2024 marks 175 since the founding of the Sisters of Charity – Halifax.

175th Anniversary Proclamation

by Sister Margaret Mary Fitzpatrick

We are standing on the shoulders of the 2500+ professed Sisters and hundreds of Associates who came before us and are with us now. We are lifted by their longing, vision, and call to service. We rejoice knowing that we continue to be courageous, that we go beyond ourselves to the other, that we stand with all life that is vulnerable. We act with justice and kindness for we are charity.

We celebrate the past, the present, and the future. We thank the Sisters of Charity of New York for missioning four Sisters to Halifax. Their arrival on May 11, 1849, is our foundational moment. True to Elizabeth Ann Seton, “There is no road, the road is made by walking.” We remember each Sister of Charity and Associate who in great ways and small responded to the needs and yearnings of the people and events around them. 

There is an urgency to our 175th celebration year for we know that these ensuing years are precious. We know that we give joyful witness to love with our every breath.

So let us celebrate. I proclaim the opening of our 175th anniversary year on this day, August 15th, 2023 culminating with a celebration in Halifax on August 15th, 2024. 

‘Loved and energized by the One who calls us,

We hear the cries of those who are poor,

Embrace our own vulnerability, and

Trust the presence of the Spirit in every moment.’

(Chapter 2020)

Celebrating 175 Years Of Our Arrival in Halifax

By Sister Donna Geernaert

For us, Sisters of Charity of Halifax, May 11, 2024, was a day to mark 175 years of service … in Canada, the United States, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and the Canadian North.  Attracted to Vincent de Paul’s love of the poor, and Elizabeth Seton’s zeal for sharing God’s love with her young students, we are women of faith and a passion for serving those in need with a focus on education, health care, and social service. Truly an event to celebrate!

Our Liturgy of Thanksgiving, with Archbishop Brian Dunn presiding, took place at St. Mary’s Basilica right next to the location of our first mission, St. Mary’s school, which opened on Barrington Street within two weeks of the first four Sisters’ arrival in Halifax.  Skilfully weaving themes from the readings of the liturgy of St. Elizabeth Seton into aspects of our past and present history, Archbishop Dunn’s homily invited both gratitude for our predecessors’ achievements and commitment to keeping the flame of charity alive in an ever changing future.

Attended by about 300 sisters, associates, and friends, the liturgy was live-streamed making it available to audiences across Canada and the United States.  It was followed by a reception which included a video loop with multiple photos highlighting people and places that have marked our mission and ministry over our 175 year history. Individually, and as a Congregation, we have learned from, changed, and grown together with our travelling companions, and like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, our eyes have been opened to the presence of the risen Christ.

175th Profiles

Throughout our 175 years of Giving Joyful Witness to Love there have been more than 2500 inspiring stories of lives well lived. We are happy to share stories of how we have made God’s love visible in all the places we’ve ministered.

We would love to be able to feature the incredible stories of all of our Sisters. However, time and space limits us to these 175 individual Sisters of Charity/projects you will read about over the course of our celebratory year. We endeavored to represent the geographic spread of our Congregation as well as every area of service.

Let us rejoice in celebrating God’s love made visible through these 175 profiles!

