustices in our current immigration system

Between now and June 20, U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, will be spreading the word via Social Media. We will post their graphics on our social media channels to show the interconnected between refugees and human trafficking.

We are here because God CREATED us in colors, knowing it would add to our strength, BEAUTY, and richness. As women religious and their partners in mission, we acknowledge our own privilege and complicity in institutional racism. It is time to address the institutional racism that lives within our institutions and within ourselves. As we continue to work to dismantle institutional racism, we are all asked to do the deep, ongoing inner work that anti-racism requires of us. This includes listening to, learning from, supporting, and elevating the black voices within and around us. We ask God’s blessing on the struggle that lies ahead. We, as Sisters of St. Joseph and as individuals, must do better.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious strongly condemns the police-killing of another black man on the streets of our nation. Racism is America’s original sin. It is a virus every bit as deadly as COVID-19 that has infected our nation since its inception and unless and until we address it, people of color will continue to die and our nation will never heal. Racism, whether the institutional racism which privileges some at the expense others or the daily acts of hate and discrimination diminishes us all. It denies that most profound truth, that all of us are created in God’s image and each of us is entitled to dignity and respect.

As members of LCWR, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston partner with other faith leaders calling for all people to spend time during the weekend of May 29-31 to lament and mourn the 100,000 persons who will have died in the United States from COVID-19, and to pause at noon on June 1 to honor the deceased.

As members of LCWR, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston partner with other faith leaders calling for all people to spend time during the weekend of May 29-31 to lament and mourn the 100,000 persons who will have died in the United States from COVID-19, and to pause at noon on June 1 to honor the deceased.

During Laudato Si’ week, five members of our Boston CSJ Earth Book Club have each prepared personal reflections on favorite parts of Laudato Si’ and its relevance today. A link to one of these reflections will be posted each day this week in the space below. Each reflection ends with a question for your personal reflection. Click title above for the schedule of these reflections

In 2018, the 100th Anniversary of the 1918 flu, our CSJ Boston Archives created a PowerPoint video documenting our sisters service to the dear neighbor during this epidemic which can be viewed here.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston are committed to being a presence to you, our Dear Neighbors, during these days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Desiring to provide a space of hope and the opportunity for reflection, we are providing this virtual space of prayer resources that have been shared with us by religious congregations throughout the country. We will update this as new content becomes available.

We know that COVID-19 has upended everything – including the 2020 Census. So this weekend, May 1-3, 2020, is designated Census Awareness Weekend. During these past few weeks, The Literacy Connection, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph, has been working with the Allston-Brighton 2020 Census committee to continue efforts for a “complete count” of the 2020 Census.

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, the week of April 19-25, 2020 is being celebrated as Earth Week. Each day this week you will find a quote from our CSJ Corporate Stance on Care for the Earth, which we publicly declared on Earth Day 1992. We continue to try to live by the aspirations of this declaration.

During this week of service, participants will dare to “be witnesses of a different way of doing things, acting, living!” and broaden the circle of love poured out toward every kind of neighbor without distinction.

During Catholic Sisters Week 2020 [March 8-14], we Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston invite you to share in a video series that features several of our sisters. Each reflects on why she is a sister and what continues to inspire her to live our mission of unifying love. These stories offer inspiration for others who are seeking hope and meaning rooted in the profound love of God and desirous of reaching out to the dear neighbor without distinction.

March 8-14, groups around the world are shedding the spotlight on women religious. Catholic Sisters Week 2020 is an opportunity to shine a light on the spirituality, mission and community building of women religious and celebrate how they respond to evolving needs.

As this Lent begins, we offer a particular understanding of the one we CSJs call the Holy One, the God we have come to know through the grace of the charism, the God who informs our common mission… the God the charism has taught us about for 370 years.

You don’t want to miss this evening. It will be here before we know it. So take a minute to click through to where you can learn more to be part of this evening.

Our advocacy is one of the ways we carry out the statement in our Constitution: ”We stand with the poor in the struggle for justice, incarnating hope, by seeking to improve the quality of human life.” We do this “through direct service,” but also “through indirect service and efforts at systemic change which improve the quality of life for those who are poor.”

a six session series that aims to contemplate God’s action and presence in our origins, our becoming, our possibilities. As participants, we welcome women & men of all faiths, whose experience includes: A personal story, an eagerness to contemplate our common story and a willingness to read and pray between sessions.

