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This series includes a variety of textual records and photographs related to the vocational activity of the Sisters of St. Joseph. There are correspondence, newspaper clippings, bookmarks, advertisements, pamphlets, brochures, program outlines, catalogues, registers, photographs, communication records, newsletters, bulletins, memos, minutes, advertisements, bookmarks, and booklets. The materials were created predominantly in London, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta. The main function of the materials in this series relates to providing information as well as the administration of the formation process.

This series consists of committee reports by the Religious Education Program’s committees, of constitutions for the Sisters’ Council, of correspondence to and from the Sisters’ Council, of two newsclippings, and one agenda with hymns and prayers, and correspondence related to the Diocese of London’s 150th anniversary, of the treasurer’s report presented to the Sisters’ Council, of a study on the use of Chapels of Reservation, of membership lists for the Sisters’ Council, of newsletters created by the Council as well as by the Sisters’ Committee of the Essex Deanery, of questionnaires and correspondence related to the planning of the Study Days planned by the Sisters’ Council, and of the minutes, agendas, and surveys and questionnaires to aid event planning during the Sisters’ Council’s meetings.

This series contains documents relating to tertianship classes run in the 1950s and 1960s. There are programs, transcripts, a crucifix, booklets on religious scholarship, and photographs. Of particular interest is a history of the Congregation with a timeline.

This series documents the activities of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. There are correspondences from Sister Mary Diesbourg and Sister Mary Zimmer, both of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario, from 2004 to 2007. There are also news leaflets with updates about the projects of the Centre International St. Joseph. The records concern Sister Mary Zimmer’s arrival in Le Puy-en-Velay in 2004 to help prepare for the opening of the Centre International St. Joseph, the planning of a international program for young adults for 2008, the Spring 2007 meeting of the French Federation Leadership, the Spring Sabbath sabbatical month, a new contemplative experience program called Radical Grace, jubilees, and daily activities of the Sisters. There is also a photograph album with French text from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon with photographs of people, places, and objects related to the founding of the order.

This series documents the activities of the Alberta mission of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. There are annals and historical summaries, reports, promotional materials, pamphlets, event programs, newspaper articles, correspondence, lists of Sisters on missions in western Canada, a photograph, and a digital video disc. These items showcase a legacy of mission work undertaken by the Sisters in pastoral care, education, and healthcare in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. There is a historical summary of mission activities from 1972 to 1983, authored by Sister Catherine Cunningham. Topics in this summary include teaching in the Edmonton catholic school district, social and cultural events in the region, celebrations, trips, retreats at Sylvan Lake, and the placement of new Sisters in the west. In addition, there is a compilation by Sister Cunningham titled, 50 Golden Years in Canada’s Golden West, with topics on the convents in the parishes of St. Bride’s and Sacred Heart in Alberta, Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, and Maple Ridge in British Columbia, as well as in Alberta hospitals at Rimbey, Killam, and Galahad. The compilation also contains newspaper articles on the Sisters’ professions at the Sacred Heart Convent in Edmonton with photographs of the Sisters and clergy. There are lists of names of the London Sisters who were stationed in the west and a 1926 photograph of the first group of Sisters to go west. The series also contains records on the Catholic Sisters’ Legacy Recognition Project conducted by the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. This includes the unveiling of the statue Service Through Christ, a 2011 Annual Report by Covenant Health, and the film A Legacy of Service – A Film in Honour of the Countless Women Religious Who have Served in the Province of Alberta for over 150 Years, directed by Eric Spoeth.

This series is primarily about the general history of the St. Joseph’s Convent Regional House in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Alberta which was a Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario during their mission in Alberta. St. Joseph’s Convent Regional House was also referred to as the Edmonton Regional House or just Regional House. This series contains historical summaries of the Sisters’ western mission in Alberta, with an emphasis on the planning and closing ceremonies of the Regional House. There is correspondences concerning the preparations and closing ceremonies of the St. Joseph’s Convent Regional House, from June 29 to July 2, 2001, including Minutes from the Committee for Closing of Regional House from March 13 to June 11, 2001. There are also Minutes of the Regional House Council Meetings from 1922 to 1992 covering topics such as the balloting and the results of Community elections, the search for, purchase and sale of the property of the Regional House, as well as the inaugural opening and farewell closing, and the various building construction and renovation projects. There are several lists including a timeline of historical milestones, donated items for the opening of the Regional House, Sisters stationed in the Edmonton Archdiocese, those who took Final Vows, and others who are deceased. This series contains architectural drawings, layout illustrations of the interior and exterior of the Regional House, maps, closing souvenir programs, brochures, and newspaper articles about the closing events at the Regional House. In addition, there are signed guestbooks of visitors to the Regional House, photographs of the Sisters and invited guests celebrating the closing ceremonies, and material related to the creation of In the Spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph: A Tribute to the Regional House in Edmonton, Alberta, a “Memory Brochure” created by the Lashbrook Group of London, Ontario for the closing of the Regional House. This series has one photo album and two scrapbooks that contain photographs, correspondence, brochures, and prayer cards related to the history of the Sisters from 1961 to 2001, in Edmonton.

