Daughters of St Joseph

Representative Superior: Sr. Mary Franca Udoji, DSJ

Daughters of St. Joseph
No 32 Oraifite Street, Awada-Obosi
P. O. Box 2899, Onitsha

Mobile: 09021240817

Private: francaudo75@gmail.com

Email: onitsha@figliedisangiuseppedirivalba.org

Charism/Spirituality:
The spirituality of the Daughters of St. Joseph is centered on the Eucharist. They worship and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and initiate their daily activities by participating consciously and actively in the Holy Mass. Receiving the Body and Blood of Christ helps them to discover in Him the source of life and this gives them strength to fulfill the principal objective of their Eucharistic mission of their religious family.

Ministries\Apostola tes:
The special apostolate of the Daughters of St. Joseph is to prepare with the greatest care the genuine material of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: altar bread and wine. They carefully manufacture vestments and sacred clothes and with loving diligence provide all

History of our Congregation Daughters of St. Joseph
The congregation of Daughters of St. Joseph was founded by Blessed Clement Marchisio, at Rivalba, Torino, Italy on the 12^th of November 1875. He arrived at Rivalba at the age of 27 and died in the same Parish after 43 years of Priestly ministry as a Parish Priest. One of his pastoral programs was to prevent the issue of error and sin by teaching and formation on Christian moral values for children, youth and the family at large. He was faithful to this program till death. His love towards his Parishioners helped him to discover the urgent need to help the youth and prevent their Exodus from the village to the city, offering them work in the same parish. For this he opened a weaving work shop at Rivalba where the youth can work and help their family and continue to live in a healthy environment.

The young priest entrusted the small industry to the Albartirian Sisters of Lanzo, who not only helped the young girls in the work but also cultivate in them Christian and moral values. The example of these sisters so motivated these young girls that some of them followed their example and consecrated their lives to God with the religious profession.

The little industry proceeded so well with the approval and blessing of the Bishop of Torino and the support of many priests among whom were, St. John Bosco, St. Leoniad Murialdo, St. Joseph Cafasso, St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo etc. Work and prayer, Joy and serenity were the atmosphere of the house when suddenly the sisters were called back to their mother house.

Don Marchisio entrusted the direction of the laboratory to the girls while nursing in his heart the desire to initiate or start a form of consecrated life, preparing them to be a religious presence among the women who by the year 1870-1880 have started working in industries and fabrics where they form political and revolution ideas.

So Don Marchisio prayed and al so consulted his superiors and brother priests, he received support and encouragement from all who are convinced that it is the work of God.

On the 12^th of November 1875 a group of young girls from the laboratory (work room) without vows or uniform started living in common an ideal consecrated life. But in the mist of those good young girls they lacked someone who will act as a mother to them. Don Marchisio prayed and asked them to pray so that the good Lord can send to them a young girl with the gift and quality of a mother.

On the 7^th of August 1876 the feast of St. Cajetan, arrived Rosalia Sismonda who wish to be part of this new institute. She was presented to the community as their guide and mother. So on the 16^th of June 1877, 4 young girls included Rosalia did their 1^st vows were dressed in religious habits. Under the direction of Don Marchisio and Rosalia, the young sisters were formed and prepared capable of working in the industrial sector. This was the idea and project of Don Marchisio, but God was leading him to another direction completely different from what he started.

In his apostolic and missionary journeys, he saw in many parishes the poverty, disorder and lack of respect and decorum towards the Blessed Eucharist this touched him profoundly that in prayer he sought for light and answer.
It was in 1880, that he changed the scope of the institute and with these words he informed the community.

"I think that the good God wants to change the card in my hand, as he did to St. Francis de sales, who has in mind to do one thing and God made him change to another, I think that the good God is inviting you to take up a project quite different from the one you have at the beginning. In the Catholic Church there have been existing many institutes which take care about the spiritual charity towards their neighbor, but instituteswhich are consecrated only to cult of Jesus in the blessed sacrament, may be as I know there is none, so for this reason, I am thinking to change the aim of the institute, that is instead of serving Jesus in the poor workers in the laboratory, you will dedicate to serve in a betterway Jesus himself in all that concern the sacrament of love, not only in diligent, conscious work, but with maximum reverence and possible devotion".

Great was the Joy and enthusiasm of the sisters who changed the loom and started the preparation of the Eucharistic bread. By the end of 1880, the charisma of the congregation was clear and definitive. "Serving Jesus in all that concerns the decorum of the Holy Eucharist and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Don Clement Marchisio Eucharistic service with these little words "Eucharistic Spirit", "Hidden, sacrificed". Ours is a Eucharistic spirituality lived in silence and hidden like the Holy family of Nazareth and through the example of Mary and Joseph, we are called to love and make others love, honour and make others honour, serve and help others serve Jesus present in the Eucharist.

The founder exhorted his daughters in this way "you are like the virgin Mary, she gave her body, all herself that Jesus may have body and be present in the midst of men like this you are going to give yourselves that Jesus will have his Eucharistic body and continue to be present among his people".

A question may arise, that is, is this a monastic life? The answer is yes and no. We are called to- both active and contemplative life. Bearing in mind, Mary and Martha Mary in her life of solitude loving and adoring Jesus, and Martha in preparing all that will be used in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with fidelity to our founding charisma, the teaching of our founder and that of the Church.

The congregation from Italy was extended to Argentina in 1938, Brazil in 1967, Nigeria on 1st February 1987 and Mexico in 1996.

Thanks to God for the invitation of His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Steven Ezeanya of the Blessed memory, who brought us to Archdiocese of Onitsha. Our formation House is in Port Harcourt, River' State.

Special contribution to the Church:
Our contribution to the church in Nigeria and the society are

(1) That through our Eucharistic service, we make sure that the Church does not lack the materials that will be used for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
(2) We help in parishes where we are in preparing people that will receive the holy Eucharist through catechism.
(3) We take care of the sacristy of the parishes where we are so as to give due respect to Jesus in the Eucharist.
(4) We animate the liturgy.
(5) At initial stage we helped in the nursery school in the parish.

Sisters in Perpetual Vows

Number of Sisters in Temporary Vows – 1