Each of us, as followers of Christ, is called upon every day to perform selfless acts of compassion to alleviate another's misfortune. We are all familiar with Jesus' words from the Gospel of St. Matthew, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me."

The call of the Sisters of St. Joseph, to love and serve God and neighbor without distinction, is clearly expressed in Jesus' words, which follow, "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." We have been following this call for more than 355 years.

We pattern our lives after the simple work ethic of our patron, Saint Joseph. This statue of St. Joseph the Worker in Mission Nombre de Dios is only a few feet away from the grave sites of six of our Sisters who died in the late 1800s.

As Sisters we literally feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, offer hospitality to the stranger, provide clothes to those in need, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. These corporeal works of mercy also have their spiritual equivalent.

Sometimes the hunger that needs feeding is a hunger for love. Sometimes the thirst that needs quenching is a thirst for knowledge. Sometimes relief from the stranger's condition is a sense of belonging. Sometimes the nakedness that needs to be clothed is overwhelming vulnerability. Sometimes the illness that needs to be cared for is a sickness of the soul. And sometimes the prison cell that needs visiting is a feeling of total despair.

We invite you to learn more about the work we do, working in Florida.

If you feel called, and are interested in learning about becoming a Sister of St. Joseph, we invite you to go to the section entitled, Becoming a Sister.