We, the U. S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph join with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious ( LCWR) in expressing our deep disappointment regarding President Trump’ s promise in 2017 to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. We are profoundly troubled by the decision to formally request U. S. withdrawal from this critically important international agreement.

Did you know there is more than one way to live the mission and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph in your daily life? Our canonically vowed members continue to serve the dear neighbor without distinction and have done so for more than 360 years. read more…

Over 30 sisters, associates, St. Joseph Workers, and partners in mission from the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph joined with over 400 individuals in the Catholic Day of Action for Immigrant Children, part of a “Stop the Inhumanity” campaign designed to increase the visibility of the Catholics who are willing to take risks on the issue to increase pressure on the U.S. government to end child detention.

Recognizing the intersection of the issue of racism, migration and climate crisis, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph joins with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in recommitting to a compassionate response to the cries of our brothers and sisters and our Earth

In response to our recent corporate voice statement calling for an end to gun violence, The U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is participating in a Anti-Gun Violence Social Media campaign  from Monday, August 12 through Friday, August 16. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston is running this campaign alongside the Federation to amplify the reach. You can be a part of widening the reach by visiting our csjboston Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram channels [see icon links at bottom and top of our website]. Come back and visit for the remaining days of this Social Media Campaign!

The following is a letter sent by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious during its annual 2019 conference to President Trump on August 14. The letter, affirmed by the 663 LCWR members gathered in assembly in Scottsdale, Arizona, calls upon the president to end all divisive rhetoric.

As Sisters of St. Joseph, we share in the communal heartbreak of our nation in the face of unthinkable violence. The recent mass shootings in our country impel us to once again demand that all citizens and elected leaders end the rage and division that all too often results in mass, indiscriminate violence. Click title to read full statement…

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, together with our associates, join in prayer with our Muslim brothers and sisters and particularly the families and loved ones of the 50 murdered and those wounded in the horrific attack at the Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, together with our associates, join in prayer with our Muslim brothers and sisters and particularly the families and loved ones of the 50 murdered and those wounded in the horrific attack at the Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

What does the Sisters to sisters program look like? Two or three Sisters of St. Joseph accompany class until graduation and develop relationships through presence at co-curricular events and activities.

In 2007 the U.S. Senate designated January 11th as a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness in an effort to raise consciousness about this global, national and local issue. Included in this message is a “Reflection and Prayer” to End Human Trafficking. This prayer extends from January 11, 2019, which is Human Trafficking Awareness day, through February 8, 2019, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita. We are grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, CA, who designed this calendar and offer it for the use of all.

St. Joseph Spiritual Ministries, founded and supported by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, welcomes women and men of all faith traditions and cultures who seek a deeper relationship with God, self, and all creation.

October 31, 2018: As women religious, we reject the rhetoric of fear and policy of division that poisons our politics today. We choose instead to embrace an America that is filled with hope for a nation united for the common good. We stand with Pope Francis who calls us to, “promote the dignity of all our brothers and sisters, particularly the poor and the excluded of society, those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking.”

October 25, 2018: We, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph join with NETWORK Catholic Social Justice Lobby, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), and other faith-based advocates in seeking federal policies that reflect gospel principles. Our mission of unity calls us to the realization that an economy and a society of inclusion depends on good policy…read more

September 27, 2018: We, the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, join with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in strongly opposing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s proposed changes to the public charge regulation. As Sisters of St. Joseph, committed by our heritage to embrace the Gospel message of unity and reconciliation, we urge people of faith to call for the protection of immigrants, especially those who are most vulnerable and to register their objections to this unreasonable and mean-spirited proposal during the 60-day comment period. Click title to read the full statement…

August 24, 2018: We, the U. S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, compelled by the Gospel and by our heritage to be responsive to the “dear neighbor” without distinction, are concerned for all of God’s creation and our sisters and brothers everywhere.
We stand with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in our deep concern about the release of the Trump Administration’s Affordable Clean Energy rule. The proposed rule would significantly weaken the Clean Power Plan (CPP) which sought to speed the closure of coal-burning plants and the conversion to clean energy in order to reduce carbon pollution, mitigate climate change, and protect the health and welfare of all people, especially the most vulnerable. Read more…

The U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph joins the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in their deep concern about the growing repression and state-sanctioned violence in Nicaragua. As a country that Sisters of St. Joseph have served in, we are horrified to hear of the injustices occurring against our “dear neighbors” in Nicaragua.

