Page 187 - Reflections on St. Joseph

Oblate Sisters of St. Joseph

Taking care the interests of

MARY JOSEPH
Jesus in imitation of

&

Sr. Marianna Cortellino, OSJ

T
he Oblate Sisters of Saint Joseph were born as the result of Saint Joseph Marello's dream,
he tried to found, next to the male branch, a female congregation with the same
spirituality . His plan was blocked by his appointment as Bishop, which prevented him
from fulfilling his intuition, but he placed everything in the hands of Divine Providence. And so
in 1994, with the XIII General Chapter of the Oblates, the birth of the Oblate Sisters of Saint
Joseph was made official as a female branch of the Congregation "so that the Josephite-Marellian
spirituality could also be lived by consecrated women, enriching the Church with this gift of
sanctification and apostolate, inspiration that comes from Saint Joseph, the Custodian of the
Redeemer". Different experiences of community life among young women who wanted to live
the Josephite-Marellian spirituality had begun and were consolidating in Brazil (1987),
Philippines (1990), Peru (1994) and the XIII General Chapter of the Oblates wanted to give a
juridical form to these experiences and a unitary formation to these young women. In 1997, the
first sisters from these different nations were called to Rome, thus carrying out this project of
unity and consolidation.

In our Constitutions, very similar to those
of the Oblates, it is written: "The Oblate
Sisters of Saint Joseph have as a finality the
glory of God and their own sanctification.
Inspired by the charism of St Joseph
Marello, they intend to reproduce in their
own life and in the apostolic service the
mystery of Christ, as St Joseph lived beside
Mary: in intimacy with God, in faith, in
humbleness, in a simple and not perceived
life, in labor, in 'dedication to serve the
interests of Jesus'. They look after the
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Reflections on st. joseph