Joyce, St. Patrick

• Monica Mary Joyce
• Sister St. Patrick Joyce
• Sister Monica Mary Joyce

Monica Mary was born in Chatham, Kent County, Ontario on March 4, 1922. Monica was the daughter of Patrick W. Joyce (born Merlin, Ontario, died 1958) and Johanna Fitzgibbon (born Ridgetown, Ontario, died 1972). She had two brothers: John (Jack, 1916-1972) and Reginald (1918-2003), both of Chatham, Ontario.
She attended high school at Ursuline College, Chatham from 1936 to 1940. Monica had a great interest in tennis and was known as a Michigan-Ontario tennis champion. However, she chose to become a nurse and in 1944, graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Chatham.
She then decided to enter the Sisters of St. Joseph of London at Sacred Heart Convent where she received the habit on August 25, 1945. She was given the religious name, Sister St. Patrick. Sister professed first vows on August 25, 1947, and final vows on August 25, 1950, at Sacred Heart Convent.
Sister St. Patrick began a career in nursing at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Sarnia as medical and night supervisor from 1947 until 1952, then moved to St. Joseph’s Hospital in London for two years. She enrolled at the University of Western Ontario in London and in 1952 received a diploma in psychiatric nursing. After graduation Sister St. Patrick was appointed psychiatric and night supervisor in London from 1955 until 1957. She then returned to Sarnia to the emergency department at St. Joseph’s Hospital where she remained until 1967. During this period, she gained valuable experience in dealing with alcoholics. Sister’s deep concern for alcoholics stemmed from 1942 when she was a student nurse who was appalled at the lack of dignity and respect with which alcoholics were treated. It was Sister St. Stephen at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Sarnia who recognized the extraordinary ability that Sister St. Patrick had to work with alcoholics as she had a natural, innate compassion and understanding of them.
After obtaining a diploma in nursing service administration from the University of Windsor, Sister earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1969. From 1969 until 1972 Sister St. Patrick served as liaison officer between the Addiction Research Foundation and St. Joseph’s Hospital, a work in which she was deeply interested, but also qualified professionally. She began courses in alcoholism and addictions and received a Specialist Certificate from Rutgers University in the USA in 1969.
Aware of her professional qualifications, as well as her years of practical experience with alcoholics, the Board of St. Joseph’s Hospital, London appointed Sister St. Patrick as director of a Detoxification Center which opened on September 13, 1973, on Dufferin Avenue. She worked hard to provide a home-like environment, conducive to the patient’s well-being, an open ear, and help for those who wished it. In September 1979, the Detox Center for men was moved to the historic gabled mansion built in 1856 by William Spencer, at the corner of Queens Avenue and William Street. Eventually this site would provide a haven for women as well as men and this new location provided the expanded accommodations and services for rehabilitation and counseling.
Sister St. Patrick’s extensive service in improving treatment and awareness of alcohol and drug addiction recovery won her many awards and recognition. On March 5, 1987, she was the first recipient of the Addiction Research Foundation’s award. Sister also received an award from the London Police Force for her work in London. In 1989 she received another award from the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Association of Ontario. In 1989 Sister St. Patrick was a founding member and on the Board of Westover Treatment Centre located in Thamesville, Ontario and was instrumental in obtaining funding from the Ministry of Health of Ontario for developing the program at Westover, and for overseeing the implementation of the program. In 1991 a new building was added to Westover and was named in her honour, “the St. Patrick’s Building.” In 1995, Turning Point Inc., a recovery home for men and women, gave Sister an award for her years of dedicated work on their Board. However, the awards which were most meaningful to her were the medallions for honorary membership in Alcoholics Anonymous which was given to her by the group in Sarnia in 1951 and the London group in 1968.
In 1982 Sister St. Patrick opened a Community sponsored half-way long term stay residential home, St. Stephen’s House on English Street in London, which she named after Sister St. Stephen who was instrumental in encouraging Sister St. Patrick to work with those who were addicted to alcohol while both were in Sarnia many years before. St. Stephen’s House was set up as a supportive home for recovering addicts where they could live while starting new jobs and saving money to eventually go out on their own. While in residence they were obliged to share household duties, participate in house meetings, and attend AA meetings. Soon a second house was established on Gower Street in 1987 for eight men.
Sister St. Patrick’s educational background and experiences served her well when she began her work with persons with alcohol and drug addictions. She never wavered or gave up on “the boys.” She knew how to respond to them in their darkest moments, how to challenge, encourage and support them in their struggles. She touched hundreds of lives with her forthright manner, her compassion, and her unstinting gift of self. However, she was known to be a straight shooter. She demonstrated unconditional love, but she was tough!
Sister St. Patrick retired in 1988 from the Detox Center of St. Joseph’s Hospital, London. However, she remained as manager of the two recovery homes and on the Board of many facilities offering guidance to many recovering alcoholics.
Due to her poor health and the deteriorating neighborhood conditions on English Street, she closed that recovery home. Sister continued as administrator of St. Stephen’s House on Gower Street until handing it over in June 2001 to Bev Thomson, her friend, who agreed to act as administrator to keep the home open and to carry on Sister St. Patrick’s legacy.
Sister St. Patrick died in Ignatia Hall Infirmary on July 4, 2001. Her Funeral Mass of Resurrection was celebrated in Immaculate Conception Chapel at Mount St. Joseph, London, Ontario. Many of those whom she helped during her life, attended the Visitation and Funeral. She is buried in St. Peter's Cemetery, London.

London, Ontario
Chatham, Ontario
Sarnia, Ontario

Sisters of St. Joseph of London Archives.
Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada Biography Database.