The U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph joins the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in their deep concern about the growing repression and state-sanctioned violence in Nicaragua. As a country that Sisters of St. Joseph have served in, we are horrified to hear of the injustices occurring against our “dear neighbors” in Nicaragua.

The U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph is extremely disappointed with the June 26, 2018, United States Supreme Court Decision in Trump vs. Hawaii, commonly referred to as the travel ban. en. We believe that this travel ban intentionally targets Muslims and that the Court’s decision adds to the climate of fear of Muslims and fuels the flames to anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. As Catholic sisters, our mission is one of unity. We are grounded in a loving relationship with God and neighbor. We live the Gospel values and view each person, regardless of their race, religion, or nation of origin as our dear neighbor, whom we love without distinction. [click above to read full statement]

This ministry of leadership is one of collaboration.  It is about working together to set our faces forward, to continue the journey, extending our charism to the wider world through prayer and ministry, and walking in the confidence that it is our God who calls us to that future.”

JUNE 20, 2018: We join with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Sr. Theresa Maya, the President of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), and members of many faith traditions in calling for an end to the separation of children from their parents at the border where they are seeking asylum. In May 2018, the U.S. Government began prosecuting migrants who illegally crossed the United States border from  Mexico.  Their children are then detained separately from their parents.

JUNE 6, 2018, Brighton, MA: On Monday, June 4, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Corporation for the Sponsored Ministries [CSM] of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston unanimously approved the decision to offer Sister Mary Anne Doyle, CSJ, the position of Executive Director of the Corporation for the Sponsored Ministries. This appointment was affirmed by the CSJ Leadership Team and will be effective in August 2018.

BRIGHTON,  June 4, 2018 – The Literacy Connection, a ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston, is one of the 100 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 each through Cummings Foundation’s 100k for 100 program. The Boston-based organization was chosen from a total of 597 applicants, during a competitive review process.

BRIGHTON — Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and associates gathered in at their Motherhouse in Brighton March 8-11, 2018, for the election of the six-member leadership team who will serve the congregation for the next five years. The members of the new team who will begin their term of leadership at the end of June are Sisters Lee Hogan, CSJ, President; Catherine Clifford, CSJ, Assistant President; Marian Batho, CSJ, First Councilor; Judith Costello, CSJ, Second Councilor; Betsy Conway, CSJ, Third Councilor; and Denise Kelly, Fourth Councilor.
Click on title to read full article

On February 14 a very troubled 19-year-old took an AR-15 assault rifle to Marjory Stoneman High School and opened fire killing 14 students and three staff members. The shooting was a horrible tragedy that has become all too familiar to students, teachers, and parents across the country.

St. Joseph Spiritual Ministries, founded and supported by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, welcomes women and men of all faith traditions and cultures who seek a deeper relationship with God, self, and all creation.

Last year, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, California, ran a campaign called 100 Days of Prayer. It was a simple daily prayer that followed the first 100 days of the Trump Administration. 100 Days of Prayer traveled really far and they are doing it again, only a little differently.

Brighton, MA: As persons of faith who embrace the Gospel value of respect for the dignity of each individual, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and our Associates are disappointed and saddened by the Trump administration’s decision to terminate the Temporary Protected Status of more than 200,000 Salvadorans.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious strongly denounces the cruel decision by the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 200,000 Salvadorans. El Salvador is the fourth country whose citizens have been stripped of their right to protection by President Trump’s administration.

For those who are not part of a religious congregation, an aura of mystery often surfaces when they hear that the sisters who minister among them are meeting for “chapter.” Sisters have done this for centuries but, as the needs of our world evolve, so does the process of General Chapters.

As we began the second weekend of our Chapter of Affairs, our facilitator, Chris Partisano, CSJ, reminded us that this weekend was an opportunity to spend time together in deeper reflection and decision making as we envision our future.

As the Sisters of St. Joseph come together for this year’s Leadership Assembly, it is important for us to be united with others and join in prayer and action for our planet, for good jobs, in a clean energy economy and for the protection of vulnerable communities.

