Since the origin of the Congregation, there has been a close collaboration between the Religious and the laity.
The Associates are Christian persons who chose to live their baptismal commitment according to the spirit of the family of Religious Hospitallers of Saint-Joseph:
“The liberty of the children of God”



Each person commits:
• To  deepen the spiritual heritage left by the founder, Jerome LeRoyer, layman, Father of a family and by Marie de la Ferre
• To be inspired to live this mission in one’s respective milieu:
• “To announce a God who unites and frees to the world.”

Our history

Jerome Le Royer, a man inspired by God, had a project to found the congregation of the Daughters of Saint Joseph in La Fleche, France.  There were numerous obstacles delaying this foundation.  Meanwhile, he requested the Bishop to recognize the Confraternity of the Holy Family, bringing together the lay men and women who wished to live their Christian life more intensely.  He received agreement from Bishop de Rueil in February 1636.  A few months later, in May 1636, the Congregation was founded according to the spirit of the founder, namely, “the holy liberty of God”.  This was also the spirituality of the Confraternity.

History does not relate what became of the Confraternity in the centuries following its foundation.  In 1985, the Congregation returned to its origins and proposed bringing together christians wishing to live the spirit and charism of the founders.

Thus, in 1985, the first groups of associates were established in New Brunswick, Quebec, France, Ontario, the United States, Peru and the Dominican Republic.  There are twenty groups regrouping 275 committed associates as well as those in formation.  In 2011, the majority of the groups have a lay coordinator, the objective to be achieved is to allow the associates to reinforce their distinctive identity as lay persons, full heirs of the spirituality of the founders of the RHSJ.