Sisters of Charity of Halifax

The modern archives of the Sisters of Charity – Halifax dates back to approximately 1940, when a room in Mount Saint Vincent Motherhouse that was known as the Administration Parlor was turned into the “History Room.” Sister Inviolata Kline, Secretary General, was in charge, with the assistance of Sister Mary Emmanuel Sullivan. In 1951, the Sisters’ Motherhouse was destroyed by a fire, including the records of the congregation housed in the History Room. 

After the fire, St. Stephen’s Convent in North End Halifax was used as the base of operations for the reconstruction of the documentary heritage of the Congregation. Copies of all relevant documents available from other repositories were compiled and formed the basis of the new archival collection.  

At the Ninth General Chapter in 1956, the congregation implemented provinces and with it, provincial archives and archivists. The Archives-Museum in the newly constructed Mount Saint Vincent Motherhouse opened in 1958. The Eighteenth General Chapter in April 1996 suspended provinces and vice-provinces, and by extension, provincial archives. All records previously held by the archives of the provinces were transferred to the Congregational Archives, located in Mount Saint Vincent Motherhouse. In 2008, the Congregational Archives was moved into the newly built Sisters of Charity Centre in Halifax.  

The archives of the Sisters of Charity, Halifax is a repository for archival and historical material relating to St. Vincent de Paul, founder of the Daughters of Charity in France (1633), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, foundress of the American sisters at Emmitsburg, Maryland (1809), the mission from New York (1849), the founding of the Halifax congregation (1856), the functioning of the congregation from 1849 to the present day, including government of the congregation, general and provincial membership, and ministry/apostolate.

The painting depicts a scene on McNabs Island in Halifax Harbour during a cholera outbreak in 1866. In the foreground are two Sisters in black habits. One is offering a cup to a woman in a shawl. The other Sister is surrounded by children. A third Sister is seen in a tent caring for a person. Makeshift tents are set up next to trees. Two ships are anchored in the Halifax Harbour.

The SS England, a large ship carrying 1300 passengers bound for New York, was suddenly struck by a cholera outbreak was forced to make an emergency stop in the Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia. By the time the anchor had dropped, 50 passengers had already died of the disease. Archbishop Thomas Louis Connelly was concerned about the care of the sick, especially the orphaned children, and asked for volunteers to go to the island. Despite the very serious risk of contracting the disease, every Sister volunteered. Three Sisters were selected to minister to the sick on McNabs Island, and none contracted cholera.

Within the congregation, this event is referred to as the start of health care ministries for the Sisters.

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