Showing 211 results

This series contains the history of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario in the Parish of Belle River in Belle River, Ontario. There are historical summaries about the activities and events at the Convent of St. Joseph on Charles Street in Belle River, including the Sisters’ contribution to education as teachers and administrators at the Sacred Heart School and St. Jean Baptiste School in Belle River. There are also 1891 and 1893 land deeds within the Village of Belle River and various newspaper clippings documenting the Sisters’ long service in the Parish of St. Simon and St. Jude in Belle River. The Belle River Mission was operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of London when it was first established in 1889 until its closing in 1985. In addition, there are photo albums of the Sisters at St. Joseph’s Convent in Belle River. Photographs in the albums also document the Sisters participating in events such as the school choir and fair at St. John Baptist School in Belle River, and going on outings to Niagara Falls, Banff, and Lake Louise.

This series contains a short history on the activities of Sister Beata (Jeanne d' Arc Celine) Gagnon of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario during the Blenheim Mission in Blenheim, Ontario. In 1998, Mr. Shawn Moyniham, Principal of St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s Schools in St. Mary’s Parish in Blenheim, Ontario invited Sister Beata to visit the classrooms and interact with the students. Sister Beata arrived on July 1, 1998, and assisted in the faith component of the school curriculum, teaching elements of Mass, religious terminology, the names of Saints with statues in St. Mary’s Church, and the meaning of Advent, Confession, and Confirmation to kindergarten to Grade 3 pupils. She prepared children for their First Holy Communion and provided spiritual guidance to the school staff. She also visited the Nursing Home, Community Centre, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Blenheim Basement, a place where teenagers could gather. In January 2002, she was an unofficial pastoral assistant upon the arrival of a new priest, Father Paul Duplessie, pastor of Blenheim at St. Mary’s Church. In September 2000, she handcrafted small wooden houses as raffle prizes for fundraising for an upcoming thanksgiving event. Sister Beata worked in the Parish of Blenheim until 2010, when she retired and returned to London, Ontario.

There is a scrapbook style journal written by Sister Beata from 1998 to 2004 chronicling her activities that includes newspaper clippings, printed pictures, and cards from events in St. Mary’s Parish, Blenheim, where Sister Beata worked with the students at St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s Schools. There is also correspondence to and from Sister Beata to Sister Mary Zimmer from 2001 to 2007 with general news about St. Mary’s Church. There are also several invitation cards. One is for the opening of the Capuchins of Central Canada, St. Francis Friary, Blenheim on May 14-15, 2005. Another is to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of St. Mary’s Catholic Women’s League on June 5, 2007. There is also a program brochure with printed photographs for the 70th Anniversary St. Mary’s Parish in 1997.

There are newspaper articles published and printed in the Blenheim News-Tribune, a local community newspaper. The news articles primarily feature St. Mary’s School student activities, a new Blenheim Youth Centre opening and ribbon cutting, a new Friary opening for the Capuchin Fathers of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and “View from the Pulpit” column clippings. Notably, on May 28, 1999, Sister Beata had invited over 40 students and 2 teachers to visit her apartment to enjoy snacks and sing songs, and this incident was featured in an article in the Blenheim News-Tribune with a picture on June 2, 1999. In addition, there are photographs of different rooms inside Sister Beata’s apartment on Chatham Street, St. Mary’s School, and of Father Paul Duplessie, pastor of Blenheim at St. Mary’s Church.

There are also brief summaries on the foundation and early history of St. Mary’s Parish in Blenheim and the Town of Erieau and a booklet with printed pictures and drawings of the Fathers of the Capuchins of Central, followers of St. Francis of Assisi who were involved with the area.

This series contains a short historical summary from 1996 to 1998 about Sister Ellen Topping and Sister Kateri Ghesquiere of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph on their mission in Brampton, Ontario. From July 1996 until 1998, Sister Ellen Topping and Sister Kateri Ghesquiere of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, lived on Lisa Street in Brampton, Ontario. The City of Brampton is 173km east of London and resides within Treaty 19 (Ajetance Purchase of 1818) Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Huron, and Wendat Nations. In 1995, in her role as a Crisis Worker, Sister Ellen helped to open the Chemical Withdrawal Centre in Brampton, a rehabilitative facility for people recovering from substance addiction and alcohol use disorder. She was on staff until the Spring of 1998, when she moved to Guelph, Ontario to work at the Homewood Health Centre. Sister Kateri provided health care consultancy in her role as the Vice Chair of the Board of the Catholic Health Association of Canada from 1996 to 1997, and then as Chair from 1997 to 1998. She was also the driving force in establishing the St. Joseph’s Health Care Society of London, Ontario. She chaired the Health Care Ethic Guide Revision Committee and served on its Board of Directors. At the end of July 1998 Sister Kateri decided to move to London, Ontario. The records document the challenges of the opening and management of the healthcare facility, Chemical Withdrawal Centre, in Brampton, and trips the Sisters made to nearby Toronto, Niagara Falls, and Hamilton, Ontario.

