This series consists of records documenting the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton in Chetwynd, British Columbia and the surrounding communities between 1976 and 1983, along with supplemental records of earlier British Columbia missions. The records include historical reports, photographs, correspondence, event programmes, postcards and greetings cards, newspaper and magazine clippings, scrapbook pages, pamphlets, poetry, and song lyrics.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (Hamilton, Ont.)This series contains chronicles documenting the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario from 1853 to 1979. The records are chronological accounts of daily life and major events at specific locations. Most include an index or chapter list. Several of the chronicles have photographs, correspondence, event programs, and news clippings pasted or tucked within. One chronicle, “Sacred Heart Convent Motherhouse 1950-1952 X9”, is made up almost entirely of news clippings. Some also have transcriptions of relevant correspondence included, such as letters about the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph in North America. The chronicles are a mix of primary recollections and secondary summaries of history.
Several of the chronicles were compiled, written, and collected by Sister Genvieve Hennessey. Variations of these chronicles are included, some of which are annotated, and there are inconsistencies between the versions. Sister Genevieve’s the “Chronicles of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London,” recounts the Sisters’ history from 1868 to 1928, the “Diamond Jubilee Books,” recount the Sisters’ history from 1868 to 1928 and 1933, and there is an addendum added to some versions of each volume which provide accounts up to 1954. Among these histories, there are also accounts by Mother Margaret Coughlin, Sister Placidia Walsh, and Sister Callistus Arnsby which detail local activities and pilgrimages to Rome and France.
The chronicles frequently note religious events and internal activities of the community such as receptions and professions, jubilees, election of congregational leaders, ordinations, changes to habits, and visits of prominent religious figures. Other topics concern the Sisters’ missions and ministries, such as travel arrangements, properties, events for the orphans, and the Sisters’ involvement in healthcare and education. Deaths of Sisters, clergy, and prominent figures, such as King George VI are also frequently mentioned, sometimes with the obituaries included. Local disasters and events are also frequent topics, such as the 1881 Victoria Steamboat Disaster, the 1925 fire at Mount St. Joseph, the 1929 fire at the Ingersoll convent, the 1935 earthquake, the 1937 flood of the Thames River, the first provincial election at which the Sisters voted in 1937, and the smog from the 1950 Alberta wildfires. There are also mentions of global events, particularly those that impacted the Sisters’ and their missions.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)This is a collection of material related to the life and work of Mother Ignatia Campbell which comprises two subseries. It includes several biographical chronologies and summaries of her work which were considered in the drafting of her profile in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography (University of Toronto Press). There are news clippings and photographs of the 1991 “People and the City” monument in London, Ontario which includes a depiction of Mother Ignatia Campbell. There is information related to the “Mother Ignatia Campbell Bursary for Women” introduced at Regis College, Toronto in 2005. There are genealogical research notes and correspondence about Mother Ignatia Campbell prepared by Sister Esther Bardawell. There are also several undated photographs of Mother Ignatia Campbell.
This collection contains material accumulated by the archivist of the London congregation. It includes photographs of the General Council members, a farewell reflection written by Sister Patricia Hogan thanking the last General Council members and lists of General Council members and their duties and dates of service.
This series contains newsletters pertaining to the congregation. The early newsletters were generally written by the General Superior and addressed to the Sisters of the congregation. Some later newsletters pertained to the amalgamation of four congregations to become The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada in 2012.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)This series documents the Community Days. The series contains material covering ten different years. The Community Days were not held every year, but Assembly meetings were held every two years, and Chapter meetings were held every four years. The series contains various materials related to these meetings. Some of the most interesting materials include, for example, a Windsor workshop that taught Sisters to experience negotiation, meditation, and to practice active listening communication; the celebration of the 125th Anniversary (1993); a workshop on managing differences and conflict situations (2002); and other workshops and conferences.
The series contains schedules of congregational days, leadership style notes, spiritual exercises, prayers, workshop notes, “coming soon” reminders and “welcome” sheets, musical sheets for prayers and songs, short writings about the congregational history, correspondence related to the Community gatherings, reviews of new publications, ceremonies and celebrations, talks, corporate stances, photocopies of articles or short book chapters. It also contains printed brochures with prayers, theological reflections, other kinds of spiritual reflections, and conference materials.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)This is a collection of histories and reference material, including publications and photocopies of historical documents and correspondence, created and collected by the Sisters illustrating the foundation and history of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. Topics range from the founding of the religious order of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Le Puy, France by Father Jean Pierre Médaille in 1648 to the activities of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the diocese of London, Ontario from their foundation to the early 2000s. A major focus of the material is on the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London as a branch of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto and the establishment of an independent congregation. Many of the Sisters wrote accounts, chronicles, booklets, and essays on their history, some of which were published. Drafts and published versions of these writings are included here alongside histories written by those from outside the congregation. There are also various photocopies of records from the late 1800s related to the early history of the Sisters. This includes publications on their history, correspondence about establishing the community (though there are also some original correspondence), Acts of Profession, Acts of Reception, the 1871 Act of Incorporation and the 1915 and 1938 amendments. There are, however, original documents from the late 1800s and early 1900s as well, such as photographs of Sisters, “History of the Sisters of St. Joseph,” (which was written at Sacred Heart Convent, London), and an excerpt from a manuscript by Bishop R. H. Dignan. The approbation decree and pontifical rights from the Holy See in Rome for Sisters of St. Joseph of London’s are also present. The material in this collection also includes photographs, postcards, a photo album, and news clippings.
The series contains booklets, information sheets, and newsletters related to Catholic prayer, rituals, and services in both independent and guided forms.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)This series contains the constitutions of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. These include various drafts and final versions of the constitutions and directories the Sisters have developed over the years, their mission statements, as well as various translations and editions of early the constitution of the Sisters of St. Joseph by Father Jean-Pierre Médaille. Some of the material is bound while other material is loose-leaf pages. There is also the constitution from the Sisters’ mission in Peru. Along side the constitutions and directories are correspondence and a pamphlet.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)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.
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada (London, Ont.)