Religious Sisters of Charity
Encyclopedia
The Religious Sisters of Charity or Irish Sisters of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Mary Aikenhead
in Ireland in 1815.
Its motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" (2 Corinthians 5:14).
The order has its headquarters at Harold's Cross in Dublin and operates in the Ireland
, England
, Scotland
, Nigeria
, Zambia
, USA and Venezuela
. The website states that 'The whole congregation is governed by a congregational leader, assisted by a group of sisters known as the general leadership team or the general council.' The Religious Sisters of Charity of Australia
is constituted as a distinct Congregation.
In England and Scotland, the order operates as a registered charity
and in 2007–8 had a gross income of £15.5 million and 251 employees.
In 1835 St. Vincent's Hospital
in Dublin and was set up by Mary Aikenhead (the first hospital staffed by nuns in the English-speaking world).
In 1838 five sisters arrived in Australia — the first religious women to set foot on Australian soil — and later opened a convent in Parramatta. Since 1842 the Australian congregation has operated independently. St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
, was founded by the Sisters in 1857.
In 1925, the Sisters of Charity ventured to Queensland, Australia to open a school, Mt St Michael's College - originally known as Grantuly until 1941 - in Ashgrove .
In 2001 the Sisters opened a hospice
in Harold's Cross, Dublin, pioneering the modern hospice movement.
The Sisters operate a heritage centre within the grounds of Our Lady's Hospice
, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
In December 2003, Our Lady's Hospice opened a satellite unit for specialist palliative care in Blackrock, Co. Dublin called The Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin Hospice. It was provided through the generosity of the Louis and Zelie Martin Foundation.
Mary Aikenhead
Mother Mary Frances Aikenhead was born in Daunt's Square off Grand Parade, Cork, Ireland. She was the founder of the Roman Catholic religious order the Religious Sisters of Charity and of St...
in Ireland in 1815.
Its motto is "Caritas Christi urget nos" (2 Corinthians 5:14).
The order has its headquarters at Harold's Cross in Dublin and operates in the Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, USA and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. The website states that 'The whole congregation is governed by a congregational leader, assisted by a group of sisters known as the general leadership team or the general council.' The Religious Sisters of Charity of Australia
Sisters of Charity of Australia
The Sisters of Charity of Australia is a congregation of Roman Catholic women religious who have served the people of Australia since 1838...
is constituted as a distinct Congregation.
In England and Scotland, the order operates as a registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and in 2007–8 had a gross income of £15.5 million and 251 employees.
History
The order was founded by Mary Frances Aikenhead (1787–1858) who opened its first convent in Dublin in 1815.In 1835 St. Vincent's Hospital
St. Vincent's University Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is at the junction of Merrion Road and Nutley Lane opposite the Merrion Centre and adjacent to Elm Park Golf Club.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St...
in Dublin and was set up by Mary Aikenhead (the first hospital staffed by nuns in the English-speaking world).
In 1838 five sisters arrived in Australia — the first religious women to set foot on Australian soil — and later opened a convent in Parramatta. Since 1842 the Australian congregation has operated independently. St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent's Public Hospital, Sydney is located in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. Though part of the New South Wales state public health system it remains under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity.-History:...
, was founded by the Sisters in 1857.
In 1925, the Sisters of Charity ventured to Queensland, Australia to open a school, Mt St Michael's College - originally known as Grantuly until 1941 - in Ashgrove .
In 2001 the Sisters opened a hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
in Harold's Cross, Dublin, pioneering the modern hospice movement.
The Sisters operate a heritage centre within the grounds of Our Lady's Hospice
Our Lady's Hospice
Our Lady's Hospice is a Hospice with its main centre in Harold's Cross, Dublin and a specialist palliative care unit in Blackrock, County Dublin in Ireland. The Hospice was founded and run by the Religious Sisters of Charity, a congregation themselves founded by Mary Aikenhead. They provide...
, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
In December 2003, Our Lady's Hospice opened a satellite unit for specialist palliative care in Blackrock, Co. Dublin called The Venerable Louis and Zelie Martin Hospice. It was provided through the generosity of the Louis and Zelie Martin Foundation.
Further reading
- Donovan, Margaret. M. (1979bc). Apostolate of Love: Mary Aikenhead, 1787–1858, Foundress of the Irish Sisters of Charity. Melbourne: Polding Press.
- Meenan, F. O. C. (1995). St Vincent's Hospital 1834-1994. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-2151-9.
- Whitaker, Anne-Maree (2007). St Vincent's Hospital 1857-2007: 150 Years of Charity, Care and Compassion. Kingsclear Books. ISBN 9780908272884