Soeurs de Saint-Joseph de Cluny
https://sj-cluny.org/French-Pacific
      French Pacific

French Pacific

The vice-province has 5 communities throughout this vast region of the Pacific. French Polynesia covers a maritime area of 4 million square kilometers, an area the size of Europe. The 118 islands, all different, are grouped into five groups with very marked characters.


Tahiti

3 communities
12 sisters
Founded in 1844

Marquises

1 community
4 sisters
Founded in 1847

Raiatea

1 community
4 sisters
Founded in 1925

We are located in the Society Islands (made up of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands), a group of tropical islands surrounded by lagoons. It includes:

Tahiti, the largest of the Polynesian islands, which houses the administrative capital, Papeete, and the only international airport of the country.

Raiatea the sacred island of fertile valleys ...

The Marquesas archipelago consists of a dozen islands, like dark green fortresses seeming to spring from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, located close to the equator and some 1500 kilometers from Tahiti.

TAHITI: The first 4 sisters embarked at Brest on "THE CHARTER". After six months of traveling, they arrived in the Marquesas, their original destination. However, because of tribal wars and cannibalism, the authorities denied them permission to stay there and directed them towards Tahiti.

On March 16, 1844, they arrived in Papeete and their immediate task was the care of the many wounded from the "Tahiti war." The Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny cared only for the wounded until they were driven out. In 1845, they welcomed some girls and began both intellectual and manual training. By the decree of 7th November 1857, the school of the sisters became ‘the school for girls in Papeete’. The school had a small number of boarders.

MARQUISES: In June 1847 two sisters opened a school for girls in Vaitahu but the war between the islands of Tahuata and Hiva Oa forced them to leave the island in September, 1847. On March 4, 1864, four sisters landed in Taiohae. Their boarding school had over 80 students.

At Christmas 1884, the sisters arrived at Atuona to launch the boarding school for girls, at the request of the bishop. They quickly had over 110 students from the Tahuata islands and Hiva Oa.

RAIATEA: In the Leeward Islands on the island of Raiatea, the sisters opened a school on the 1st September, 1925. By the following October, there were 80 students. Since then, the apostolate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny has diversified. Initially sisters were formed for education and health care, but they have adapted to current needs.

Today, although there are no sisters teaching, the sisters have retained the trusteeship of some of their schools (the Mission School, Anne-Marie Javouhey College in Papeete and Raiatea, Sainte-Anne School and College in Hiva Oa.) as well as the trusteeship of some of the boarding schools / hostels such as "Maria No Te Tiaturi".

The sisters’ minsitry also includes social work. They minister in a center for children "Te Maru Pererau", belonging to the organization SPC (Social Insurance Fund). These children have been placed in the home through the court system. The sisters take care of both their human and spiritual needs.

They are also involved in a ministry that focuses on the social and professional re-insertion of prisoners. One of the sisters gives courses so the prisoners can take the Brevet National Diploma exam.

Contact Information:
  • Website :
  • Email : vpcluny.pf at outlook.fr
  • Address : Quartier de la Mission, B.P. 2069, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française
  • Telephone : + 689 40 43 52 08

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