Modified Habits

As a point of history, the dress worn by the original six women in France was simple in style and was not a religious habit. Instead, they adopted the clothes worn by widows in their locality, which varied from town to country and from one region to another. Repeated wars meant that the widow’s habit was the most common form of dress for a woman so that a sister wearing it could walk freely about the streets on her apostolic work. (A Story with an Endless Beginning, Sisters of Saint-Joseph Collection “Les Origines”)

Vatican II opened the door to the controversial question of dress. The Sisters discussed the issue, reviewed designs, and decided on a modified habit. On the Feast of the Visitation, July 2, 1969, the new modified habits were blessed.