Our Charism

The spirituality of St Joseph's The Strand is based on the life of St Joseph, the traditions of the Sisters of St Joseph, the Sisters of Mercy, and the faith of the community.

Our "Love God, Love Each Other" motto encourages us to be deeply compassionate towards others. We lift up and support, give without measure, and always show grace and tenderness.

Our Charism reflects our Mercy Values of Love, Community, and Excellence. In the actions of St Joseph, we see a foster father who placed his love at the service of God and Jesus.

What is Charism?

A charism is a divine spiritual gift given to an individual or group for the good of the community. Each religious order has a specific charism, a gift to be put to the service of the Church and the world.

Pope Paul VI was the first to label "charism" specifically in relation to religious institutes. He explained that the charism of the religious life is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who is always at work within the Church.

A charism touches the very core of our existence and colours everything that we do as human beings. It allows us to see things in new ways, and to understand them even more wonderfully. We absorb a charism as we absorb sunshine, and we radiate a charism as a light pierces the darkness.