Peace Ministries

Peace Ministries was formed by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in 2014 to strengthen the Congregation’s ability to govern and advocate for their sponsored ministries in New Jersey into the future. The five sponsored ministries are Holy Name Medical Center, Peace Care, St. Joseph’s School for the Blind, York Street Project and Waterspirit. The ministries are united under the Peace Ministries umbrella by their shared commitment to offering compassionate service to people in need, guided by the Core Values cultivated by the Congregation since its founding.

Peace Ministries has built relationships with the ministries, achieving the desired outcome of building trust among the ministry leaders. Bringing leaders together allowed Peace Ministries to strengthen the awareness of shared values among all the sponsored ministries. As a result, Peace Ministries has become a trusted resource and has been called upon for functional support in areas such as strategic planning and needs assessment, board education and formation, evaluation processes for senior executives, and mission statement development to name just a few.

Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace

From the very beginning, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace involved themselves in ministries of social service, education and healthcare. They began establishing ministries in New Jersey in 1885 as a visible expression of their desire to promote gospel peace by both word and work.

These early works continue into the new millennium, changing and adapting to the contemporary needs of those who are poor and vulnerable. Additionally, the challenges of our times have prompted the founding of new ministries addressing housing needs as well as the environmental crisis.

Today, the Congregation continues as an international community of Catholic sisters and women and men lay collaborators serving in the United States and United Kingdom. Its founding mission calls them to practice hospitality, nonviolence and care of creation rooted in the Gospel of Jesus.

Sponsored Ministries

  • Instituted in 1891, St. Joseph’s School for the Blind provides specialized services to individuals with visual impairments across New Jersey. It is located on a 3-acre campus. The school offers several programs, such as Early Intervention, In District Support Services, School for the Blind and Adult Services.

  • Founded in 1925, Holy Name Medical Center has a national reputation for providing culturally sensitive care to a diverse population, drawing patients from across the New York City region to its specialty centers and renowned doctors. The hospital is known as a high-quality, low-cost provider of extraordinary clinical care given by compassionate, highly trained physicians and staff.

  • Peace Care is a high-quality, faith-based healthcare organization serving the elderly and infirmed with compassion and dignity. Located on two beautiful campuses, St. Ann’s and St. Joseph’s have nearly 250 years of combined experience providing excellent short-term physical rehabilitation and long-term skilled nursing care.

  • Established in 1989, York Street Project weaves innovative programs that shelter, feed, educate and promote the healing and independence of persons in need, especially women, children, and their families. York Street Project offers The Nurturing Place, St. Joseph’s Home and St. Mary’s Residence.

  • Started in 1998, Waterspirit is for any person seeking a spirituality that connects more deeply with creation. In Waterspirit, a reverence for water includes a commitment to preserve and protect this source and sustainer of life. Programs, learning, reflection and ritual lead to action on behalf of water.

News & Events

  • Fall Formation Focuses on Deep Listening

    Senior leaders and board members from the sponsored ministries, St. Michael Villa and the Congregation gathered for a day of reflection and deep listening as part of Peace Ministries’ annual Fall Formation.

    Read More»

  • Holy Name Dedicates New NICU

    Holy Name has a brand-new Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A dedication ceremony was held on October 4 for the state-of-the-art NICU.

    Read More»

  • Blindness Awareness Month

    City Hall in Jersey City honored Blindness Awareness Month with a flag-raising ceremony on October 2, recognizing students and staff from St. Joseph’s School for the Blind.

    Read More»

  • Mid-Year Formation Connects Leaders with Mission

    In response to a request from the senior leaders and trustees of the five sponsored ministries, the first-ever mid-year formation program was held on Aug. 1. The participants reflected on “Leadership in Our Tradition: The Call to Deep Listening.”

    Read More»

  • Peace Ministries Welcomes New Team Member

    We are pleased to announce that we recently created and filled a new position—Assistant Executive Director.

    Read More»