This series contains the history of the Chatham Mission in Chatham, Ontario of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario from 1982 to 2012. It contains historical summaries written by Sister Ann Purtill on the activities at the residence on Robinson Avenue, Chatham, Ontario, and historical summaries written by Sister Mary Diane Cahill on the activities at the residence on Dufferin Avenue, Chatham, Ontario. Some of the topics include moving in and out days, house renovation and landscaping, jubilees and seasonal celebrations, attending retreats and workshops, Bursary Meetings, General Chapter Meetings, Associate Business Meetings, and the Regional Conference for Associates. There is also an inventory list of furniture that was transported from London to Chatham, Ontario by the Aero Mayflower Transit Company Limited, on August 25, 1982.

This series contains the history of the Delhi Mission in Southwestern Ontario by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. In 1936, Father John Uyen started an educational program in Delhi, Ontario to provide catechism classes referred to as Catechetical Summer Vacation School (also known as Catechetical School, Summer School, or Vacation School). Father Uyen succeeded in obtaining permission to use two classrooms in a public school and arranged six classes for an enrollment of 201 students. In July 1937, Sisters St. Philip Traynor, Denise Sullivan, Clotilde Morrissey, and Claude Kelly from the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario, arrived to provide catechetical instruction. Father Uyen appealed to the Reverend Mother Constance Dunn for a Separate School to be built for the Sisters to teach in. Construction began to build St. John Brebeuf School, a four-room school, as well as St. Joseph’s Convent next to St. John Brebeuf Church. There were also renovations to extend the Church with an attached rectory. The school, convent, and rectory officially opened in 1938. However, on September 3, 1938, when a new staff group comprised of Mother Gonzaga Langan and Sisters Claude Kelly, Lidwin Sparr, Pauline McGuire, and Brendan Doherty arrived at Delhi, the Convent was still incomplete but habitable. In good spirits the Sisters served as teachers and established a music school and a rhythm band. On November 6, 1938, the new school was blessed by Bishop Kidd, and the first musical recital was on June 24, 1939.

On January 18, 1953, the Sisters assisted with the formation of a Parent Teacher’s Association that was well received by the parishioners. In September 1954, a new apostolate in Waterford, Ontario opened to provide religion and choir classes. In 1957, the construction of a new four-room school, St. Frances Cabrini School, was started to accommodate the overflow of students from St. John Brebeuf School. St. Frances Cabrini School officially opened in Delhi on September 3, 1958, and Sister Mary Laura Landry was appointed principal. In 1959, there was a four-room addition to expand St. Frances Cabrini School due to increased enrollment. On July 1, 1966, the Sisters withdrew from the Parishes of La Salette and Delhi, but Sisters Maura McGuinness and Mary Louis McSherry commuted daily from Tillsonburg to continue teaching at St. John Brebeuf School and at St. Frances Cabrini School in Delhi until 1968.

The Villages of Delhi, La Salette, Walsh, and Waterford in Norfolk County, Ontario is situated on the traditional and Upper Canada Treaty Lands, including the Two Row Wampum Belt, and One Dish One Spoon Wampum treaty lands of the Anishinaabe, Attiwonderonk (Neutral), Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), and Mississauga Peoples.

Present in this series are historical summaries about St. Joseph’s Convent in Delhi, which covers the early settlement of Delhi to the withdrawal of the Sisters from the area. There is also a chronicle of activities and events in Norfolk County, detailing the Sisters missions in Delhi, La Salette, Walsh, and Waterford. Some activities and events include teaching, supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students and parishioners, severe weather, a door-to-door fundraising campaign, and assisting those seeking food, shelter, and employment.

There are two booklets. One is titled, Solemn Blessing of St. John Brebeuf and Companions Church, St. Frances Cabrini School, dated December 16, 1957. This booklet includes a brief history of the parish, a short article about the school, priests who served in the area, Trustees of Delhi Separate School Board, names of Grade 1 to 8 students, printed pictures of the teaching staff, altar boys, girls choir, and adult choir, and the newly built St. John de Brebeuf School. The other program booklet titled, The Silver Jubilee Year of Our Parish – St. John Brebeuf and Companions Church is about fundraising work.

This series also contains several lists of Sisters who served as principals and teachers, Sisters who taught at the Summer School, pastors, and benefactors. There is also correspondence between Sister Mary Zimmer and Ann M. Dol, Secretary of St. Frances Cabrini School on planning the celebration of the school’s 50-year anniversary in Delhi, a newspaper advertisement for the sale of St. Joseph’s Convent in Delhi, and news clippings related to Reverend Father John Uyen. There are also photographs of St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Frances Cabrini School, St. John de Brebeuf Church and School in Delhi as well as Father John Uyen, Seminarians Mr. A. Meloche and Mr. Oroskovits, and Sisters St. Philip Traynor, Denise Sullivan, Clotilde Morrissey, and Claude Kelly posing with pupils in front of a public school in Delhi, 1937.

