Subseries 07 - Photographs

• Multiple media

.5 cm of textual records
127 photographs: col.
1 album
2 scrapbooks

This subseries primarily contains colour photographs on the closing of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario’s St. Joseph’s Convent Regional House in Edmonton, Alberta. There are photographs of people who were present during the closing ceremonies from June 29 to July 2, 2001, such as the Sisters, Archbishop, Fathers, and Priests. There are photographs of the interior and exterior of the Regional House and chapel. There are also photographs of the transfer of ownership of the Regional House on October 2, 2000, and the ribbon cutting ceremony in which the keys and blueprint of the building were handed over to John and Ausma Birzgalis, the new property owners. The subseries also contains photographs of two pilgrimages to cemeteries to visit the tombstones of deceased Sisters on June 30 and July 7, 2001. The Birzgalis’ turned the house into the Venta Manor Nursing Home and there are photographs form August 2004 showing the renovations of the former library becoming a dining area, a new lounge section, former dining room becoming a kitchen, former kitchen and dumb waiter, new entrance of nursing home, the second-floor chapel, ground floor hallway, first floor parlour, and enclosed courtyard. In addition to the photographs, there are several printed news clippings. The clippings from 1922 to 1934 are on the religious reception ceremonies of the Sisters at the Sacred Heart Convent in Edmonton, Alberta. The newspaper articles from 1960 to 2003, cover the achievements of Sisters Mary Lourdes, Catherine Cunningham, Clare Lawrence, Rose Leahy, and Joan Kirk; Sisters’ Jubilees; the opening of the new Motherhouse; the Edmonton’s Folk Music Festival; and the Klondike Festival. In addition, there is a map of Alberta indicating the hospital and health care foundations in Stettler, Galahad, Killam, and Rimbey established by the Sisters from 1926 to 1990. There is one photo album and two scrapbooks that contain photographs of the interior, exterior, construction, and surrounding landscape of various buildings such as the Joseph’s Convent (Regional House), Sacred Heart Convent, St. Bernard’s School, Venta Nursing Home, and Sylvan Lakehouse cottage in Alberta. There are photographs of Sisters, Fathers, and Bishops participating in social, cultural, and spiritual events including celebrations, Jubilees, seasonal holidays, and religious retreats. There are also documents inside the scrapbooks, for instance letters, greeting cards, pamphlets, prayer book, hymns, short histories, lists of Sisters, and printed memories and farewell speeches related to the 75th Anniversary of the Sisters of St. Joseph service in health care and education, and the closing of their mission in the Archdiocese of Edmonton.