The History of the First Five Works of the Daughters of Charity in Chicago

School of the Holy Name
(1861-1871)

In 1861, the Daughters of Charity began their first work in Chicago at the School of the Holy Name. The first sisters who came to the school were Sister Ann Regina Jordan, Sister Martha Sherwood, and Sister Beata McFaul.

In 1862, they abruptly interrupted their teaching and charity with a call from their superiors to care for the wounded in the Civil War. The sisters returned to the school during the terrible cholera epidemic.

The Cholera Epidemic

The sisters stepped into the fearful arena of sickness and death of dying mothers who left their children in the care of the sisters.

Sister Ann Regina Jordan died on March 17, 1867, Sister Mary McCarthy succeeded her as principal of the school. Four years later the School of the Holy Name was completely destroyed on October 8, 1871, in the Great Fire of Chicago.

Immediately after the fire, the Sisters of the Holy Name went to St. Patrick School, which had been spared from the fire. The school house was turned into a relief center where several hundred were fed and obtained relief.

House of Providence
(1867-1871)

In December 1867 the Daughters of Charity established their work in Chicago at St. Vincent's House of Providence. It was located on Huron Street between State and Wabash.

St. Vincent's House of Providence, also known as the House of Providence, provided for those who needed shelter care for mothers and infants, the lonely aged, the unemployed, and "an assortment of afflicted humanity." Religious instruction and home visiting in the Holy Name Parish was part of their ministry.

Care of Homeless Children

The sisters brought home from their visits to families in their neighborhood, children whose parents were seriously ill or dying. The sisters then tried to find other families who could care for them.

Sister Olympia McTaggett commenced the work Sister Clotilda O'Neil. Sister Angeline Carrigan also joins them later.

The House of Providence was completely destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Sister Angeline Carrigan, herself, had been carried by the wind and flames toward the Lake. An unknown man drew her out of the flames. She recieved a slight burn on the face and one hand.

This work was destroyed by the fire having served the people of Chicago for less than four years.

St. Columba's School
(1867-1907)

The work of the Daughters of Charity in Chicago at St. Columba's School, was first known as St. Columbkille School in St. Columbkille Parish. It was located at Pauline Street and West Grand Avenue.

On May 15, 1867, the Daughters of Charity accepted charge of the school. The following September 1867, Sister Barbara Clares, principal, and her faculty opened the school for girls called St. Columba's Academy. The boys' school, at the time, run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross, was called St. Columbkille School.

St. Columba's School escaped the catastrophe of the Great Fire of 1871 by reason of its geographic location. However, the sisters at St. Columba's recieved the sisters from the two works that had been destroyed, School of the Holy Name and House of Providence, as well as the sisters and patients from Providence Hospital.

Preparing Meals for the Homeless

In their Relief Center, the sisters prepared meals for the homeless. The Chicago Fire destroyed a large area of the city leaving in its wake thousands of people without shelter.

The school prospered during its history of forty years. When the paster wanted increased enrollment of students, the Daughters of Charity were not in a position to supply additional sisters.

The school closed at the end of the school year 1906-1907.

Providence Hospital
(1868-2001)

In 1868 during the deadly Cholera Outbreak, Bishop James Duggan of Chicago asked the Daughters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for sisters to staff a hospital

In 1869 Sister Walburga and her companions found a house to rent for their new Providence Hospital, now at Diversy Parkway and Clark Street. The sisters soon outgrew their first hospital. A new hospital was being built at Dickens and Burling Streets. It had reached the third floor when the Great Fire broke out.

The people came flocking into our hospital, famished for a drink of water. Eventually the sisters were forced to evacuate their hospital with their sick patients. About midnight, when the fire was half a mile from them, the wind changed and flames went towards the lake.

Care of the Sick and Wounded

"The Relief Commitee asked us if we would take charge of one of the Barracks hospitals in our district. We were six sisters at the time, working in the Barracks, Providence Hospital, and the new hospital."

In April 1872 patients were moved into the new, renamed St. Joseph's Hospital. On April 17, 1964, St. Joseph's would move into its third hospital at 2900 N. Lake Shore Drive. In December 1995 St. Joseph's became a partner in Catholic Health Partners of Chicago. On July 1, 2001, St. Joseph's was transferred to Resurrection Health Care of Chicago.

St. Patrick's School
(1871-1975)

On September 11, 1871, the Daughters of Charity opened their third school, St. Patrick's, at the request of Rev. P.J. Conway. Fire destroyed a large area of the city. St. Patrick's itself was not touched but was converted into a relief center.

St. Patrick's School re-opened at the end of October 1871, and pupils from Holy Name were also admitted. The sisters who started St. Patrick's were reassigned to other works since they were new to Chicago. The sisters from Holy Name, who knew the girls and their families, stayed at St. Patrick's.

Facing the Aftermath

St. Patrick's had both and elementary school, which closed in 1962, and a high school which closed in 1970. The neighborhood surrounding the location became industrialized and there was a steady decline in enrollment.

The role of the Daughters of Charity in the parish did not cease. The name was changed to St. Patrick Center. After a few years, the need for the center diminished, and St. Patrick Center was closed in August 1975.