About us

• In the year 1823, the Archpriests of Holland (Aartspriesters van Holland) approved the Regulations (the articles) of the Pédagogie Chrétienne, a foundation of religious women (sisters) who were involved in the upbringing and education of poor children. They established themselves in Amersfoort at the Muurhuizen. From there they spread all over the Netherlands and they also assumed the care for the sick and the elderly.
• The Congregation was known by several names in the course of time. The official name has been: Society of Jesus, Mary, Joseph (Sociëteit van Jezus, Maria, Jozef) since 1964. As a religious institute, the Society has legal personality on the basis of the Dutch Civil Code.
• In 1962, the Congregation, which has since spread all over the world, was divided into three provinces (countries): the Dutch, the Indonesian and the Indian province. The Generalate of the Society was established in the Netherlands.
• Secularisation in Western Europe caused the number of callings in the Netherlands to decrease drastically. It was decided at the General Chapter of 2011 to change the structure of the religious institute the Society of Jesus Mary Joseph. Accordingly, the current Generalate was dissolved and instead two new Congregations were formed in May 2018, which consisted of the provinces of India-Ghana and Indonesia-Netherlands.
• From proceeds of the sisters’ works and return on investment, a capital has been formed since the start of the Society. The development thereof has been accounted for in annual accounts. It was decided that this capital that was formed in the Netherlands shall be divided over the two Congregations to be formed and shall remain managed in the Netherlands.
• The Holy Family Foundation is thus formed inter alia to manage the share in this capital of the Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph consisting of the JMJ provinces of India and Ghana.