Our
Mission | Our Directional
Statement | Our Leadership
Team
The
Sisters of St. Joseph began in Le Puy, France, in 1650 when
small bands of faith-filled women nursed the sick, assisted
the poor, sheltered the abandoned and cared for orphans.
Under
the direction of the Jesuit priest, Jean Pierre Medaille,
six of these women consecrated themselves to the service
of God and neighbor under the patronage of St. Joseph.
For
more than a century, the Congregation of St. Joseph (CSJ)
grew and prospered. In addition to their earlier works,
our Sisters opened homes for working girls, catechized prisoners
and taught trades to persons with disabilities.
When
the French Revolution began in 1789, religious communities
were forbidden and Sisters were imprisoned. Seven Sisters
of St. Joseph were beheaded at the guillotine. Our houses
were disbanded and our Sisters were forced to return to
their families where they prayed, worked and waited to be
reunited.
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Mother
St. John Fontbonne
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Among
those who waited was Jeanne Fontbonne. At the end
of the Revolution in 1807, this visionary leader refounded
the Congregation and once more a new sense of mission
flourished within the community. Soon, word of the
Sisters' good works spread throughout Europe and eventually
to America.
In
1836 Mother St. John Fontbonne sent six Sisters to
Carondelet in the Diocese of St. Louis, Mo, where
our work thrived.
Within
a few short years, Sisters were sent to begin new,
independent communities elsewhere -- Philadelphia;
Erie; Concordia, KS.; Cleveland, OH.; Wheeling, W.Va.;
Watertown, N.Y.; Buffalo, N.Y. and Rochester, N.Y.
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| It
is from that community that the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Baden began. |
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In
1869, three Sisters from Flushing, N.Y., were sent
to Ebensburg, PA., to begin a boys' seminary. Among
the three Sisters was Sister Austin Keane, a native
of nearby Loretto, PA., who was also baptized by Father
Gallitzin.
Accompanying Sister Austin were Sisters Hortense Tello
and Xavier Phelan. They opened Mount Gallitzin Seminary
for Boys five days after their arrival in Ebensburg.
Within
31 years of our foundation in Ebensburg, our community
grew to 114 members; we staffed 21 parish schools
in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland.
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Our
first Motherhouse in Ebensburg, PA
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1901
- Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse and
Mt. Gallitzin Academy
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Before
the turn of the century, the Diocese of Pittsburgh
underwent a geographic reproportioning, placing our
Motherhouse in Ebensburg in the newly formed Diocese
of Altoona-Johnstown.
Since we had been under the auspices of the Pittsburgh
Diocese, we were asked to move to the industrial area
of Beaver Valley, west of Pittsburgh along the Ohio
River.
In
1901, the community transplanted Mt. Gallitzin Academy,
our novitiate and our infirmary to Baden.
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| Thus,
we became known as the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden. |
[ Our
History Continued > ]
©2010
Sisters of St Joseph - Baden
1020 State Street, Baden PA 15005
724.869.2151 | 412.761.3700 | Fax: 724.869.3336
Feedback, questions and comments are welcomed at bhecht@stjoseph-baden.org
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