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Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy Retreat
On Thursday, September 3, twenty-eight teachers and administrators from St John Paul II Catholic Academy in Dorchester spent a day of Retreat at the Motherhouse.
Remembering 9/11
In the words of Sister Marilyn McGoldrick, we, as Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, “continue to be people who choose hope.” During a pensive service, sisters, associates, agrégées, and partners in mission gathered to pray…
Home Run! Celebrating Sister Kathleen
After serving for fifteen years as the Senior Director for Partnerships for the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) at the University of Notre Dame, Sister Kathleen Carr, CSJ, transitioned to emerita status on June 30, 2026.
From the Associates: a Montessori Classroom in Kenya
I’d like to share with you a little about a project that has been very close to my heart — the Montessori. For many years, I had a dream, a desire, to help young children who were less fortunate — to give them an opportunity to experience the joy of learning and to believe in themselves. That desire became much more concrete after the death of my son. I wanted to make this dream happen in his honor and, in some way, have his name connected to something that would give children an
opportunity for a better future.
Summer Fun: Pizza, Games, & Good Company
Twice each semester, Jeanmarie Gribaudo, CSJ, gathers students from Boston College for an evening of Pizza and Prayer. Each time, students leave wanting more… Not just more pizza, but also more prayer! This summer, the BC students leading the college’s orientation asked if they could visit for pizza and games.
Prayer Service: For Immigrants
“Bring the story inward…” Betsy Conway, CSJ, shared during the service on Tuesday, June 23.
From the Office of Justice & Peace: Wear Orange
On Friday, June 5, we had a great crowd of folks wearing all shades of orange at our annual vigil to commemorate the victims of gun violence over the past year and to pray for policies and laws…
Associate Cookout 2026
On a beautiful sunny day, we welcomed sisters, agrégées, friends, and new candidates to the end of year associate cookout.
From the Archives: Archive Pop-Up
History came alive at the State Library of Massachusetts on July 8, 2026! The Boston CSJ Archives proudly gathered alongside the Boston Public Library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the JFK Library, the City of Boston Archives, and others to showcase rare artifacts, documents, and records celebrating democracy, independence, and freedom.
From the Archives: Goodbye to Ava!
“Did you know there was a comedy club on the first floor?” Indeed, many have enjoyed and will miss Ava’s humor. Her laughter, the laughter she brought to others, will be missed.
Latina Center MARIA: Honoring Inspirational Women
Latina Center MARIA, established by Magalie Torres-Rowe, CSJA, celebrated its 10th anniversary at their annual gala on May 8th, honoring Marilyn McGoldrick, CSJ with the Distinguished Leadership Award for her unwavering commitment to raising awareness about human trafficking. Sister Marilyn noted, “The Latina Center stands as a living testament to what happens when women are seen, heard, and empowered.
2026 Spirits on Fire: My Spiritual Experience
I recently had the privilege of attending the Spirits on Fire Conference, a year-long formation program for Lay Leaders in the CSSJ mission and tradition. I’ve worked in my role as Director of the Women’s Table for nearly two years and have experienced the CSJ charism firsthand, so when I was given the opportunity to participate in an immersion program such as this, I agreed with much enthusiasm.
The Alliance to End Human Trafficking 2026 Conference: A Beacon of Light
The Alliance to End Human Trafficking 2026 Conference brought together approximately two hundred people, each and every one of them passionate and eager to bring change. Sister Marilyn McGoldrick, CSJ, and sisters representing five congregations of women religious and the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, led a panel entitled “From Shadow to Light,” sharing insights they had learned over the past eighteen years working to raise awareness about this form of modern-day slavery.
CSJ Associate 40th Anniversary: Looking Back, Looking Forward
With warm smiles and congratulations, I was welcomed Sunday, May 3rd to the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the CSJ Boston Associate Relationship.
FONTBONNE STUDENTS: Enriching Soil, Enriching Hearts
On April 21st, Tuesday of vacation week, campus minister Michelle and three of her Fontbonne students arrived at the Motherhouse gardens to prepare the soil and to do a bit of planting.
Neighbors, Not Strangers: Talk with LUCE & Liz Breadon
Picture this: you’re walking down Commonwealth Avenue, heading to work. Suddenly, you’re asked several questions from officers who’ve emerged from a massive black van with tinted windows and, next thing you know, you’re in that van.
