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The International Centre celebrated 20 years of service to the hundreds of people each year who make pilgrimages to the city where the first six sisters and Fr. Médaille founded the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1650. Many members of the team that created the Centre were present as well as those who today support the Centre and its programs and pilgrimages. The First Team of sisters who prepared the building were also on hand for the celebration.

A group of sisters, associates, and friends of the St. Augustine Congregation (Florida--USA) held a two-week pilgrimage in France. Before coming to Le Puy they visited Lourdes, Paris, Toulouse, and Lisieux. The 20-member group was led by Sr. Rita Baum, who has been the coordinator of the St. Augustine associates. Sr. Rita is a former staff member of the International Centre. The pilgrims visited the Kitchen and other historical sites of the Sisters of St. Joseph. They not only got to know the city of Le Puy, but to witness and participate in the annual King of the Birds Renaissance Festival. The St. Augustine Congregation is the only congregation in the United States whose roots are directly from Le Puy-en-Velay.

“The Lace Is Not Yet Finished” program) attracted a diversity of sisters and lay people from different countries (Denmark, India, Japan, USA). Here they are at the gravesite of Mother St. John Fontbonne as part of their day-long visit to Lyon. They also visited historical sites in Le Puy, sometimes climbing the hill to the old city two or three times a day. They certainly were a hearty group!

We were taken aback when Sr. Marie Heckman of the Institute St. Joseph called us to reserve two weeks in August for young African and French sisters who were preparing for their final vows. They would also bring their own cook! How could we refuse such an offer! The two weeks included a week-long retreat with visits to SSJ historical sites. Everyone was very serious and faith-filled. The sisters came from France, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. Fr. Aristide, a Jesuit priest from Benin, accompanied the sisters.

It would be a day of celebration. Initially, a traditional Fourth of July celebration with hot dogs, potato salad, beans, and corn-on-the-cob. These French sisters from the Institute of St. Joseph (Le Puy) were good sports to try out these foods and join in the celebration.

A picture gallery portrays this group's awesome pilgrimage of March 30 - April 2, 2024.

Annecy is a beautiful and vibrant place, but its religious history makes it so much more incredible, especially for the Sisters of St. Joseph. It is the town where Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal emerged to establish a new movement in the Church where religious women could leave the cloister, devote themselves to helping the poor, and still live a rich, spiritual life. Unfortunately, the early 17th century Church was not yet ready for its nuns to take to the streets and provide service to others, so this movement was forestalled. Nevertheless, a new concept had been conceived, and it would eventually impact other women who wanted to serve people in a more active yet prayerful way.

We had promised the sisters of the St. Maurice community (near the Kitchen) that we would have them over to the Centre for Thanksgiving dinner -- until Covid got in the way. This year we finally fulfilled our promise. France does not have a national holiday like Thanksgiving so the sisters learned the story of the Pilgrims and the Native People who got together for a three-day feast in 1621. Since the emphasis today is on the offerings and help of the Native People, our prayer of thanks recognized the Earth, sun, moon, stars, and the Great Spirit who is constantly looking out for all of us.

One day after their arrival, the 15 pilgrims from the Congregation of St. Joseph "hit the streets" of Le Puy to walk in the footsteps of the six founding sisters. It was only the first of many walks through the city. This blog also includes a unique dance performed by a few members of the group at the top of the volcano.

Sisters from Brazil and Denmark participated in the Two Trinities program directed by Sr. Linda Buck (Orange). Although the sisters had decades of experience in community, they deepened their understanding of the new movements of the Spirit for today's wounded world. Sr. Joana Mendes (Rochester-Brazil) served as the Portuguese-English translator. This photo was taken in front of Mother St. John Fontbonne's birthplace in Bas-en-Basset.

As "The Lace Is Not Yet Finished" program comes to a close, this portrait shows the participants wearing their new silk scarves that were presented as gifts by the Indian sisters. The dramatic setting of Le Puy enhances the colorful beauty of the group. Sr Jane DeLisle (Orange) served as director with Sr Gloria Cruz (Brentwood-Puerto Rico) as Spanish-English translator. The group was truly international with 5 Indian sisters, 2 Argentinian sisters, 1 American sister, and 1 American associate.

The Mission Alive! program offers a pilgrimage for lay partners in mission and provides an immersion experience into the original spirit and global dimension of the charism and spiritual tradition of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The week-long experience offered a rhythm of presentations, interactive participation, prayer, and visits to historic sites in Le Puy-en-Velay. A day trip to Lyon was also included. The Mission Alive! program at the International Centre featured Sr. Dolores Clerico (Philadelphia) served as the presenter and participants included 8 Brazilians, 1 Argentinian, 1 Uruguayan, 4 Canadians, 1 American. Sr Gloria Cruz (Brentwood-Puerto Rico) and Sr Joana Mendes (Rochester-Brazil) were the Spanish-English and Portuguese-English translators, respectively.

Twenty-two French sisters of the Institute of St Joseph (the original Le Puy congregation) spent Wednesday, June 21 at the International Centre for a community meeting. Like sisters everywhere, they were very disciplined in arriving at the same time, starting their meetings on time, and finishing all business on time. Of course, their loving presence permeated the whole house in their joy of being and working together. There's nothing like the spirit of the Sisters of St Joseph—and it is evident in every congregation throughout the world!

Energy. Enthusiasm. Excitement. Exploration. Just a few words to describe the 17 students from the nine SSJ colleges located across the USA who came to Le Puy June 12-15. Even the long flight from the USA did not dampen their spirit of adventure as they sought a deeper understanding of and connection to the Sisters of St. Joseph charism and spirituality. They were a group on the move through the city of Le Puy with climbs to St. Michel, the Rue des Tables, the Cathedral, and the Blessed Mother statue. They also visited the Kitchen and walked the same streets as the founding sisters did nearly 400 years ago. In the evenings the students took time to share their heart-felt reflections.

A group of 24 sisters, alumni, board members, faculty, and staff celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Fontbonne University in St. Louis (USA) by going on a pilgrimage to Le Puy and Lyon June 4-7. The group also went to Paris and Rome. The group is pictured here at Mother St. John Fontbonne’s birthplace home. Dr. Nancy Blattner, president of Fontbonne, led the group with Sr. Joan Lescinski, SSJ-Carondelet, president emeritus of St. Ambrose University. Fontbonne University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

Faculty and staff of Mt. St. Mary's University spent June 1-4 in Le Puy as part of their annual pilgrimage to explore and be inspired by the history and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph. MSMU President Ann McElaney-Johnson accompanied the group and Shannon Green, director of the CSJ Institute, presented a history of the Sisters of St. Joseph to orient the group to the various sites they would see. The group also traveled to Bas-en-Basset to see the birthplace of Mother St. John Fontbonne and to have a delicious French picnic lunch there.

The Orange Sisters of Los Angeles, California (USA), made their annual pilgrimage along with several lay persons who are associates and partners in mission during their May 17-22 visit to Le Puy. The group also went to Carcassonne, the birthplace of Fr. Medaille, as well as Bas-en-Basset, the birthplace of Mother St. John Fontbonne. Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, president of the Congregation, and Sr. Jane DeLisle, director of the Center for Spiritual Development, led the group.

Several Indian and African sisters from the Annecy Congregation (France) made a whirlwind tour of SSJ historical sites in Le Puy, Bas-en-Basset, and Monistrol on May 12-13. They spent a night at the International Centre. Sr. Viannay Thanniath who is on the Annecy leadership team sponsored the two-day excursion. Sr. Viannay is also vice president of the International Centre Board.