Associates Sandra Selvarajah, Mary MacGillivray, and Karen Yee viewing the Associate Quilt.

Together in Love & Service

40th Anniversary of Our Associate Relationship

By Mary MacGillivray, CSJA

Excitement and deep gratitude continue to grow as we prepare to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Associate Relationship. In this sacred milestone year,  associates are prayerfully reflecting on what first called us into this community, what continues to nourish and sustain our commitment, and how we faithfully live that call each day. At the heart of this journey, the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph — loving God and neighbor without distinction — remains our guiding light as we seek to embody God’s reconciling love in our daily lives.

As we give thanks for this sacred commitment and warmly invite others to join us, we continue to live the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph — a profound gift and blessing that shapes our hearts and calls us ever more fully into the people God invites us to become.

On May 3, 2026, a special liturgy will honor those who first made this commitment in the 1980s and 1990s, celebrating forty years of faithful presence and generous service. These long-time Associates will join CSJ and Associate leaders in the entrance procession, an intangible symbol of our shared journey. Through carefully chosen hymns and the prayers of the faithful, the liturgy will express our collective longing for unity, love, and mission in the Spirit.

Looking Back, Looking Forward: the Associates’ 40th anniversary banner. 

Looking Back, Looking Forward: the Associates’ 40th anniversary banner. 

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, a rose will be offered in loving remembrance of deceased members, while bread, wine, and lace will be presented as sacred symbols of our gifts, talents, and gratitude for the enduring support of the Sisters of St. Joseph. A video reflecting on the unfolding story of the Associate Relationship will be shared, and each participant will receive a commemorative memento, marking this grace-filled moment in our shared history. Following the liturgy, a celebratory brunch will extend the joy of the day and deepen the bonds of fellowship.

The commemorative banner created for the 35th Anniversary — bearing the names of all Associates, living and deceased — will be hung in a place of honor in the chapel. It will stand as a visible witness to the enduring love, faithfulness, and care that bind this community together across generations.