We hope you discover more
about us and how we share God’s gifts in addressing the needs of this ever-changing world.

As Sisters of St. Joseph living in the 21st Century, we believe in the power, presence and love of God working through an evolving universe and in God’s self-communication through Jesus Christ. As women of the Church, we recommit ourselves to Jesus’ mission as we move with the Spirit to bring about God’s reign and seek to promote justice, to live lives of non-violence and to respond to the needs of our time.
Chapter 2011 Direction Statement

In 17th century France in the small village of LePuy, six courageous women envisioned a community rooted in the ‘great love of God and neighbor without distinction.’ Living among the people and moved by this love, these ‘sisters of the neighborhood’ responded to whatever were the needs of the times.

In the spirit of their founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph continue to work tirelessly to bring God’s inclusive love to schools, hospitals, orphanages, health care centers, educational programs for immigrant women, the imprisoned and the forgotten, as well as supporting social justice and eco justice issues.

Daily Prayer

Join with us in prayer every day. You'll find a thought to reflect on and a short prayer along with suggested action. Our hope is to help you focus on your spiritual journey today. For further reflection, action, and suggested reading, click here.

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Sister Search

If you would like to locate a Sister of St. Joseph who taught you... inspired you... made a difference in your life, click here and complete the form: CSJ Sister Search
Print the form and mail to:
Ms. Virginia Dowd, Archivist
Sisters of St. Joseph
1725 Brentwood Road
Brentwood, New York 11717

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Meet Us

Although now a United States citizen, Preenika Dabrera was not born here. Preenika was born in Sri Lanka, the island nation off the southeast tip of India. The youngest of three children, she remained there until she was 18, when she emigrated to the United States.

Preenika arrived in New York City and, after learning English, attended college and worked in customer service jobs. She has had a varierty of work experiences which have taught her how to work with people who come from different parts of the world. Now a soft-spoken 30-year-old, she is thoughtful as she answers questions about her life. Preenika (pronounced PREE-ni-ka) recalls meeting Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, New York, for the first time about four years ago.

“They helped me to listen to the Holy Spirit and discern God’s call in my life,” she says, explaining what led her to enter the congregation as a postulant in September 2009. For the next year and half, Preenika lived with seven sisters in St. Patrick Convent in Long Island City, N.Y and continued her ministry at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan. By then she felt she knew God’s call for her: “I am certain that this how I want to spend rest of my life,” she said. She became a novice in the Sisters of St. Joseph in May 2011, and last August she moved to Chicago to the house near Midway Airport that is the new home of the Sisters of St. Joseph Federation Novitiate Program.

Preenika has another year as a novice but expects to profess her vows in 2013.“Everyone asks, ‘Why do you want to be a sister?’” Preenika says. “No matter how I tried to answer it, people are not satisfied with my answers. If
I tell them, ‘God loves me so much, so I want to serve God’s people and bring them closer to God,’ they don’t understand it. But now I am sharing
my life with people who understand me well.”