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This series primarily contains correspondence of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario from 1976 to 2001 during their western mission in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Alberta related to collaborating with social service agencies. There are news clippings, pamphlets, letters, emails, notes, and lists regarding the Sisters’ engagement with primarily three social service agencies, the Boyle-McCauley Health Centre, Crossroads House Too, and the Kirwin-Lucier House. The Boyle-McCauley Health Centre was a women’s health clinic. The Crossroads House Too, opened in December 1994 by Sister Catherine (Kitty) Stafford, was a residence that provided shelter for former female sex workers over the age of 18 some of whom were pregnant or a single mother and were making the transition into mainstream life. Crossroads House Too was overseen by Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation, a partnership of all the inner-city churches which ran various residences for inner city people. The Kirwin-Lucier House was a project by the Edmonton People In Need Shelter Society, an organization referred to as P.I.N.S. It consisted of 15 residences for adults in need of mental health care and guidance, and it was opened on October 5, 1993. There are also issues of Edmonton Newsletters, a newsletter providing personal updates on the activities of the Edmonton Sisters written by Sister Mary Leo Kirwin from 1983 to 1989. Topics include celebrations, retreats, her travels to visiting other western missions in Alberta, renovations at the Sylvan Lake house cottage near Red Deer, Alberta, Christmas preparations, and making food hampers for impoverished families. There is also a 2001 Government of Canada official letter in recognition and appreciation of volunteer work by the Sisters from the Honourable A. Anne McLellan, Member of Parliament. In addition, there are two photographs, one is of a wall plaque hung inside the Kirwin-Lucier House, and the other is of the front of the house.

This subseries consists of three historical summaries of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario regarding Elizabeth Place, a collaboration with the Elizabeth Fry Society during the Sisters’ western mission in the Edmonton Archdiocese. Elizabeth Place was a three-floor, seven-bedroom residence for formerly incarcerated females, located on 95th Street, in the Sacred Heart Parish. It opened on November 4, 1987. It was an initiative spearheaded by Sister Mary Leo Kirwin and assisted by Sisters Genevieve Casey and Dominica Sheldon. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton, an organization that supported women who were or at risk of becoming criminalized, would refer women to Elizabeth Place. The first historical summary is a handwritten personal account by Sister Alice Caza from August 1, 1991, to June 18, 2004, that chronicles the activities and events at Elizabeth Place. Topics include new clientele admissions and frequent move outs (which was about 16 women per year), Sisters arriving and leaving for new work assignments or retiring, teaching English language classes at Unity Centre, furniture donations, household improvements and structural repairs, the Sisters’ stolen white Citation 1981 car, annual Regional House meeting, Sylvan Lake cottage holiday retreat, cultural celebrations, and conferences. Sister Alice Caza was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 and passed away on July 4, 2008, and in August 2008, the Leadership team decided to sell the house.

The second historical summary was written by Sister Dominica Sheldon from November 4, 1987, to December 1988 and the third historical summary was written by Sister Mary Leo Kirwin from January 1, 1990, to August 6, 1991. The topics included are the official signing of papers for the house ownership of Elizabeth Place, setting up of the house, opening preparations for residents, the Life Skills program organized by the Elizabeth Fry Society in a ground floor classroom, concerns for the impact of mental health issues of those staying at Elizabeth Place, the deaths of residents, residents entering and leaving, room preparations, discussions with officers, correctional institutional, and social service workers. The Sisters also wrote about bible study, backyard barbeques, cultural celebrations, and an outing to the West Edmonton mall. There is one group photograph of the Sisters at Elizabeth Place in December 1992.

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.

Subseries consists of records pertaining to the construction of the Motherhouse building. These include a mimeographed sketch of the building, and lists of architects, contractors, and building materials used in construction. The subseries also includes invoices for building materials and statues, insurance appraisals, lists of benefactors and gifts provided, correspondence from architects and builders, and thank-you notes from guest wing visitors. Newspaper clippings with stories about the building and photographs of the murals are also included. A CD-ROM contains 6 digital images of the murals.