“Father Médaille gave the congregation the name of Saint Joseph so that, following his example, we would live among ourselves, and in our neighbor service, relationships of simplicity and sincere love”.   (Constitution CSJ)

MASS IN HONOR OF ST. JOSEPH AND OFFICE BEARING CEREMONY OF THE PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Every year, we celebrate March 19^th, in honor of St. Joseph, our patron along with the Associates. We, the Sisters renew our vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and the Associates renew their promise to live our Spirituality and Charism.

This year, in addition to the Eucharistic Celebration in honor of St. Joseph and the Renewal of Vows, we also had the Office bearing ceremony of the Provincial Leadership Team. This group will provide service in the Province of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry in Brazil for four years. For us, it was a moment of gratitude and bidding farewell to the group that has accompanied us over the last four years and welcoming the New Provincial Leadership team which will provide this service. It was a moment of renewal, availability, and openness to the new that will come. It was a moment of thanksgiving to God who is so generous to us.

"BURNING HEARTS AND FEET ON THE WAY"

The celebration took place in the Chapel of St. Joseph Convent in Curitiba/PR. We, Sisters of St. Joseph from various parts of Brazil, family members, collaborators, and friends participated in the celebration.

The Main celebrant of the Mass was our friend Fr. José Roberto Barreto Lisboa, and Co-celebrant was Fr. Caio Aparecido Pereira. They are Pallottine Priests. We had a well-prepared, prayerful, and lively Eucharistic Celebration.

During the homily Fr. José Roberto mentioned that St. Joseph had no personal projects; his project was God's. Therefore, all of us who follow Jesus must have the plan of God as our own plan. Be attentive to the word of God and practice it in life. "Burning hearts and feet on the way". He recalled that our founder Jean Pierre Médaille mentioned in one of the founding documents of the Sisters of Saint Joseph – The Eucharistic Letter – that we must be “all for God and dear neighbor and nothing for ourselves”, that is, to have our gaze turned to God - hearts lifted up and turned to the needs of others and the current reality and our feet on the way.

After the prayers, Sr. Kátia Regina Sassi, the Provincial Superior who ended the mandate of leadership spoke about the meaning of our religious vows and our commitment to God in the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry and invited us to renew our vows.

During the offertory, cash contribution was made by the communities, and whoever wished to contribute to be sent to the indigenous Yanomanes and to our new mission in Mozambique.

THE WORD IS GRATITUDE

After the communion prayer, we had the Office bearing ceremony of the Provincial Leadership Team. The current Provincial Team composed of the Sisters: Kátia Regina Sassi, Maria da Consolação Rocha Coelho, Gertrudes Salette Beal, Maria da Glória Fernandes Oliveira, and Arzila Pertile, handed over the leadership service to the Sisters Maria da Consolação Rocha – Provincial Superior, and councilors Ana Maria da Costa, Arzila Pertile, Rita Tessaro, and Rosa Maria Porangaba.

Thereafter, our new Provincial Superior Sr. Maria da Consolação addressed us. She began her speech by saying “the word that comes out of our hearts is gratitude. Gratitude for the goodness of God present in our lives and mission. Gratitude for the journey accomplished. Gratitude for the friendly and loving presence of each and every one of you. Gratitude for the Mission accomplished generously by the outgoing Provincial Council. Gratitude for the Yes of each day ". She recalled our Chapter process and the decision to “live immersed in the Spirit and be of one heart and soul”. She questioned how are we going to live it up. “In a world marked by violence, individualism, division, consumerism, substitution and/or inversion of values and the absence of God”.

ATTITUDE OF LISTENING TO THE LORD

Sister Consolação emphasized the attitude of listening to the Lord (Dt 6, 4-6) through the Scriptures and the reality of today's world; living in communities, as our founder Father Médaille asked us to do, “devoting ourselves to all forms of service that respond to the spiritual and material needs of the times, giving preference to those most in need”. Because our “spirituality as Sisters of Saint Joseph, rooted in the three great mysteries: The Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Eucharist, will help us to fulfill the dream of Father Médaille, our dear founder. UNITY... so that all may be one (Jn 17:21).

In the end, we received the priestly blessing and ended with a delicious lunch shared with all those present. “In everything, God be blessed! (Father Médaille)

Sr. Vera Lúcia dos Santos, Communication Group