This year marks the 375th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the order under which St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) was founded. Throughout the month of October, the University will host special events across its Long Island and Brooklyn campuses to commemorate this landmark anniversary. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend to help honor and celebrate the Sisters’ legacy of kindness, inclusivity and compassion.
“The 375th Anniversary of the Sisters of St. Joseph is a remarkable celebration. Not many organizations can claim the same rich history and impact that the Sisters have had,” said Johnathan Galo, director of Campus Ministry on the Long Island Campus. “From humble beginnings in France, to their global presence today, the Sisters of St. Joseph continue to work towards being a transformative and unifying presence in our world. At SJNY we have experienced this presence first hand, with the Sisters and their charism serving as an integral part to our university’s mission and identity.”
Long Island Events
In honor of the Sisters of St. Joseph’s 375th anniversary, the Office of Campus Ministry and the Campus Activities Board (CAB) will be hosting a Founder’s Day Celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 15 during common hour. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to celebrate and enjoy an afternoon of food, activities, music and more on Alumni Plaza (outside the Student Center).
On Monday, Oct. 20, a weekday mass will be held during common hour to remember the Sisters who have contributed a great deal to the SJNY community. The service will be held in the Sisters of St. Joseph Chapel located in the Student Center.
Brooklyn Events
On the Brooklyn Campus, the 375th anniversary will be honored in Clinton Hill and beyond with opportunities to serve, worship and celebrate.
On Friday, Oct.10, students will travel to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY for a day of service. Volunteers will help wash headstones of the Sisters buried in Calvary Cemetery. This opportunity will expand upon the efforts of those who participated in a similar day of service organized this past summer.
In addition, a mass vigil will be held in the Kennedy Chapel in Burns Hall on Tuesday, Oct.14 during common hour to commemorate the 375th anniversary. It will be followed by a light lunch and refreshments.
On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Campus Ministry in Brooklyn will host a celebration for the Sisters’ anniversary in the Tuohy Hall Auditorium during common hour where students can enjoy pizza and ice cream.
A Lasting Legacy
The students, staff, faculty and alumni of SJNY have upheld the values and lessons of the Sisters since their founding of the University in 1916.
Students and faculty from both campuses will be joining the Sisters at “Ignite the Night: 375th Celebration” on Wednesday, Oct.15 at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, NY. Organized by the Sisters, this will be a special evening of dinner and dancing that honors their rich history and global impact.
The order of the Sisters of St. Joseph originated in 1650 in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. In 1856, Sisters of St. Joseph in Brooklyn founded their first school on Maujer Street in Williamsburg. In 1896, the Sisters purchased a 350-acre property in Brentwood, NY that continues to serve as their campus and home to many of their efforts. In 1916, the Sisters of St. Joseph established St. Joseph’s College for Women, known today as St. Joseph’s University, New York.
As the founders of SJNY, the Sisters of St. Joseph have played a pivotal role in building the institution, taking the college from a single building with 12 students in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn to a University with a global influence.
For more than a century, the Sisters have served as professors, administrators, department chairs, board of trustees members and University presidents. Through dynamic academic, social, spiritual, environmental and charitable endeavors, the Sisters of St. Joseph have for created a lasting legacy worthy of SJNY’s motto, Esse Non Videri — “To be, Not to Seem.”
To read more about the legacy and impact of the Sisters of St. Joseph during this landmark anniversary year, click here.
