Room for All  -  A Wide & Complex family
The Perthville Josephite “Family” includes numerous Associates who live the Josephite character and life in their own life situations at whatever their age or location.  For them The Perthville Josephite Associates organization provides an opportunity to journey with the Sisters to a deeper spirituality and to explore further the Josephite flavour in their lives.  It also brings them an experience of belonging and of sharing in service of others.

From the Beginning:
Since the very beginning, lay people have helped the Sisters of St Joseph and have been attracted by the teachings and spirituality of Julian Tenison Woods and Mary MacKillop.Emmanuel Solomon was a Jewish Member of Parliament in Adelaide who gave the Sisters rent-free accommodation at the time of Mary’s excommunication.Joanna and Robert Barr-Smith were a wealthy non-Catholic couple from Adelaide who gave the Sisters money to help build the first convent in Adelaide .  Johanna was a life long friend of Mary’s and contributed to the Sisters’ charitable undertakings over many years. In a special category are the women who came and lived with the Perthville Josephites in their convents and taught or carried on other forms of ministry with the Sisters in Canowindra, Gilgandra, Bodangora and Suain (Papua New Guinea).

Associates Today:
Perthville Josephite groups can now be found throughout the Bathurst Diocese of NSW  and well beyond.  Numbering around 600, they pray for and with the Sisters and, in whatever ways they can, contribute their services to the disadvantaged and to the Church. They work with the Sisters, (or replace them in their ministries), helping to carry on various works in the spirit of St Joseph and of Fr Woods and Mary MacKillop. 


Areas of Service:
As the Sisters have always done, the Associates now help to foster the Josephite spirit in schools formerly staffed by the Sisters of St Joseph;  encourage efforts on behalf of young people;  assist in organization of parish liturgy and preparation of the altar;  support Sacramental Programmes and other Parish projects;  visit hospitals and homes for the aged;  take Communion to the sick and elderly in their homes;  assist with organization of catering at funerals and other celebrations at Perthville and in their parishes;  come to the rescue when they see a need they can meet;  help as volunteers at St Anne’s Home and in fund-raising for this Aged Care facility;  and take part in many and diverse ways that help and support the Sisters, who are deeply appreciative of these Associates in Mission.

Missionary Outreach:
In 2001 as a missionary outreach the Perthville Josephite Associates adopted the school at Besilau in East Timor as a special project.  This school has 292 children and is very poor, having to be rebuilt after the horrors following their independence. Special fund raising events are held for this cause. Donations of money for this school can be sent to:
Sr Susan Connelly or Sr Josephine Mitchell
(who will see the money is personally delivered)
Mary MacKillop East Timor
PO Box 299
St Mary’s NSW 1790


A Lay Movement:
Perthville Josephite Associates are lay people, not Sisters of St Joseph.  They have no vows or promises committing them.  They do not participate in affairs of the Sisters in a decision-making capacity.  They are valued friends of the Sisters and partners with them in bringing the spirit of St Joseph to their work for the Mission of Jesus in the world, while living their own lay vocations.

Coming Together:
Special gatherings with some spiritual input, especially on the life and spirituality of Blessed Mary MacKillop and Fr Tenison Woods, are arranged around the feasts of St Joseph 19th March or St Joseph the Worker 1st May, the feast of Mary MacKillop 8th August, or the anniversary of the death of Fr Julian Tenison Woods 7th October.





The Network:
Associates are invited to join the Sisters in particular events and celebrations. Associate groups in each specific area are linked under a Lay Co-ordinator and a Contact Sister.  The 15 groups have an appointed Sister who is overall Co-ordinator, (Associates Director) and she is assisted by a Lay Assistant Director.

The Wellington Gathering:
On the first Saturday of May each year, the Associates gather at Wellington NSW for spiritual formation and to share friendship and ideas with Sisters and other Associates.

Keeping in Touch:
Spring and Autumn Newsletters are published each year and the Congregational Leader sends a Christmas letter. These communications are given to Lay Co-ordinataors for distribution.

Enquiries: Perthville Associates Office Bathurst Director: Sister Jean Cain rsj email: jcain@nsw.chariot.net.au

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