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The Sisters of St. Joseph who minister in Latin America and the Caribbean met in Lima, Peru, January 2005. Sixty-three sisters from 14 congregations and 10 countries attended the Fourth Seminar, hosted by the Peru vice-province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. In all, there are 1,500 Sisters of St. Joseph in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Chambery community was the first to establish a province in Brazil in 1858, followed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Buenos Aires who established the only Latin American motherhouse in 1882. In the 20th century many communities sent sisters: Lyon and St. Vallier from France; Pinerolo, Novaro, and Cuneo from Italy; Toronto, London, Pembroke, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, and Peter borough from Canada, and Medaille, Boston, Nazareth, Orange and Brentwood from the United States. In addition o sending sisters, the Carondelet, Rochester, Concordia communities have established novitiates in Peru and Brazil respectively. In all, the Sisters of St. Joseph minister in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Haiti, Guatemala, Bahamas, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.

The seminar in Lima was the fourth such Latin American inter-congregational event that occurs every five years. Previous events have been in Teresina, Piaui, Brazil in 1991, Mexico City in 1996, Garibaldi, Rio do Sol, Brazil in 2000, and the fifth event will be in Buenos Aires in 2010.

Each two-week seminar has had common elements of sharing the lived reality of every area where the sisters serve, and from sociological, economic, political, theological, and ecclesial perspectives. The social analysis leads to theological reflection. This year in Lima, the group had the opportunity to hear Fathers Jorge Alvarez Calderon and Gustavo Gutierrez, Op speak on the theological vision of Latin America and Doctor Pilar Arroyo spoke on the social environment. The sisters reflected on the spirituality of St. Joseph with Simon Pedro Arnold, OSB, the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales with Juan Vera, SdB, and the spirituality of St. Ignatius with Peruvian Social Service Sisters, Sister Raquel Pividori from Buenos Aires community spoke on Father Medaille and the congregational charism.

All of the seminars result in re-formulating our common mission, given the signs of the times. Common threads over the past fifteen years center on bringing the message of Christ through evangelization, Christian Base Communities, development of lay leadership and in solidarity with the poor. Worldwide, there is one priest to every 3,000 Catholics, but in Latin America, there is one priest to nearly 8,000 Catholics, so developing spirituality, community, and lay ministries is all the more critical.

Nowhere in the world is there a greater gap between the haves and the have-nots, so 'average' economic indicators can obscure the starkness of economic disparity. Poverty has lead to substantial immigration, but the hope of a better place to live is often lost in the lack of documentation necessary for public services, separation from social support systems, and the absence of life choices that are the lot of street children, prostitutes, and those involved in narco-trafficking. Latin America culture has not been favorable to the dignity and equality of women or indigenous. The struggle to create hope for children and youth faces every community. In response to these needs, the sisters are engaged in ministries of accompaniment, advocacy, education, health care, and social services.

The common bond among all the Saint Joseph communities is so strong that national, language, and congregational differences become a celebrated way to grow and develop more solidarity. The unique Latin American experience prompted the group to explore establishing permanent, common body to motivate and promote communion among the communities, to live identity more profoundly, to articulate the experience of Christ and the charism, and to be responsive to the cry of the poor.