Celebrating 375 Years of the Sisters of St. Joseph

By Samantha Miller

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, New York, joyfully join with their Sisters around the world to celebrate 375 years of mission and ministry. Since their founding in 1650 in Le Puy, France, the Sisters of St. Joseph have been a beacon of hope, continually responding to the needs of the world with courage and compassion.

The milestone underscores the Sisters’ enduring mission to “bring all into unity”—a journey expanded through centuries of education, service, and love. As they honor their past, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood are robustly committed to responding to the needs of the 21st century, embracing education, ecological justice, immigrant support, and sustainable community development.

“We celebrate 375 years not just as a marker of time, but as a testament to the enduring power of love,  service, and unity,” said S. Tesa Fitzgerald, CSJ, President of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood. “As we reflect on the courageous women who stood before us, we also renew our commitment to act boldly in the face of injustice and to care deeply for our neighbors and for Earth, our common home.”

For more than 170 years, the Brentwood Congregation has embodied this founding spirit on Long Island and beyond, serving as educators, healthcare workers, advocates for justice, and spiritual companions to generations. In schools, parishes, social service agencies, and ecological initiatives, the Sisters have remained committed to building relationships that heal divisions and uphold human dignity.

“What’s moving me as we’re celebrating this 375th anniversary is the sense of persistence of the charism, the call, and the participation,” said S. Mary Ann Cashin, CSJ, Director of Educational Ministries, who has been a Sister of St. Joseph for 63 years. “I think central to my own experience is the phrase ’empowered by God’s love.'”

Commemorating a Sacred Legacy

To mark this extraordinary anniversary, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood will host a series of parish visits, storytelling events, service projects, and celebrations honoring their rich legacy and engaging the wider community in commemorating this milestone.

All are invited to join the Sisters of St. Joseph in celebrating this remarkable anniversary — especially at their “Ignite the Night” event for an evening of dinner and dancing on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York. 

“It’s so exciting to be able to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Joseph because they really exemplify that anything is possible,” said Jorge DeJesus, Director of Mission Advancement. “No matter where we are in the world, anything is possible, everything is possible; the Sisters taught us that. If we work together, if we have our faith and allow the spirit to guide us, there’s no stopping us.”

Reaching Beyond Brentwood

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood have founded or served in many institutions across Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, Appalachia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, and other parts of the United States since 1856, including:

• Three colleges and universities
• 37 high schools
• Two middle schools 
• 138 elementary schools 
• Two schools for deaf children 
• Three hospitals 
• Three nursing schools 
• Six childcare institutions 

Today, the Sisters not only continue their mission through the empowerment of women and education, but also through spirituality, ecology efforts with a focus on sustainability, and justice actions — with four sponsored ministries, eight Congregational ministries, and four affiliated ministries. 

“I think overall the mission and certainly the goal of the Sisters of St. Joseph has been to be open to everyone, wherever they are in their lives,” DeJesus said. “For each of us that come from different walks of life, different nationalities, different cultures, it always feels like we’re welcome. No matter what we do, what language we speak, what country we’re from, and even what faith we’re from, it doesn’t really matter because it’s all-inclusive.”

A Future of Hope

The Sisters continue to partner with lay colleagues and the broader community to carry forward their mission in a rapidly changing world. The 375th anniversary is not only a celebration of past achievements, but a call to prophetic presence—wherever love, reconciliation, and justice are most needed.

“The concept of the ‘dear neighbor’ was really what resonated the most with me, because it wasn’t just the person who is sitting next to me at an event, it wasn’t just the household next to mine; it’s that the dear neighbor is everything,” shared Heather Coste, Director of Ecological Sustainability.

“The dear neighbor is the ants that crawl around in the dirt. The dear neighbor is the soil itself — the soil is a living thing. The water is our neighbor, and we are keepers of the water,” Coste continued.

For more information on the history, mission, or upcoming anniversary events of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, visit brentwoodcsj.org.