This series contains records belonging to and created by Mother Margaret Coughlin. This series includes personal biographic material like Mother Margaret Coughlin’s notebook, Bartholomew Coughlin’s obituary, and Mother Margaret Coughlin’s educational certificates. This series also includes various correspondence regarding Mother Margaret Coughlin’s Feast Day, congratulations, expressions of gratitude, seasonal greetings, Mother Margaret Coughlin and Sister Placidia’s pilgrimage to Rome, the erection of the stations of the cross at Sacred Heart Convent (some of which is in Latin), and correspondence from Sisters in Le Puy and Lyon, France (some of which is in French). Included with the correspondence is a St. Joseph’s Alumni Bulletin and some pamphlets in French. There is also administrative correspondence with the Bishop of the Diocese of London, J. C. Cody, and a letter of thanks and congratulations from Rev. Durand. There are photographs of Mother Margaret Coughlin and a portrait of her father, Bartholomew Coughlin. There are also photographs, postcards, pamphlets, and news clippings from Mother Margaret Coughlin and Sister Placidia’s travels to Rome and France and scrapbook of the Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome and visits to Lyon and Le Puy on the occasion of the tercentenary of the Sisters of St. Joseph which has photographs, news clippings, and postcards pasted inside alongside a typed account. There is also material, primarily correspondence, concerning the “Ireland project” and a sermon on Ireland by Bishop J. C. Cody. The “Ireland project” was a recruitment endeavor to establish a Juniorate in Ireland from which young women could come and become novices in Canada where the Sisters would provide them with training in nursing or teaching.

This series consists of records collected about Mother Mechtilde McCarthy and created by her. The material consists of chronologies; a Form of the Act signed at reception and a Form of the Act signed at final vows dated 1878; a detailed report of a canonical visit by the Bishop of London, Michael Frances Fallon in 1917; correspondence with Bishop Michael Frances Fallon, Dr. Bruce Smith, Mother M. Clare, and George M. Reid; copies of correspondence with Archbishop J. H. MacDonald concerning the governance and separation of the Edmonton community from its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of London; and a history of the Edmonton community from 1922 to 1953 entitled “Our Western Saga”. The canonical status, governance, and fiscal responsibility of the Edmonton community had been an ongoing issue since its establishment in 1922.

This series includes material created by Mother Philomena Hussey and material collected about her. Included is biographical information; her obituary; an account by Sister St. Philip and correspondence, including some post cards, from Mother Philomena Hussey’s pilgrimage to Rome in 1925. There are also photographs of Mother Philomena Hussey, Sister Euphemia Hussey, James Cardinal McGuigan, and Mother Philomena Hussey with Sister St. Philip and their traveling companions to Rome. Also found are golden jubilee memorial cards; correspondence and a 1933 Report of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Diocese of London, Ontario; as well as correspondence concerning the governance of the Edmonton mission.

The series contains correspondence, newsletters, photographs, scrapbooks, postcards, diagrams, clippings, bulletins, brochures, programs, song sheets, posters, publications, dramatic scripts, and reports. This material is related to the history of the third Mother House of the Sisters of St. Joseph in London, which was called Mount St. Joseph. There is information about the construction of the building and detailed information about its special features and decoration, including the Immaculate Conception Chapel, and its grounds, particularly the Grotto. The records also relate to planning the construction of, and move to, the Sisters’ residence in 2007, and the sale of the Mount St. Joseph building and property. There are records which reflect communal life in the convent, including the various organized groups, events, and dramatic and musical entertainment, and menus, meal planning, and recipes. The series contains records related to men religious who served at the Mother House, and other Diocesan correspondence. Information about both Fatima Hall and Ignatia Hall can be found, including the various uses of space in these buildings.

The series contains oral histories and autobiographies of some of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the London Diocese. Many of the oral histories included were conducted for the Federation Collaborative History Project. The Federation includes the Congregations of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Toronto, Hamilton, London, Peterborough, Pembroke, and Sault Ste. Marie. The oral histories included in the Federation project are those of a select few Sisters. These Sisters are Noella Armstrong, Mary Doyle, Augustine Long, Margaret Ferris, and Cathleen Flynn. The Sisters discussed memories of their childhood and their lives before entering the convent, the call to service, and stories of their years preparing to become a professed Sister. This series includes digital and printed transcripts of oral history interviews with the Sisters, e-mail correspondence regarding the Federation oral history project, and a newspaper clipping.

This series contains records reflecting the policies and procedures of the congregation from the late 1960s to the mid-2000s. Included in the series are community handbooks and Called to Unity booklets (guidance for the Sisters in their union with God and the community), both of which discuss the Sisters’ role within and outside the congregation. Topics include community prayer, education, donations, finances, legal advice and procedures, and travel policies. Also included are position papers detailing how a Sister is to behave and conduct herself as a member of the congregation, which were prepared by various committees including the spiritual life commission, habit commission, commission on education, and homemaking commission. Records relating to congregational staff include the Human Resource Policies Handbook, which details the roles and responsibilities related to the working environment. The other records in this series pertain to the congregation as a whole; these include policies and procedures regarding sexual misconduct, abuse, and how such misconduct is reported and dealt with in the congregation. Also included is policy pertaining to the appropriate use of technology, such as computers and the Internet. There are also correspondence, memos, and reports related to the development of policy by the travel committee, who mediated discussions around the Sisters’ travel.

This series contains material related to the receptions and professions of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Diocese of London, Ontario. The records are primarily concerned with Sisters who had their receptions and professions in London, Ontario and at the mission in Edmonton, Alberta. This series includes records related to the vows and vow ceremonies, which are the rituals involved in becoming a member of a religious community. These ceremony records include correspondence, invitations, seating charts, guest lists, and forms of vows. The first receptions occurred at Mount Hope which was the Sisters’ first motherhouse in London, and a historical summary of those early ceremonies is present. There are also scripts for speeches and homilies and written accounts. Photographs, prayers, and ephemera including booklets, programs, and newspaper clippings from these ceremonies are also present. One photograph is of the reception of a class of Sisters who had been recruited from Ireland by Sister Julia Moore. One pamphlet is from the 1987 Profession of the Sisters of St. Michael the Archangel of the Diocese of Ekiti, Nigeria. Various lists of Sisters’ ceremony dates, stages of religious life, deaths and withdrawals are also included. The vows present here are primarily in bound volumes, though some are on individual sheets of paper. Many of the volumes have related correspondence, renewals, or scripts for the vows (referred to as forms) tucked or pasted within. The vows are generally formulaic, though some are unique. Some, mainly first vows, list the Sisters’ hometown, age, and parents.

This series contains records that pertain to the renewal programs held in the summers of 1974, 1980 and 1981. The program included times of reflection, communal study and teaching presentations. This series includes photographs, a newspaper article, event programs, prepared sermons, lists of attendees, teaching guides, personal reflections, speaking notes, planning committee minutes, a facility map, agendas for meetings and renewal sessions, correspondence and bibliographies.