As persons of faith who embrace the Gospel value of respect for the dignity of each individual, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and our Associates are disappointed and saddened by President Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Last week, while tensions between the governments of the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [DPRK] quickly escalated, 700 members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious meeting in Orlando, FL issued a public statement imploring President Donald J. Trump to engage in dialogue and negotiation.

As persons of faith who embrace the Gospel values of respect for the dignity of all persons and non-violent, peaceful resolution of differences, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston and our Associates abhor the recent tragic events in Charlottesville, perpetrated by white supremacists.

In 2007 the U.S. Senate designated January 11th as a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness in an effort to raise consciousness about this global, national and local issue.

Nearly 500 friends, former students, and supporters packed the Ballroom at Boston’s Seaport Hotel on April 19, 2017, for the fourth annual “Living the Dream” Dinner.

We, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, are deeply concerned about the U.S. administration’s executive orders on immigration and refugee resettlement which serve only to threaten border communities.

As people committed to justice, nonviolence, unifying love and communion with the Earth Community, we, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, together with our Associates, stand in solidarity with our Native American sisters and brothers, especially of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

The Presidents of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) representing the elected leaders of more than 55,000 Catholic religious sisters, brothers, and priests sent a letter to President-Elect Donald Trump reminding him of the gift and responsibility of leadership.

The final edition of 100 Days of Prayer covering April 1-30 is attached. We are so grateful to the CSJ Orange Communications office and their St. Joseph Justice Center for their generosity in sharing this timely resource.

The Literacy Connection, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, is in need of volunteer tutors for September. Volunteers meet one on one with adult residents who need ESOL, literacy, or GED/Hi-SET practice for a minimum of two hours a week.

Bethany Hill Place [BHP] is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston which offers affordable, educational housing to more than 150 individuals and families every year.

As an employer of Haitian immigrants, I am writing to support the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 50,000 Haitians living in the U.S. since the 2010 earthquake, including the over 4,000 who reside in Massachusetts.

Immediately following the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston join with others across our country in calling for all Americans to come together in the spirit of unity and reconciliation and build relationships based on respect.

Born of the desire to connect, empower, and energize one another for mission and ministry, the third annual gathering of CSSJ High School Leaders met in Boston, MA from November 2-4, 2016.

The 25th Annual National Night Out hit all over Boston this week and kicked off in the Parkway at Adams Park in Roslindale.

More than 5650 Catholic Sisters signed a letter asking the US presidential candidates “to engage in political dialogue that reflects the principles and values upon which this nation was founded.”

If anyone doubts sisters’ relevance today, I encourage them to watch the video taken during the vigil at Pulse. Last I checked, more than 25,000 people had watched the video on Facebook, and the response from the community has been overwhelmingly supporting and hopeful.

NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus are hitting the road again – daring to call on elected officials and candidates to “Mend the Gaps” in income and wealth inequality in our nation. We will listen to the stories of the gaps that people are experiencing in our society and provide NETWORK’s proactive policy strategy that can bridge those divides.

On June 16, 2016, the Leadership Council of the Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, representing 7500 sisters, associates, and agrégées in the United States, affirmed the following statement in support of human rights for farmworkers.

April 27, 2016, was a special evening as the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston honored Eileen Connors and her family with the Dear Neighbor Award at their annual Living the Dream Dinner.

We invite you to set aside five to ten minutes of contemplative prayer for our country during this critical time in our political environment.

Watch the Catholic TV Network as Sister Betsy Conway, CSJ shares her vocation story and deep desire to build relationships through spiritual motherhood.

Join us on the front lawn of the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse, 637 Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA, on Saturday, March 26, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for the Brighton Main Streets annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Thirteen CSSJs and Associates Visit El Salvador for the 35th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the North American Churchwomen.

Thirteen CSSJs and Associates Visit El Salvador for the 35th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the North American Churchwomen.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is horrified at the violence we witness in our world and appalled by the recent acts of bloodshed in Paris, Beirut, and throughout the Middle East. We continue to pray for all who suffer as a result of these senseless acts of terror.

Tutela Legal Doctora Maria Julia Hernandez works for truth, justice, and reparations around human rights violations in El Salvador.

Tutela Legal Doctora Maria Julia Hernandez works for truth, justice, and reparations around human rights violations in El Salvador.