Welcome to the Institute of St. Joseph
What is the Institute of St. Joseph?
The Institute of Saint Joseph is a Public Association of the Faithful in the Diocese of La Crosse, WI., founded on June 7, 1987, on the feast of Pentecost at the beginning of the Marian Jubilee Year. The Institute is completely in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and under the approval of the diocesan Bishop of La Crosse.
Where is the Institute Located? When do Members of the Institute Meet?
The home of the Institute is in the township of Edson, Wisconsin, at Cor Jesu Oratory (Sacred Heart Church). The hermits live in the former parish rectory and school. The lay members meet monthly from September to May and all the members participate in a yearly retreat in June. These days are filled with prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, the Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary, formation talks and community.
Is Mass Offered There? Is the Public Able to Attend?
The Holy Mass is offered daily, and while Cor Jesu Oratory is not a traditional Parish, the public and faithful are most welcome to attend.
Cor Jesu Oratory is home to the Traditional Latin Mass which is offered each day at 8:30 am, Monday through Saturday and at 10:30 am on Sunday. Confessions are also heard each Sunday from 9:45am to 10:15am. The Oratory is located at a beautiful and historic site in Chippewa County. It was given to the Institute through the kindness of Fr. Robert Nelson and the parishioners of the former Sacred Heart Parish with the gracious permission of Bishop Jerome Listecki, then Bishop of La Crosse in 2008.
What Does the Institute do? Who can Join?
Our membership is limited to those who live within the Diocese of La Crosse, WI. Members include married men and women, and single men and women in consecrated celibacy, diocesan priests and two consecrated diocesan hermits. Our charism is contemplative, centered upon living the life of Nazareth, Jesus’ hidden years, with a primary focus of promoting the universal call to holiness of each baptized person in each state in life.
Our motto, “To make God present to the world and the world to God” expresses our life of prayer and witness. We embrace the authentic teachings of the Catholic faith.
Each member commits by promise or vow to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the fraternity to which he or she belongs. A common Constitution unites all our members. This gives the common charism, spirit, and governance of the Institute. The four fraternities of the Institute are the Holy Family Fraternity (married members), the Annunciation Fraternity (celibate men and women), the Incarnation Fraternity (diocesan priests) and the Fraternity of the Three Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph of Nazareth (diocesan hermits).
