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This subseries contains the chronicles of the northern Perú mission by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, in Ontario spanning from 1959 to 2009. Some of the activities and events the Sisters immersed themselves in include but are not limited to: ministering to the impoverished, visiting the ill and housebound, counselling new parents and their newborns, teaching children, youth leadership, adult literacy, and setting up schools, medical clinics, women centres, and rural libraries, alongside uplifting and developing local communities by building churches, chapels, convents and rectories in the Zaña River Valley Parish. There are four enumerations that list 23 St. Joseph Sisters, 15 Ursuline Sisters, 18 Canadian priests, and Canadian, American, and Peruvian people who served in Perú from 1962 to 1994. As well as there are seven handwritten and typed historical summaries from 1959 to 1994 authored by the Sisters, and one notable composition written by Reverend Father Thomas Francis (Frank) O'Connor, who served in the parish of Oyotún from 1971 to 1978. Of special mention is an oversized scrapbook created by Sister Eugene Bond from 1962 to 1965 that contains a letter, a pamphlet, correspondences, news bulletins, and newspaper articles about the Peruvian mission.

Some documents are in Spanish: photocopies of news stories on the political, economic, environmental, and social unrest in Perú from 1977 to 1984; a short history on the effigy of Our Lord of Miracles; reading material for language learning Spanish Classes by Heart-Links; a promotional pamphlet for the Asociacion Petirrojo Perú school in Zaña; and a hand written letter dated July 18, 1989 from the Town of Mocupe to Sister Theresa Marie, after hearing of Sister Joan Kerrigan’s passing. In addition, there are email correspondences, local Peruvian news article tributes to the Sisters, printed pictures and photographs of the Sisters teaching special needs children, nursing, conducting home visits, serving in soup kitchens, attending various centre openings, participating in retreats and conferences, at celebrations for a newly arrived or departing Sister, and relaxing at the beach.

This subseries contains records of the various events and activities of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in London, Ontario during their foreign mission in northern Perú from 1962-1992. Events are primarily from 1962 to 1985 of missioning departure ceremonies in London, celebrations from 1988 honouring 25 years of the Sisters’ work in the parish of the Zaña Valley, and farewell parties from 1963 to 1985 for Sisters in the Chiclayo Province, Perú returning to Canada. There were Intercongregational Meetings of the Sisters of St. Joseph, that took place in Perú, where a representative of each Congregation presented a summary of achievements in their community in the past year. Sisters who participated came from Mexico, Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Perú, United States of America (Buffalo, Boston, Michigan), and Canada (London, Pembroke). There are programs, agendas, correspondences, and minutes in the English language for meetings that took place in 1967, 1968, and 1969, and in the Spanish language for meetings that took place in 1970, 1983, 1986, and 1991. The Meetings included guest speakers on a specific topic, panel discussions, round tables in breakout groups and business meetings. The Sisters also reported on the vocational activities from the previous year, and shared their work being done in clinics, hospitals, and in social work. This file also contains printed programs and announcement letters of departures, handmade songbooks, prayer cards, a July 1991 newspaper article titled, “CSJ/SSJ’s Working in Latin America Meet,” and a black and white group photograph of the Sisters in Lima, Perú, at the Intercongregational Meeting from February 19-20, 1983.

Of special note are the original program, invitation and letter for the first inaugural Perú mission and departure ceremony for Sisters Eugene Bond, Cyril Reynolds, Olivia Dochstader, and Juliana Kerrigan, on November 18, 1962, at St. Peter’s Basilica, London, Ontario. It was officiated by the Right Reverend A. P. Mahoney, vicar general of the London Diocese and rector of St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. Other noteworthy items are the parts of an original artwork with 43 signatures, and a coloured pencil drawing of St. Joseph and Jesus. The original artwork was executed by P. Villa A. in Cayalti, Perú, dated 1988. On May 1, 1988, the drawing was presented to Sister Jean Dochstader on behalf of all the Sisters on the 25th anniversary of their service in Perú.

This subseries contains correspondences by Sisters of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario regarding their mission in northern Perú. Topics include, but are not limited to first communion preparations, catechetical programs, celebrations, walking-reflection retreat days, departures in London before traveling to live and work in Perú, feast days and parties in the village, observations after natural catastrophes, conversations with Canadian priests, cooking, sewing, and craft groups, and the daily routine at the medical clinic. Of special note is a letter for the request of volunteers to Perú, written by Reverend Mother Julia Moore after her first visit to Perú to investigate future missions. In addition, there are correspondences written to the Diocese of London providing information on the various aspects on the Sisters’ mission efforts in the Zaña Valley, and to various people in Perú, such as the Archbishop Romolo Carboni in Lima; Gustavo Aspillaga, the Director General of Aspillaga Anderson Hermanos S. A.; and Reverend Gerard Dionne, the Secretary General of the Latin American Office in Ottawa, Ontario. Of special interest is a document regarding responses to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, dated May 22, 1997, titled “Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America – Missionary Links between the Church in Canada and Latin America.” There is also a letter in the Spanish language thanking the Sisters for Comedor Aviacion, a children’s food program in the district of Aviación, Calyalti.