Our History

In Michigan

In 1889 the first Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in Kalamazoo, Michigan and established the congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth. The founding sisters came to Kalamazoo at the request of the Diocese of Detroit and Msgr. Francis O'Brien for the purpose of establishing a hospital, later named Borgess Hospital. At about the same time these first sisters, under the leadership of Mother Margaret Mary Lacy, began an orphanage and a school in addition to establishing their motherhouse at Nazareth on the outskirts of the city of Kalamazoo.

Over the years since 1889 the congregation expanded throughout Michigan and our ministries grew to include health care, social work, education, parish ministry, spiritual development, pastoral ministry, and ministry with those who are elderly, homeless, and dying. Through our shared life and these works we live out our founding mission "that all may be one." Through our charism of unifying, reconciling love we respond to God's call and to the contemporary needs of the people around us, "the dear neighbor."

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth, Michigan belong to the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, which is comprised of 22 congregations spread throughout the United States who share a common foundation and heritage with roots in 17th century France.

The French Foundation

In the 1650's, a small group of women, from various classes and backgrounds, came together in LePuy, France. They were women who had a common desire to grow in their love of God and serve the unmet needs of the desperately poor people in the city around them, whom they came to call their "dear neighbors." These women, with the spiritual direction of a Jesuit priest, Jean Pierre Medaille, formed the first community of Sisters of St. Joseph. Fr. Medaille exhorted them to "…practice all the spiritual and corporal (i.e. physical) works of mercy of which woman is capable and which will most benefit the dear neighbor." The sisters lived simply and openly among the people, rather than within cloister walls, as was the norm for women religious of that time.
Over the next century the Congregation experienced rapid growth in France until it was disbanded during the civil and religious unrest of the French Revolution. Unwilling to renounce their religious freedom, many of the sisters, led by Jeanne Fontbonne (Mother St. John Fontbonne), were imprisoned or forced into hiding where they lived as dedicated lay women. Five sisters were guillotined during this time. In 1807 the Cardinal of Lyons asked the remaining sisters to establish a foundation in his city.

Coming to the United States

From there, under the direction of Mother St. John, seven sisters journeyed to America in 1836 to work with deaf children in St. Louis at the invitation of the Bishop of that city. From there foundations of new congregations spread rapidly throughout the United States and Canada.

Today

As Sisters of St. Joseph in the 21st century we continue to search for the unmet and critical needs of our contemporary society and world. Our Mission and Vision, informed by a deep and pervasive love of God and neighbor without distinction, move us always forward in search of ways to respond, in a spirit of unifying, reconciling love, to the needs of our local communities, the call of the Church, the people of God, and the challenges of the global community within which we live.

NAZARETH HISTORY ROOM

The Nazareth History Room is located on the ground floor of Nazareth Center. It contains written material and displays of artifacts and memorabilia related to the origin, history and ministerial work and growth of our congregation. The archives contain material related to our history and the ministries which we have sponsored (including Nazareth College, Barbour Hall, St. Francis Home, Peru, Health Care, etc.), as well as the many parishes, schools, institutions and other places where our members have ministered and worked through the years.

If you would like to contact the Nazareth History Room, they can be reached by email: nazhistory@csjoseph.org