This is the crest of The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie. As a member of The Federation of The Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada, this crest shares most of the same design elements as that of the Federation and the other member congregations.
The Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada includes three member Congregations: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie and the newly merged congregation The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada.
The Coat of Arms symbolizes Federal unity and Congregational diversity. A central motif, the same for all three Congregations signifies:
The tongues of fire surrounding each cross signify that these works require the inspiration of the Holy Spirit which is the fire of charity.
The colours red and gold are used throughout. Red, one of the two colours of the Canadian flag, emphasizes the national character of the Federation. Gold, one of the papal colours, is a reminder that this group of Congregations is in communion with the Holy See.
The central design is surrounded by a border which incorporates a distinguishing design for each Congregation. The symbolism of the Fleur-de-Lis characterizes The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie. In heraldry, the Fleur-de-Lis is, par excellence, the symbol of Our Lady. In view of the official title for this Congregation, Sault Ste. Marie, this symbol was chosen as the mark of distinction for this group of Sisters. It is also appropriate that the symbol for the sixth offspring of a family is the Fleur-de-Lis, and the Sault Ste. Marie Congregation was the sixth in order of precedence of foundation within the Federation. The most recent and seventh foundation is that of the merged four congregations of Hamilton, London, Peterborough and Pembroke.