Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph

At 17 years of age, Agnes Hilbert entered the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo convent in Poland on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1853.  It is no wonder that her devotion to St. Joseph would continue to bless her vocation as well as the mission of the congregation she founded, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. As Mother Colette Hilbert, she placed the statue of her heavenly patron at the farm in Gardenville, NY.

Throughout FSSJ history, the Sisters have expressed their devotion to St. Joseph via their original art. This card, designed and drawn by the late Sr. Geraldine Rutkowski, FSSJ, depicts St. Joseph as a carpenter with symbols of his Jewish lineage, his virtuous life and as his title as the Protector of the Church.