Week 52

Sister Mary Louise Brink

Sister Donna Geernaert

Sister Joan O'Keefe

Sister Margaret Mary Fitzpatrick

Week 51

Sister Mary Manning

Sister Mary Olga McKenna

Zoom -- Sister Mary Lynn Flett

Week 50

Sister Maria Rosaria Gorman

Sister Bernice Vetter

Sister Pat Wilson

Week 49

Sister Mary Lua Gavin

Sister Marie LaBollita

Sister Eileen Schulenburg

Week 48

Sister Marie Clotilde Douglas

Sister Agnes Paula Hatchette

St. John's Bread and Life

Week 47

Sister Mary Clarissa Conlan

Sister Natalie Morris and Patricia Tobin

Sister Mary Sweeney

Week 46

Sister Louise Bray

Sister Sheila Conley

Sister Patricia Murphy

Week 45

Sister Greta Conrad

Sister Mary Clare Flanagan

Sister Nuala Kenny

Week 44

Sister Albertus Haggarty

Sisters Maureen Skelly and Grazyna Michniewicz

Healing Touch

Week 43

Sister Mary Evelyn Fitzgerald

Sister Elsie Martin

Sister Miriam Constance Swift

Week 42

Sister Paule Cantin

Sister Francis d'Assisi McCarthy

St. Theresa's Retreat - Flinn House

WAITT House

Week 41

Sister Francis Dolores Donnelly

Sister Francis Fay

Sister Francis Lillian Riley

Welcoming Newcomers

Week 40

Sister Sheila Ferraz

Sister Elizabeth Hayes

Sister Catherine Henrietta Stafford

Week 39

Sister Alice Mailman

Sister Katherine Meagher

Sister Maureen Pitts

Sister Evelyn Claire Quinlan

Week 38

Sister Katherine O'Toole

Sisters Maria Felicitas Gee and Elizabeth Seton Belwood

Sisters of Charity Federation

House of Charity

Week 37

Sister Maryann Seton Lopiccolo

Sister Vivian Mancini

Sisters in Song

Week 36

Climate-Earth

Sisters Joan Holmberg and Catherine O'Leary

Sister Frances McLaughlin

Week 35

Sister Anne Harvey

Sister Mary McGowan

Sister Doris McKenna

Week 34

Sister Helene Darte

Sister Rita MacDonald

Sister Catherine Meyer

Week 33

Mother Maria Gertrude/Sister Irene Farmer

Sisters Glenna Connors and Sally McLaughlin

Sister Catherine Gerard Herlihy

Sister Marian Gertrude Lyons

Week 32

Sister Anne Hunter

SSND Educational Center

Sister Catherine de Ricci Tramble

Week 31

Sister Mary Irenaeus Cameron

Sister Teresa Campbell

Sister Maryanne Fitzgerald

Sister Catherine Hanlon

Week 30

Sister Sylvia Bellefontaine

Sister Betsy Groome

Sisters Cecilia Robinson, Anastasia McMullen and Mary Alfreda Comeau

Week 29

Mother Stella Maria Reiser

Sister Anna d'Entremont

Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity MacFadgen

Sister Ann Regan

Week 28

Sisters Margaret Bickar and Betty Toohig

Sister Margaret Flahiff

Sister Mary McCarthy

Sister Yvonne Theriault

Week 27

Sister David Marie Campbell

Sisters Edna Clark and Julia Heslin

Sister Peggy Dolan

Week 26

Associates

Sister Irene Egan

Sister Margaret Young

Week 25

Mother Mary Evaristus Moran

Sister Mary Jean Burns

Sister Kathleen O'Donnell

Seton Asian Center

Week 24

Sister Appolonia de Jong

Sister Maris Stella Murphy

Sister Judy Park

Week 23

Sister Joan Conway

Elizabeth Seton Academy

Sister Marie Gillen

Week 22

Adsum House

Sister Marguerite Armstrong

Sister Laura Buckley

Week 21

Sister Romaine Bates

Sister Margie Gillis

Sister Maryann Sherlock

Week 20

Mother Mary Louise Meahan

Sister Ruth Anne Brighton

Sister Nancy Fader

Sister Anne Gill

Week 19

Sister Kathleen Crowley

Sister Louise Adelaide Hills

Sister Ann Kielley

Week 18

Mother Mary Berchmans Walsh

Sister Elizabeth Adams

Sister Barbara Buxton

The Girls, Wellesley

Week 17

Sister Yvonne Pothier

Sister Kerry Rowland

Sister Jolaine States

Week 16

Mother Mary Fidelis Eustace

Sister Nuala Kenny - Service in the Church

Sister Mary Ellen Loar

Sister Mildred Schubert

Week 15

Bermuda

De Paul Centre

Sister Mary Corona MacDonald

Week 14

Mother Mary Bonaventure Kennedy

Sister Marie Elena Dio

Sister Aileen Halleran

Seton Spirituality Centre

Week 13

Dominican Republic Mission

Northern Canadian Missions

Peru Mission

Week 12

Mother Mary Cleophas Connors

Sisters Carmelita Currie and Anita Gagnon

Sister Mary Foley

Sister Cecilia MacNeil

Week 11

Sister Idella Cooke

Sister Ann McHugh

Sister Florence Patrice Nearing

Week 10

Sister Eileen Therese Boyle

Sister Marjory Gallagher

Sister Mary Providence Rini

Week 9

Mother Mary Benedicta Harrington

Sister Anne Marie Harlow

Sister Mary Bibiana McInnis

Sister Mary Simeon McKinnon

Week 8

Mother Mary Francis Maguire

Corporate Stance on Debt

Corporate Stance on Human Trafficking

Corporate Stance on Water

Week 7

Sisters Barbara Gorham and Maureen Beale

Sisters Elizabeth Bellefontaine

Sister Mary Burns

Sister Fleurette Sweeney

Week 6

Mother Mary Elizabeth O'Neill

Two Honourary Members -- Sister Elizabeth Cody

Two Honourary Members -- Sister Claire Murphy

Seeking Truth and Reconciliation

SC Reconcili-action Inspired by the TRC

Week 5

Sister Rose McNeil

Sister Maura Power

Sister Martha Westwater

Week 4

Mother Mary Josephine Carroll

Sister Mary Emmanuel Sullivan

Sister Blanche White

Week 3

Sister Annata Brockman

Sister Mary Pius Devine

Sister Mary Vincent Power

Week 2

Mother Rose McAleer

Sister Mary Rosina McMullin

Sister Elaine Nolan

Week 1

Mother Basilia McCann

Sister Agnes Berchmans Landry (Profile 1)

Sister Agnes Berchmans Landry (Profile 2)