This series consists of material created by and collected about Mother Constance Dunn. This includes biographical research; a bound New Testament owned by Mother Constance Dunn; photographs of Mother Constance Dunn and her sister, Sister Norberta Dunn; correspondence concerning a new Motherhouse, the foundation of the hospital in Sarnia; jubilees; correspondence, some written in Latin, with the Bishop of London, John T. Kidd, and the Archbishop of Edmonton, J. H. MacDonald, concerning the canonical status of the Edmonton community (the canonical status, governance, and fiscal responsibility of the Edmonton community had been an ongoing issue since the Edmonton community had been founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of London in 1922); and letters from Bishop Dignan of Sault Ste. Marie to Mother Constance expressing his condolences on the deaths of several Sisters.

This sous-fonds consists of five scrapbooks created by Sister Chrysostom Murphy of her religious community in London, Ontario, two photographs of all the Sisters in the community taken in 1993, the copy of the new constitutions she received when the London congregation amalgamated with three other congregations in 2012, and her diploma for her Master of Education degree. The scrapbooks are primarily concerned with the Sisters, their residences, and Sister Chrysostom’s reception and jubilees. The scrapbooks contain photographs, clippings, postcards, icons of Saints, prayer cards, funeral cards, biographies of Sisters, celebration speeches, invitations, pamphlets, tickets, and obituaries and photographs of Sisters, priests, and bishops. Notable material includes photographs of the interior and exterior of Mount St. Joseph in London, photographs of Sister Chrysostom’s jubilees, and Bishop Roland Fabbro’s statement in response to the conviction of Father Charles Sylvestre.

This series contains records relating to the administration for The Hope Project in London, Windsor, and Edmonton, and 61 applications for grants from the London Hope Project. The records include correspondence, brochures, notes, photographs, newspaper clippings, budget records, a booklet, applications, receipts, and business cards.

This series contains records collected about, belonging to, and created by Sister Theresa Marie Caillouette. It includes photographs, a poem she recited when she became a postulant, her resume, biography, and educational certificates and awards for her work. Notable inclusions are a certificate of distinction on completion of the Management Education program offered by the Ontario Hospital Association in 2000 and an award in recognition of outstanding volunteer service to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Chatham in 1995. She was an avid participant of the Canadian Medaille Team and received funding from the French Embassy to study the history of the Congregation in France. In 1986 she was honored as a researcher by the Federation at the 150th Anniversary event at St. Louis, Missouri. A chronology of her research activities, a certificate from the 150th Anniversary, and addresses she made to the Federation for the period from 1967-1971 are included. There are newsletters and news clippings documenting her views and her work, including a 1974 newspaper profile for her parish work at St. Joseph’s Convent in Sarnia and a profile in a newsletter announcing her election as General Superior by the Diocese of London on April 13, 1987. Her views on the role of Sisters in parish ministry are set out in a paper she authored in 1987. The paper is based on her seven years of experience as assistant to the local priest and her membership on the Diocesan Commission on the role of women in the Church and in society. Her reflection on conversion, published in Canadian C.S.J. Bulletin in 1991 while she was serving as Vice-President of the Federation, is also included.
 

This fonds consists of records that pertain to the House of Providence and Marian Villa. More specifically, it consists of histories, commemorative materials, and administrative materials. There are also records related to the Marian Villa Auxiliary.

This fonds consists of records primarily related to the history and administration of the St. Joseph Health Care Society in London. There are some additional materials related to its responsibilities to facilities in Chatham and Sarnia. The fonds contains correspondence, legal documents, minutes and reports.

This series contains records relevant to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the diocese of London’s amalgamation with the Hamilton, Pembroke, and Peterborough congregations to become the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada. The records are from before, during, and just after the amalgamation. While material concerns all four of the congregations and the Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada, it was created by and primarily concerns the London Sisters.

The Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada was heavily involved in driving the amalgamation. In 1996 a video was shown to the London Sisters to bring awareness of the prospects of the religious communities and proposed uniting as one congregation. The London Sisters individually wrote reflections on this video. From 2007 to 2009 the Federation operated the Oneness Project which focused on interconnectedness and unity amongst the Sisters of St. Joseph and assessed four potential options of collaboration, one of which was amalgamation. This project resulted in newsletters, presentation slides, and the “Wisdom Gathering” report prepared by Sister Veronica O’Reilly. There is feedback from the London Sisters to the Oneness Project and the options presented at the 2009 Assembly.

