Mission Work
The mission work of the Sisters continues to span two continents.
Alabama
In 1940, five Sisters of Saint Joseph departed for Selma, Alabama to work with and on behalf of African Americans in that area. Soon after their arrival, our Sisters opened a much needed school, helped to open and operate an 85-bed hospital, established a nursing school, and founded a home for the aged.
After integration in the late sixties, these facilities were no longer needed and our Sisters moved into other areas of ministry – still focused on the needs of the rural poor. Today, two Sisters continue the tradition of outreach in Vredenburgh and Selma, Alabama.
In 2020, we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Alabama mission. In honor of this milestone, we put together this special tribute.
Brazil
Our mission in Brazil was founded in response to the call made by Pope John XXIII for religious communities to establish missions in South America. In 1964, Mother Agnes Cecilia Troy sent five Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester to Mateira and São Simão, Brazil.
Today there are eight Sisters of Saint Joseph of Rochester in Brazil. They are educators, healthcare providers, counselors, and pastoral agents. Since their arrival in Brazil, our Sisters have strived to walk with the people they serve – understanding that we have as much to receive, as we have to give.
The Sisters in Brazil have a website in Portuguese.
