Today, the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Peru are supported by a large Josephite family of Covenant Josephites and Associates who share the charism and ministry.

Since 1981, Sisters of St Joseph have lived and worked in South America, starting with the four pioneering Sisters who began work with the Columbian Fathers in the El Pacifico area of Lima. They were Elaine Walker, Edith Prince, Dorothy Stevenson and Ursula Hoile, each from a different province of the Congregation. Other Sisters from Australia and New Zealand have joined the group since that time. Sister Angela Carroll, and later Sister Cathy Dean, supported the establishment a flourishing craft micro-business in a village near Cusco called Picumarca. These hand-made products are still supplied through Ethica Accessories.

In the central Andes, in Tarma, Sister Trish Day, who arrived ten years ago, works with the Fe Y Alegria school and follows in the women’s ministry started by Sister Dorothy. Nearby is Huasahuasi where Sister Irene McCormack lost her life at the hands of terrorists in 1991. (See the post called El Ojo Que Llora.)

Over the past 38 years the Sisters have walked with the people through the many highs and lows in the country and the people have ventured forth to take control over their own lives and improve the their own circumstances. More recently, they have worked on the outskirts of Lima, with people who migrated from the Andes and the jungle in the 1980’s and 1990’s. They were escaping terrorism and wanting a better life for their children. It is here that the Sisters work among the marginalised, especially women and prisoners.

Among these are: Sisters Frances McGuire, Margaret Malady, Juanita Scari, Geraldine Stringer, Marj Crossman, Doria Garcia, Clare Conalan, Mary Dwyer, and Katrina Van Ruth. A small number of Peruvian woman have now become full members of the congregation as well, ministering to their own people. These include Sisters Charo Zurita and Sister Jenny Mori, and María Cecilia Paiva Huaringa .