Beyond the Habit is a blog written by Sisters and Associates of the Congregation  of St. Joseph, a religious community of over 500 vowed Catholic women and 500 lay associates who live and minister in the U.S. and around the world. We aim to use this blog to share our mission and our love for God and creation.

Through our Mission Network, we work with and support a diverse array of ministries including three Catholic high schools; tutoring and literacy programs; spirituality centers; social service programs; spiritual direction; and pastoral assistance. We are also involved in and support numerous justice and peace initiatives including antiracism efforts, the abolishment of the death penalty, fair and just immigration policies, nonviolence, especially in regards to gun violence, anti-human trafficking efforts, and care of the environment and Earth. Our mission is to bring all into unity with God, with one another, and with all creation. We do this through prayer, direct service and ministry, partnering with others to serve the dear neighbor, standing with and for the poor and vulnerable, and by advocating for systemic change.

The Congregation of St. Joseph has centers or a presence in the following areas: Cleveland, Oh.; Cincinnati, Oh.; Detroit, Mich.; La Grange Park, Ill.; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Crookston and the Twin Cities, Minn.; Nazareth, located in Kalamazoo, Mich.; Tipton, Ind.; Wheeling, W. Va.; Wichita, Kan.; and Kyoto and Matsusaka, Japan.

While we are all ONE in mission, individual posts on Beyond the Habit reflect the views of the individual authors. All posts do not necessarily reflect the views of the congregation as a whole.

To learn more about the Congregation of St. Joseph, visit us at www.csjoseph.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

(All photos and GIFs are sourced from Pixabay, Pexels, and Giphy, or are provided by the author of the post. The original authors, photographers, and studios own all licensed characters, and no copyright infringement is intended.)