This series contains records from individual towns in Ontario where the Sisters of St. Joseph of the London diocese were teachers and principals. This includes memoirs and a photograph from St. Boniface School in Zurich, Ontario and a yearbook from St. Mary’s High in Woodstock, Ontario.

This series contains records concerning the involvement of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the London diocese in the field of education in Prince George, British Columbia. This consists of a yearbook from Prince George College where Sisters from various orders, including the Sisters of St. Joseph, worked as teachers, assistant principals, nurses, and librarians. There is also a vinyl record audio disc of the Prince George College Chorale performing "Domano" and "The Choice is Ours" by Forsberg with introduction by Bishop Fergus O’Grady.

This series concerns the Sisters of St. Joseph’s involvement in education in Ontario. The records are focused on school boards, associations, educational policies and regulations, and the changes to Catholic education. The types of records included in this series are minutes, bulletins, newsletters, magazines, booklets, clippings, photographs, correspondence, annual reports, and event programs. The major educational organizations these records deal with include the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, the Ontario Separate School Trustees Association, the Waterloo Region Roman Catholic Separate School Board, the Huron Perth Separate School Board, the Separate School Board of London, and the Association of Catholic High School Boards of Ontario. Much of the material concerns changes to education and Catholic education in Canada, and many publications on the topic are included. Some of the publications were created by the Sisters, such as The Changing face of Catholic Education in London 1858-1963, a study for the Separate School Board of London, Ontario. Sister Patricia Hogan was the Religious Co-Ordinator for the magazine Spiritual Development and several issues of this magazine and clippings of articles written by her are present. Sister Alice Marie McDonald and Sister M. Stanislaus McKinnon were involved with the Provincial Committee on Aims and Objectives of Education in the Schools of Ontario which created the Hall-Dennis Report. Photographs of Sister Alice Marie McDonald and members of the committee working on said report are present along with a summary of the report from the view of Catholic schools.

There are also minutes from the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Advisory Board, a committee within the community that oversaw the involvement of Sisters in education. This included institutes operated by the Sisters and those where the Sisters were employed. The minutes include discussions of contracts, school policies, reports from teachers’ meetings, and Christian education. Amongst the minutes are agendas, correspondence with the advisory board, bulletins, and statistics of Sisters working in schools.

Additionally, there is material focused on the history of the Sisters’ involvement in education and Catholic education in Canada. There is correspondence concerning the establishment of Huron Perth Separate School Board Archives and histories of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Goderich, Kingsbridge, St. Mary’s Town, Seaforth, Zurich, and Kinkora, Ontario. Dr. Elizabeth Smyth studied women religious who taught in Canada and there is correspondence about her research with the Sisters. There are various publications by Dr. Elizabeth Smyth, including her thesis, The Lessons of Religion and Science: The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and St. Joseph’s Academy, Toronto 1854-1911.

This series contains records concerning the finances of the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in London, Ontario. This includes financial reports, logs, and budgets as well as correspondence and reports on topics related to the Sisters’ finances such as taxes, bonds and loans, retirements, property, and policies.

The Sisters were diligent in tracking their income, assets, and expenses and in planning for their financial futures. There are logs and financial summaries of Sisters’ patrimony and dowries, revenue (including bequests), expenditures, and of collections and episcopal charities for the diocese of London. There are also records of individual Sisters’ requests for funds and dispensation from dowries. The Sisters had strict regulations for borrowing money and their policies are included alongside correspondence with solicitors and barristers, certificates of incineration for bonds, and meeting minutes concerning mortgage bonds and banking resolutions. There are also contracts with London Electrical Company and Bell Telephone Company of Canada.

In addition to the mortgages mentioned above, there are more records concerning the assets of the Sisters. Some meeting minutes and correspondence are concerned with financial and property restrictions, the religious order’s tax exemption, and conservation authority restrictions in relation to their properties. There are various lists and timelines of the Sisters’ properties which include information on purchase and sale prices, deeds, and expenses. For some specific properties there is also correspondence about research at the City Registry Office and financial reports for construction projects. For Sacred Heart Convent there are lot maps and an architectural drawing. The “Group Advising on Property” conducted a study on the Sisters’ usage of, cost, and history of their lake house properties. The report and meeting minutes evaluating these properties are present. The Sisters also commissioned assessments on their assets which include site evaluation reports for Holy Rosary Convent in Windsor and two London properties, one on Queens Avenue and the other the spiritual retreat centre, Medaille House. Also in this series are correspondence, contracts, and invoices from Gemart Appraisal Associates for the appraisal of material possessions.

The Sisters of St. Joseph from the London diocese taught in several locations in Alberta from 1922 to 1996. Some records directly concern the Sisters in Alberta, such as lease agreements, correspondence about bonds and ownership of property, and a proposal for the formation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Alberta.

As noted, as part of their vows and dedication to communal living, the Sisters pooled their finances. There are internal policies, announcements, and correspondence about the distribution of finances and resources. Alongside these is an outline of the responsibilities of the congregational leadership positions. Funding to care for aging community members came from the communal finances, and there is a summary of the General Council’s research and deliberations about ensuring funds for the Sisters’ retirements and correspondence about the inclusion of religious personnel in the Canadian Pension Plan.

Also in this series are correspondence, reports, financial records, and meeting minutes related to the “Search Group.”