Many of the records involved preparation for the amalgamation and the legal, organizational, and financial concerns related to the amalgamation. Other congregations of the Sisters of St. Joseph in the United States had undergone similar union of congregations. A booklet, timelines of their process, and minutes from meetings with these American Sisters were amassed by the Canadian Sisters in preparation for their own amalgamation.

Many committees and teams were formed and involved with preparing for and facilitating the transition, creating new goals and organizational structures for the amalgamated congregation, and communicating the process to the Sisters. Prayer pamphlets, minutes, and agendas from meetings as well as correspondence, newsletters, and reports from these teams and committees are present in this series. Those prominently featured are the Core and Local Futuring Teams, the Transitional Team, the Design Team, Chapter Planning Committee, Materials Resource Committee, Lay Advisory Committee, Website Committee, and the General Council. Select major topics include by-laws, insurance, finances, internal organizational structure, future planning, canonical and civil law requirements, and the creation of a website for the amalgamated congregation. There is also preparation for, and reports from, various Chapters and the Assembly where amalgamation and other options proposed by the Federation were discussed and voted on.

Another report included is “Evolving Design” which was created as part of the amalgamation process to outline the goals, governance, and process of the amalgamated congregation. There are several versions of this document from its creation process. It is based on the Sisters’ feedback on the congregation’s collective vocation and outlines the charism, the leadership structure, the role of the General Chapter, and contains a transitional constitution for the Sisters. It also outlines the duties of the Transitional Team.

There were many legal and financial issues which had to be addressed during the amalgamation. Forms, agreements, by-laws, acts, and correspondence with the Holy See, the Canadian government, solicitors, and Father Francis G. Morrisey about canonical and civil legal requirements for the amalgamation are present in this series. Some by-laws are internal and concern the operations and structures of the amalgamated congregation. Financial records, including budgets and arrangements for transfer of assets, for both the individual and amalgamated congregation are also included. There are also various iterations of guiding principles for the transition process and the amalgamated congregation.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of London had their final, binding vote on amalgamation at the Special Chapter in November of 2011 and there is an album of photographs documenting the event. The formal installation of leadership of the amalgamated congregation was held in 2013, and there is an invitation and brochure from the event. There are also correspondence and statements concerning press releases about the amalgamation.

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.

This collection contains draft biographies of some of the General Superiors, final copies of biographies prepared by the archivist for all General Superiors from 1870-2007, and a script for a television play about the General Superiors called “Our Little Design – A Tribute to St. Joseph” in which Father Medaille, the founder of the congregation, interviews each General Superior from Mother Ignatia Campbell to Sister Katherine McKeough concerning her life.

This sous-fonds contains records pertaining to Sister Margaret Ferris’s education, professional career, artistic endeavors, personal life, and travels. Sister Margaret Ferris was an avid academic and eventually became an instructor. There are various records from her academic pursuits present here, including her many degrees and certificates, research notes, papers, theses, report cards, transcripts, photographs, a scrapbook, and regalia from her Doctorate commencement ceremony. Based on her areas of interest in her studies, she wrote and published a book in 1993 called Compassioning: Basic Counselling Skills for Christian Care-Givers which was translated into Chinese in 2010. Drafts, correspondence with publishers, English and Chinese editions of the book, and material from the book launching party are included. There are also records from when she was teaching. These records are primarily concerned with her career as an instructor at St. Peter’s Seminary and the adaptations of Compassioning: Basic Counselling Skills for Christian Care-Givers as course books for classes at the University of Western Ontario, but there is also a speech by Sister Margaret and her Stewards in Catholic Education Award.

Sister Margaret was an artist, and she created the design for the cards and pamphlets of the congregation’s 2004 Jubilee celebration, which was her Golden Jubilee. Original artworks, preliminary sketches, and replicas are included in this sous-fonds. She was also an avid traveler and photographs, travel diaries, a scrapbook, and ephemera from these trips are present. She made trips to Yellowknife, Quebec, Peru, Florida, California, Rome, and a pilgrimage to France. On the trip to Rome, she acted as a correspondent for the Catholic News Times. There are also personal memorabilia, such as photographs, scrapbooks, a papal blessing, a yearbook from St. Patrick’s High School where she was principal, and an invitation to the 1976 Opening of the Ontario Legislature reception.