This series contains records concerning the establishment of Derrynane Lakehouse in Camlachie, Ontario. Derrynane Lakehouse was a summer beach home and Vocation House for the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario. The series includes historical summaries on the design and building construction of the lake house. There is a short history from 1825 to 1967 about Daniel O'Connell, an Irish Patriot, and his family’s home named Derrynane House in Ireland, from which the name Derrynane Lakehouse is derived. There is a handwritten letter by Sister Mary Patricia (Columkille) Doyle on the founding history of the Derrynane Lakehouse in Canada and the Derrynane House estate in Ireland, a brief about a home for retired priests written by Reverend Father Cyril A. Doyle, and correspondence with General Superior, Sister Mary Diesbourg, regarding the renovations of Derrynane Lakehouse. There are also hand drawn layout plans for each floor, financial estimates, itemized list of costs quotations, construction timelines, and build agreements for the lake house cottage. In addition, there are photographs of the Sisters visiting Derrynane House in Ireland and Reverend Doyle with a car, as well as photographs and negatives that document Sisters’ activities the renovations of Derrynane Lakehouse.

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 subseries contains the chronicles of Tess’s Place from 2001 to 2010 authored by Sister Therese (Tess) Carmel Slavik (1928-2018) of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario, during the Sisters’ western mission in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. This subseries contains a historical summary of the activities and events of the residents of Tess’s Place at 66th Street, Edmonton, Alberta. Tess’s Place was a boarding house opened in 1988, set up and operated by Sister Tess in partnership with the Boyle Street Co-op Youth Unit. Sister Tess collaborated with Boyle Street to help manage a program for homeless youth aged 13 to 19 years, who were impacted by the legal system and coping with addictions. The topics include Sister Tess driving residents to and from rehabilitative facilities, detention centres, hospital, police station, courthouse, and airport. Topics also include various incidents and happenings such as suicide, attempted suicide, knife attacks, drug and alcohol usage, substance abuse and overdose, cheque cashing and forgery, theft, vandalism, break and enters, UAL’s (unlawfully at large), break-ins, hide-outs, pregnancies, births, sex work, bail, court sentencing, and incarceration. There are also topics on furniture and appliance purchases, gardening and crop harvesting, car and house repairs, renovations, and maintenance, and food, gifts, and monetary donations from St. Clare Parish, Sherwood Park Quilting Group, and supportive individuals. In addition, there is an email correspondence by Kathleen Quinn, Executive Director of the Centre to Empower All Survivors of Exploitation (CEASE) & Trafficking. The email contains a status report from CEASE after they were allocated funds from the sale of Tess’s Place. The report concerns the social welfare work of CEASE to help marginalized women eliminate barriers to secure housing with the organization Building Blocks for Families (BBFF), and four printed pictures of an apartment building supportive of singles, seniors, and low-income families.

This series is a general history of the events and activities of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario’s ministry in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Alberta from 1922 to 2019. This series covers the founding history of the Sisters in France and the spread and growth of their sisterhood to eastern then western Canada. The series contains historical summaries, chronicles, and lists of the Sisters activities in Alberta. A number of the records are related to the properties, such as real estate insurances, invoices, property estimations, floor plans, and records concerning the leasing, sale and purchase of houses in Edmonton with a focus on two houses, one on 143rd Street and the other on 148th Street. There are business letters, donation lists, newspaper clippings, and a 1958 city map of Edmonton that documents the contribution of the Sisters’ service in education and social work in the parishes of central Edmonton. Highlighted is the Sisters’ volunteer work that supported the homeless people. There is correspondence, newsletters, and letters of recognition of volunteer work that document the Sisters and their partnerships with social welfare organizations such as the Boyle Street Co-op Youth Unit, the Elizabeth Fry Society, and the Edmonton People In Need Shelter Society (P.I.N.S.). There are also reports, pamphlets, and summaries of the Sisters’ activities at some of these organizations. There are also two noteworthy booklets, a Silver Jubilee souvenir booklet covering 1913 to 1938 and the Chronicles of Sisters of St. Joseph, Edmonton, ALTA covering 1922 to1962. In addition, there are photographs of the Sisters at the closing ceremonies of the St. Joseph’s Convent Regional House in 2001, in Edmonton, a news article about Sister Ethel Steinkey going to assist in New York after 9/11 and lists of the burial plots of deceased Sisters in three cemeteries in Edmonton. There are also photo albums that primarily contain photographs, as well as a list of Sisters, printed pictures and a news clipping related to the Sisters of St. Joseph’s western mission at St. Joseph’s Convent (Regional House), in Edmonton, Alberta.

This series contains material related to the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario's efforts to support Las Vuelas, El Salvador, primarily through the non-governmental organization, SalvAid. SalvAid's Twin Community program links rural communities in El Salvador to Canadian cities and organizations. Windsor is Twin City Project with Las Vueltas, Chalatenango, Windsor District Labour Council is with Cooperative of Las Vueltas, the Sisters of St. Joseph of London were twinned with Church of Las Vueltas, Chalatenango in 1988 and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton were twinned with Valle de Jesús, Chalatenango. Sister Sue Wilson traveled to El Salvador in 1990.