Jewels from Jane, November 24

Today, November 24, is the 311th anniversary of the first printed edition of the Constitutions of the Sisters of Saint Joseph which were made at Vienne from the manuscript copies in use until 1693.

According to these Constitutions, formulated in 1650, each house was distinct and independent. No provision was made for a general superior, assemblies or chapters. Each community maintained its own novitiate, elected its superioress and principal officers, or, if not sufficiently numerous, received them immediately from the bishop. The bishop was the superior, each in his own diocese, and bishops appointed spiritual fathers, whom they designated for one or several houses. Each house sent out from time to time new missions, which, when able to maintain themselves, were independent of the parent house, and which in their turn gave rise to other colonies under the same conditions.

In 1693, the Sisters of Saint Joseph were spread throughout the dioceses of Le Puy, Clermont, Grenoble, Embrun, Sisteron, Viviers, Usse, Gap, Vienne, and Lyons. In all of these they were successfully engaged in the instruction of young girls, the direction of orphanages, and the care of the sick. Many large institutions were placed under their direction, among them the great Hotel-Dieu in Vienne; and they continued to grow and to shed their benign influence until checked in their prosperous career by the fury of the Revolution.

from THE CONGREGATION OF ST. JOSEPH OF CARONDELET by Sister Mary Lucida
Savage