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What is the significance of our Congregational seal?

Since we use our Congregational seal on our website, letterhead stationery, and other public places such as our social media postings, it seemed fitting that I write a blog entry on the meaning of the various parts of the seal, along with an enlarged graphic of the seal so you could see the smaller parts more easily.

The name along the outer edges of the seal is Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Augustine, Florida. We are a small diocesan congregation of Catholic women consecrated to God through the evangelical, or Gospel, counsels/vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, in imitation of Jesus Christ, who was poor, chaste and obedient. We became the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, Florida in 1899 when Bishop John Moore of St. Augustine made us diocesan, cutting us off from the Motherhouse in Le Puy, France, where we came from in 1866. To our knowledge, we are the only Motherhouse of Catholic women religious in Northeast Florida. 



This wall hanging is in the General Superior’s office in Motherhouse. 


The two Latin words of our Congregation’s motto are “Virtus et Scientia” that mean Virtue and Science. Virtue is an obvious good motto for vowed religious dedicated to God and service of the Dear Neighbor. Science relates more to knowledge and learning since our early sisters were teachers. In the top third of the shield-shaped part of the seal is the image of a triangle. The triangle symbolizes our congregational spirituality of relating to God as Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our founder, Fr. Jean-Pierre Medaille, SJ, attributed certain virtues to each of the three Persons of the Trinity as well as virtues to the Created Trinity of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family.

The short-stemmed flowers on the left side of the shield are violets, that symbolize humility. The long-stemmed flowers are lilies representing the virtue of purity. The flaming heart symbolizes the virtue of charity. The carpenter’s rule represents St. Joseph and obedience. St. Joseph was a saint known for his obedience to God’s will, for his humility, purity, and cordial charity as he welcomed Mary into his home. 

#Sistersofstjoseph  #stjoseph


 

This mosaic of the seal is in front room of Villa Flora, St. Augustine, Florida.

 



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