From SJSM: Love Changes Everything
Participants in the recent retreat Love Changes Everything, led by Retreat Director Jan Webb, described the experience as deeply prayerful, reflective, and enriching.
Earth Day Celebration: Giving Back to the Earth
On Earth Day 2026, we gathered to celebrate our shared commitment to care for our common home through prayer and action. Guided by the Laudato Si’ Committee, our focus was composting—a simple, tangible practice that reflects both environmental responsibility and spiritual meaning.
From the Archives: Archbishop Williams Memorial
Near Waushakum Pond stood “a magnificent house of 16 rooms, a barn and stable stocked with grain and hay, a fine hennery… and a power plant.” This ‘magnificent house’ belonged to the benevolent Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, who opened his home to Catholic Children to aid their escape from the congested city.
Walking in the Spirit of Joseph
Today we take time out of the horrendous headlines and social media posts, from the news stories of deprivation, death, and injustice inflicted by the terror of war, and from all that is contrary to our faith and our beliefs.
From the Archives: Capturing Spring and the Rise of the Spirit
The Boston CSJ Archives are highlighting three gifted poets to celebrate the arrival of April and the Easter season: Gretchen Bogan, CSJ, Jane Frances Carew, CSJ and Juan M. Mahan, CSJ. Known to friends, family, and students as dedicated educators, these women also used the medium of poetry to explore the profound relationship between the natural world and God.
Associate Retreat
In February, with the threat of an approaching winter storm hovering over us, thirteen Associates and women discerning Association gathered at Mt. Carmel in Nahant for a weekend retreat. The weather outside carried a certain urgency, but inside there was a quiet sense of invitation—an invitation to come home to ourselves and to God.
St. Joseph’s Day Celebration at Arlington Catholic
Sisters of St. Joseph are smart, innovative, and risk-takers. The list goes on and on with their good works. Even though we do not have as many sisters in schools or other organizations, our mission continues today because of what we taught to the “dear neighbors” around the world. I stand here today proud to be a sister of St. Joseph and honored to serve at St. Agnes and Arlington Catholic.”
TWT: Housing Seminar March 25th
Curious about affordable housing in Boston? The Women’s Table is sponsoring a second housing seminar in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Housing team.
Sisters of St. Joseph Invite You to 100 Days of Prayer, Fasting, and Advocacy
The Sisters of St. Joseph believe that prayer matters. We know that prayer leads us to respond to the needs of the people of God. For generations, we have fasted from what distracts us from keeping God as our center point. Many of us experience the desire to respond to ever-increasing division with a call to love with hearts of contemplation and action.
Zita Fleming, CSJ: Recipient of Martin Luther King Legacy Award
Sister Zita, CSJ, enriched the lives of others as she called forth dignity and respect through her teaching at various levels of education, her work as Regis College as Dean of Students, her Leadership in the AIDS Ministry in the Archdiocese of Boston.
From the Archives: The Vision of Service: St. Raphael’s Hall
The opportunity to serve at the Perkins Institute moved Mother Simplicia to tears; her devotion to the visually impaired began in her childhood in South Boston, where she had lived near the institution’s original home.
From LCWR: Choosing Nonviolence as Gospel Witness
At this moment in history, when fear is normalized, violence is amplified, and democratic life is under strain in the United States and across the world, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) raises a clear and unwavering moral voice: violence is not the Gospel response.
Vigil Witness for Survivors of Human Trafficking
Participants gathered in solidarity with victims and survivors for the 16th annual vigil to pray for the end to human trafficking. On January 11, 2026, Betsy Goodwin, OSF, a member of the Anti-Trafficking Coalition of the Boston Unit of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, welcomed attendees to the CSJ Motherhouse and highlighted the importance of prayer and awareness in combating human trafficking. The vigil highlighted the importance of human dignity, grounded in God’s irrevocable choice to become one with humanity – and acknowledged progress made in combating human trafficking, including law enforcement efforts and support for survivors.
Seeing the Stranger as Sacred: A Faith-Based Call to Welcome
From the time that Adam and Eve left the Garden, migration has been part of our DNA. The Hebrew Scriptures are full of migration stories…, This Old Testament foundation finds resonance in Jesus and his family who were refugees in Egypt, making migration a central theme from Genesis to the Gospels.