This series consists of newsletters produced by the Sisters of St. Joseph in the Hamilton diocese. These newsletters cover various topics and events, such as healthcare and pilgrimages, discussions about daily life including feast days and projects, messages from Sisters, as well as news about the surrounding geographical locale. A list of deceased Sisters and family members, information about ministries, memorial biographical sketches, and Chapter information are also topics included in the newsletters. These newsletters are important sources for gaining a better understanding of the Sisters’ daily lives and learning more about their charitable works and efforts. Sisters were very actively engaged in charitable work, with several projects occurring, such as hospital work, orphan care, and missions aiding Canadian Indigenous communities, as well as helping the poor in developing countries. Locations of Sisters’ missions and ministries include, but are not limited to, Fort St. James, Neyaashiinigmiing [Cape Croker], Kenilworth, Guelph, Jamaica, Kitchener, Hamilton, Guatemala, and Fort St. John.
Sem títuloThis series contains nine subseries containing material related to the administrative operations of the healthcare facilities founded, owned, and operated by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Hamilton. The facilities concerned are St. Joseph’s Hospital, Brantford; St. Joseph’s Hospital, Guelph; St. Mary’s General Hospital, Kitchener; St. Joseph’s Community Health Centre, Stoney Creek; and St. Joseph’s Hospital and School of Nursing, Hamilton. The records included are timelines, annals and histories, newsletters, news clippings, meeting minutes, financial records, property records, legal documents, annual reports, renovation and construction reports, photographs, postcards, a yearbook, an art print, material related to the estate and donations of Rev. E. P. Slaven, correspondence, bills, by-laws, and some records of events of the various nursing schools operated in connection with the hospitals. There are also records relating to the transfer of hospital administration.
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This series contains the annals of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton, Ontario’s ministry in Guatemala. In October 1963, Sisters Francis Xavier Ruth, Marie Garnier (Joan) McMahon and Bertille Riordan started a mission in Guatemala. They traveled to Teculután to establish a school. A construction committee was formed to buy a plot of land the belonged to the Casteñeda-Rossal family for the school and convent. The town gave half of the land to the Sisters and Don Carlos Piaz of the construction committee provided the other half. The Sisters raised funds to pay for the construction of the buildings. The school opened on January 18, 1965. It was officially inaugurated and named Colegio San José on March 19, 1965. The school offered both elementary and secondary programs and was fully approved by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education. Education was also extended through the airwaves, where literacy programs were broadcast. Evangelization work occurred through catechetics in the schools, the local parish, and through radio programs. In the 1970s, a beca program was created. This program collected donations in-order-to help fund children’s education.
Several other projects were initiated in addition to the school. In 1969, a dentistry clinic was built. The clinic provided a space for nursing Sisters to treat the sick. Several of the Sisters also worked in the local clinics. In 1977, Sister Mary O’ Sullivan started the Nutritional Centre to help children with malnutrition receive care. A focus was also placed on pregnant mothers, and the Sisters provided nutritional advice to ensure the health of their infants. The Nutritional Centre officially opened on August 22, 1978.
In 1976, an earthquake devastated Guatemala. Restoration programs commenced shortly after. The Sisters lent the football field of the school to be used for temporary housing for the 200 workers who had lost their homes during the disaster. The Sisters in Hamilton started “Operation Guatemala,” a charity effort to raise funds and send supplies to the devastated country.
Sister Aloysia Fischer was responsible for the organization and administration of the Christian Children’s Fund, which was an American program, from 1972 to 1976. She also administered the Guatemala Education Bursary (C.O.G.E.B.) in 1975. This bursary program was created by Bishop Reding of the Hamilton Diocese. He wanted to start a program like the Christian Children’s Fund but with Canadian and Diocesan roots. The program provided Teculután families with financial assistance to help with school costs. Participating children had to attend Colegio San José or the local school and mothers had to attend one hour of cooking, one hour of sewing, and one hour of nutrition classes per month. Sister Madeleine Graf later administered this program from 1977 to 1979.
The Sisters also were involved in bringing portable water and electricity to poor areas. The Sisters and priests brought running water to El Jute and Gúijo in 1978 and to the small village of Los Palmares in 1979.
The mission formally ended in November 1979 when the Sisters returned to Canada. That year, they relinquished control of the Colegio San José and the Nutritional Centre to the Capuchin Sisters of the Third Order. Although no longer directly involved in the mission, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton continued to send funds to Guatemala into the 2000s. Several Sisters went back to Guatemala celebrate various milestones. For instance, Sisters Madeleine Graf and Marie Garnier (Joan) McMahon returned to Teculután in 2005 for the 40th anniversary of the Colegio San José.
This series contains written histories and recollections including annals, correspondence, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, publications, donation lists, financial reports, legal documents, class lists, photographs, negatives, and meeting minutes.
Sem títuloThese annals chronicle the daily lives of Sisters Ann Marshall, Katrina Rooney, and Nancy Sullivan while they performed charitable works in Annotto Bay, Jamaica. These records discuss their efforts in healthcare and education, including their donation to fix critical water problems in the Infirmary as well as setting up several educational programs to help children to learn and read. The annals also provide nuanced detail by describing the Sisters’ living quarters, thoughts about their works, and about the town itself. The sub-series also includes Katrina Rooney’s photographs. These images show Katrina Rooney teaching in school, posing with community members, and relaxing in her leisure time. These images offer a “snapshot” of life in Annotto Bay. A larger photo album along with a two folders of photographs also makes up this sub-series. The album’s images provide further examples of Annotto Bay life, and include photos of a trip to Jamaica made by Sisters Claudia and Francis Rossignoli. This sub-series also has records that detail the 2001 murder of Father Martin Royackers, who also lived and worked in Annotto Bay. He was a member of the Upper Canada Province of the Canadian Jesuits and had served Annotto Bay for six years. This news shocked and saddened the Congregation. They were upset to hear the news of the violent attack in a place they considered as a home. The Sisters set up a memorial liturgy in response to the news. The sub-series also includes several drawings from children to the Sisters.
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