Celebrating the 200 th Anniversary of the Lyon Sisters of St. Joseph July 2008

One hundred thirty three Sisters of St. Joseph from 33 countries on five continents gathered in Lyon, France, July 7-12, 2008, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the refounding of Sisters of St. Joseph

Attending for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

Arriving in Lyon

Ambiance

The Tree A heart for each Congregation Later in the meeting we’d break into Congregational Groupings. Each CSJ would write their reflection on colored paper in heart shapes…red for English speaking; blue for French speaking persons. Later it was used at the closing Liturgy and will be in the Heritage display at the Lyon Motherhouse.

Tables were divided into English speaking and French speaking. Each table had on it a Statue of Mother St. john Fontbonne and a silk scarf. At the end of the conference, each sister received a scarf and one sister at each table won by lottery the “miniature” of the sculpture of Mother St. John. Lucky Carondelet winners were Laura Bufano, Kate Filla and Carol Rohloff.

Prayer Services

JANET GAGNON, From Winslow,Maine, USA and General Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon .

Mary Hasbrouck, St. Paul, pours water at Prayer Service!

Sister Annunciata Collins, Watertown , Receives water – world reps - poured into common bowl. “ We are one.” Prayer

At another prayer service we blessed each other at our tables with holy oil…here at Carol’s table Annunciata (Watertown) blesses Kathy McCluskey, (Boston) who serves as the Executive Director of the US Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph.

History

Bishop of LePuy, France, Henri de Maupas A young French Jesuit preacher and teacher named Jean-Pierre Medaille LePuy, France 1650

LYON CONGREGATION

Lyon – Started with Mother St. John and other sisters of St. Joseph being saved from the guillotine by one day .

It was in St. Etienne that Mother St. John (Jeanne) Fontbonne, at the invitation of Cardinal Fesch of Lyon, gathered a group of twelve women and guided them in the spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph. On July 14, 1808, this group received the habit and, with Mother St. John as superior, became the refounding group of Sisters of St. Joseph after the French Revolution. She eventually centralized her sisters in Lyon.

The congregation also has five regions: England-Ireland, Greece, Lebanon, Egypt, and Africa.

Lyon Congregation TODAY not only in France but in: Denmark USA Sweden Russia Norway Italy Ireland North America Brazil Argentina India Lebanon Egypt

What one person can do!

Annecy Pakistan

US FEDERATION Carondelet Philadelphia Brentwood Springfield Boston Baden Rutland (now with Springfield) Medaille Wheeling Wichita LaGrange Nazareth Tipton Cleveland Congregation of St. Joseph Carondelet Concordia Orange Erie Watertown Buffalo Rochester

Carondelet was the first foundation Congregation in the USA (1836). We were the ones to begin the history section of USA and Canadian Congregations. We sang an adapted version of “ Shall We Gather At the River”. We projected the text to the song on the wall and also gave out hard copies to the French speaking sisters.

Laura and Maria placed “river shawls” around each of our necks. The same “river shawls” were used during congregational chapter and were given to discerners for congregational leadership.

There was a pause in placing “river shawls” in between the verses –we sang. Kate Filla was the narrator and sisters read different parts. Here Mary Sevilla reads her part.

As a gift to the Lyon Congregation , Sister Gerry Lane from St. Paul, designed a sculpted candle with a Fleur de Le. To create the image of a river and to symbolize our “oneness” we connected our “river shawls” and Mary Sevilla led us out.

Philadelphia sisters had to wear street dress when they first arrived in Philly because of prejudice toward Catholics. Carol Zinn, known by most of us, is here with her red scarf…after they became known by the Philadelphians, young women began to join them and received the habit.

Buffalo Sisters since the early days ministered to the deaf. They still have one sister active in this ministry today. Bea Manzella led us in “signing” “ Peace Is Flowing Like A River.” Catherine McNamee is dead center here!!

BADEN BOSTON

WATERTOWN SPRINGFIELD

Sister of St. Joseph of Erie present their story.

Orange California “ California Girls”

What one person can do!

THE CANADIAN FEDERATION The Canadians adopted Monica in her living quarters…..

TORONTO 1851 HAMILTON 1852 LONDON 1868 PETERBOROUGH 1890 PEMBROKE 1921 SAULT ST MARIE 1936 CANADIAN FEDERATION

The Canadians had a bit of difficulty with the Canadian clergy. So many of their skits featured disputes with the hierarchy….

Italian Federation

The Italian Federation

The closer to “Rome” the more traditional the habit….

Sister Graciela Sotelo from Argentina is in the center and Sister Gloria Cruz from Puerto Rico is to your left.

Culture

What is the culture in the areas where Sisters of St. Joseph live and serve?

Sister Maria Pia from Switzerland

Lebanon

IRELAND

Sister Graciela from Argentina, who spoke French and Spanish presented the cultural story of South America. Not shown, is our Maria Rubina, who did the translating into English

Laura gets ready for our cultural presentation. We are in the room with the Central USA and Argentina (because Maria Rubina translated for Argentina.)

Egypt Mexico France Africa USA Art depicts culture

On the left is Sister Virginia Pearl – from Concordia. The group on the right is part of the delegation of the “new” C ongregation of St. Joseph.

On Wednesday, Alfredo Sfeir-Younis addressed the group .

Carol Zinn explains hearts - Simone translates

In the afternoon we met in congregational groups and had opportunity to reflect, share and write our thoughts…these red hearts were then placed in the plastic heart containers. The tree will remain on display as part of the Lyon Congregation’s Heritage Exhibit.

Elaine Coutu represented the Carondelet Congregation.

Two days of visiting historical sites of LePuy, Lyon and the Heritage Room and Archives at the Motherhouse.

Visiting the Archives in Lyon Motherhouse

Relief depicting the arrival of the first six Sisters – located in the Carondelet Motherhouse in St. Louis.

Bas-en-Basset

The International Center

Early kitchen in Lepuy.

Chapel in Fourviere where Mother St. John Fontbonne went regularly to pray for her nieces and the new foundation in St. Louis – America.

The Black Madonna

Roman Ruins

FAMILY TREE Congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph throughout the world Today 2008!!!! In 2108 ??? In 2208 ???

Thank you to YOU... Our CSJ sisters… for allowing us the opportunity of a life time! If you ever have the chance to interact with Sister of St. Joseph from other Provinces or Congregations - ”DO”. You will learn much and enjoy … It amazing to see and realize our common heritage.

“ I See Myself in You” By Kathy Sherman, CSJ – Congregation of St. Joseph