December 3, 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of St. Joseph’s Convent.
Sisters of Mercy however, had been ministering in the area around Signal Hill, St. John’s, as early as 1863, making the daily trek from Mercy Convent on Military Road.
In an address to the people of St. Joseph’s Parish, reported in the September 10, 1918 issue of The Daily News, Archbishop Roche recalled the long history of the Sisters of Mercy in the area:
The people of St. Joseph’s have obligations of a special nature toward the Sisters of Mercy. For more than half a century, they have been, practically without interruption, teaching the children of this end of town… I hope that it may not be too much to expect that in the not- too- distant future the Sisters may have a home in this parish, so as to be near their work and to be able to do for the children what they cannot do under these conditions…
Four years later, the Archbishop’s hopes were realized when St. Joseph’s Convent (known in earlier years as Castle Rennie or Castle Lindberg) was formally blessed and opened. The Sisters who formed the first community were: Sisters M. Benedicta Fitzgibbons, M. Michael Gillis, M. Ignatius Molloy and a postulant, Margaret Kent.
One hundred years later, six Sisters call St. Joseph’s their home.
Una foto antigua del convento de San José
Sin embargo, las Hermanas de la Misericordia ya ejercían su ministerio en los alrededores de Signal Hill, St. John’s, desde 1863, haciendo el trayecto diario desde el Convento de la Misericordia en Military Road.
En un discurso a los habitantes de la parroquia de St. Joseph, publicado en el número del 10 de septiembre de 1918 de The Daily News, el arzobispo Roche recordó la larga historia de las Hermanas de la Misericordia en la zona:
La gente de St. Joseph tiene obligaciones de naturaleza especial hacia las Hermanas de la Misericordia. Durante más de medio siglo, han estado, prácticamente sin interrupción, enseñando a los niños de este extremo de la ciudad… Espero que no sea demasiado esperar que en un futuro no muy lejano las Hermanas puedan tener un hogar en esta parroquia, para estar cerca de su trabajo y poder hacer por los niños lo que ellas no pueden hacer en estas condiciones…”.
Cuatro años más tarde, las esperanzas del Arzobispo se hicieron realidad cuando el Convento de San José (conocido en los primeros años como Castillo Rennie o Castillo Lindberg) fue formalmente bendecido e inaugurado. Las Hermanas que formaron la primera comunidad fueron: Las Hermanas M. Benedicta Fitzgibbons, M. Michael Gillis, M. Ignatius Molloy y una postulante, Margaret Kent.
Cien años más tarde, seis Hermanas llaman a San José su hogar.
Leadership Team and the members of St. Clare’s Advisory Council made plans to celebrate Mercy Day at the hospital.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy had received word from Mary (Tarrant) Hodge early in August that the people of St. Lawrence, little St. Lawrence, Lawn and surrounding areas wanted to have a celebration to recognize the ministry of the Sisters of Mercy in those areas and to officially thank them. Three Sisters, Sister M. Rose Murphy, M. Xavier Tarahan, and M. Stanislaus Taylor, had arrived in St. Lawrence in 1871 and the last Sister to minister there was Sr. Lucia Walsh who left in 2009. Would the Sisters who had ministered, or who had come from there be able to attend the festivities planned on the weekend of October 20th and 21st, 2012, asked Mary? She insisted that the Congregational Leader HAD to be there! The Planning Committee would not entertain her absence but were willing to change the date of the event to suit her agenda. Elizabeth Davis was free to go on the 20th and 21st.
Saturday, October 20th was the most beautiful day, weather-wise, that we had had all year! Sisters from St. John’s left very early in the morning when traffic was light and the moose had not yet ventured out from their night’s haunts. The sun shone its mightiest, the sky was cloudless, the environment was ecologically correct and when we drove off the Trans-Canada and travelled down the Peninsula highway the splendor of the gold, yellows, browns and sometimes reds of the autumn leaves was absolutely breathtaking. Those of us with digital cameras were kept busy trying to capture the beauty before us. This was particularly difficult especially if our driver had no intention of letting us out of the car to shoot the scenery!