Students from all ACSSJ member campuses joined from across the country to participate in a student pilgrimage facilitated by Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ. This experience allowed them to connect with the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the place where they were founded: Le Puy, France.​

ACSSJ Held a Le Puy Student Pilgrimage Panel Discussion on November 17, 2023.

​Watch the recording to hear from trip leaders and student participants as they share their pilgrimage experiences and reflect on the impact the pilgrimage has had on their personal, spiritual, and professional work.

The panel featured three students and four trip leaders:
Joan Lescinski, CSJ - Trip Leader
Carol Allan, SSJ - Elms College Staff Member
Dr. Ryan Murphy - Chestnut Hill College Staff Member
Joan Horgan - The College of Saint Rose Staff Member
Katie Leeker - Fontbonne University Student
Sofi Jaquez - Mount Saint Mary's University Student
Morgan Pettlon - Avila University Student
Student Application Process
Each campus will have its own process for participation. Interested students, please contact the on-campus coordinators on this list:
​
Avila University: 
Dave Armstrong, [email protected]

Chestnut Hill College
Jaclyn Newns, Chief Officer of Mission & Ministry, [email protected]

Elms College: 
Sr. Carol Allan, Assistant to the President on Mission and Legacy, [email protected]

Fontbonne University: 
Joanna Boyd- Wilhite, Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]

Mount Saint Mary's University: 
Shannon Green, Director, CSJ Institute, [email protected]

Regis College: 
Dan Leahy, Director, Center for Ministry and Service, [email protected]
​
St. Catherine University:
Sr. Sharon Howell, Director, Center for Spirituality and Social Justice, [email protected]

St. Joseph's University:
Brooklyn: Vernon Shelton, Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]
Long Island: Cristian Murphy, Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]
Staff and faculty trip leaders have been selected for the 2023 Student Pilgrimage.
Staff & Faculty Resources:
 

Le Puy Student Pilgrimage Itinerary, June 11-17, 2023
 (subject to change)

DAY 1 • DEPARTURE
Begin your journey on an overnight flight from New York City to Lyon, France.

DAY 2 • LYON • LE-PUY-EN-VELAY
Upon arrival, greet an assistant and coach for transfer to the Centre International St. Joseph, a collaborative project of all the Congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph in the world, in Le-Puy-en-Velay.  After settling in, you’ll enjoy a walk around the city center followed by a group meeting. Afterward, join your group for dinner at the Centre International St. Joseph and overnight.

DAY 3 • LE-PUY-EN-VELAY
Following breakfast, the group will go on a walking tour of Le Puy, visit the Centre's interactive display and the original kitchen. Afterward, spend some time on reflection before dinner and overnight at the Center.

DAY 4 • LE-PUY-EN-VELAY
Begin your day with Mass at Notre Dame du Puy-en-Velay, the traditional starting point of the Way of Saint James, Camino de Santiago. After Mass and into the afternoon, you’ll hike a portion of the Camino, followed by leisure time this evening. Dinner and overnight at the Centre International St. Joseph.

DAY 5• LE-PUY-EN-VELAY • LYON
After breakfast, board your coach, and transfer to Lyon. The group will travel to Mother Saint John Fontbonne's house on the way to Lyon. Afterward, transfer to your hotel for check-in followed by dinner at your leisure. Overnight in Lyon.

DAY 6 • LYON
This morning, greet your coach for a full-day exploration of Lyon. Your visits will include the cemetery, which holds the grace of Mother St. John’s grave, Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourviere, Vieux Lyon, and Cathedral Saint-Jean-Baptiste. This evening, join your group for reflection followed by a farewell dinner at a traditional Lyonnais Bouchon. Overnight in Lyon.

DAY 7 • RETURN
Following breakfast, greet an assistant and coach for transfer to the airport.

FAQs

Who will be participating in the pilgrimage?
​Students from our member campuses will participate in the pilgrimage. Trip leaders will be: Martha Malinski, Executive Director of the Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph along with two staff / faculty members from two of the member campuses. Sister Joan Lescinski, CSJ will be our guide.
How do I join the pilgrimage?
Each campus will have its own process for participation. Interested students, please contact the on-campus coordinators on this list:
​
Avila University: 
Dave Armstrong, [email protected]

Chestnut Hill College
Jaclyn Newns, Chief Officer of Mission & Ministry, [email protected]
​
Elms College: 
Sr. Carol Allan, Assistant to the President on Mission and Legacy, [email protected]

Fontbonne University: 
Joanna Boyd- Wilhite, Interim Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]

Mount Saint Mary's University: 
Shannon Green, Director, CSJ Institute, [email protected]

Regis College: 
Dan Leahy, Director, Center for Ministry and Service, [email protected]
​
St. Catherine University:
Sr. Sharon Howell, Director, Center for Spirituality and Social Justice, [email protected]

St. Joseph's University:
Brooklyn: Vernon Shelton, Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]
Long Island: Cristian Murphy, Director of Campus Ministry, [email protected]

2018 Student Pilgrimage

In June 2018, ACSSJ hosted a student pilgrimage to Le Puy, France: the place where the Sisters of St. Joseph was founded.  Student representatives from our nine member campuses embarked on a once in a lifetime experience to connect with the charism of the Sisters. You can meet our 2018 travelers here.

Want to learn more about our journey?
​Read the Reflections of Some of Our 2018 Participants:

You're in luck! A student documented the 2018 pilgrimage in a blog. Articles were be posted before, during and after the trip, providing useful information and highlighting our experiences.
ACSSJ's Le Puy Student Pilgrimage 2018 and Mount Saint Mary's University student, Caitlyn Keeve reflects on the impact of the pilgrimage on her education and the impact of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Bridging Theory to Action's newsletter (see pages 9-10). The impact of the Le Puy Pilgrimage continues to shape the educational, professional and personal goals of individual students.
Caitlyn Keeve was also featured in a video as part of Mount Saint Mary's University's CSJ Oral History Project. Watch the video below to hear about her experience on the Le Puy Pilgrimage.
2018 staff leader Dan Leahy and student participants Megan Bubello and Ariana McCormack of Regis College reflected on their experience on the Le Puy Pilgrimage and the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph during the first segment of ACSSJ's Leading in the Footsteps of our Founders webinar series. See the recording below.