A Brief History

In May 1849, at the request of the Bishop of Halifax, Nova Scotia, four Sisters from the Sisters of Charity of New York came to Halifax to serve as teachers. They would be the first religious community in this maritime city. Shortly after their arrrival the Sisters opened their first school, housed at St. Mary Convent in the heart of the city. Halifax was still a growing city and the need for assistance spanned beyond education. The Sisters responded to these needs. Within a short time they were also caring for orphans and for the sick.

Within a few years there were sufficient vowed members and candidates to establish a new Congregation, separate from the New York Sisters of Charity. The establishment of "Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Halifax" was formally approved by Pope Pius IX in 1856.

Over the next 100 years the Congregation continued to grow and prosper, establishing ministries across Canada, throughout the eastern United States, in Bermuda, Peru and the Dominican Republic. In the 1960s, the Congregation's focus changed from mainly education and healthcare to more diverse ministries based on the changing needs of the areas in which they served.