The three transfers of the RHSJ
First relocation 1659 - 1861
Seventeen years after the arrival of Jeanne Mance in New France on October 26, 1659 three Hospitallers joined Jeanne Mance to collaborate in her mission. This we call the first relocation for the Religious of Saint Joseph who came from La Flèche. After receiving the blessing of our Founder Jérôme Le Royer de la Dauversière, initiator of the New France project, Sisters Judith Moreau de Brésoles, Catherine Macé and Marie Maillet, embarked on the Saint André in company of Jeanne Mance and Marguerite Bourgeois.
They joined the French colony on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River where, with Jeanne Mance, the Hospitallers gave themselves body and soul to serve the fledgling population, and the native peoples. In speaking about these pioneers, it is said: «They were apostles through prayer, words and work». Little by little, the first Hotel Dieu developed in spite of poverty and fires which ruined their efforts. But their courage, their faith in the impossible, the collaboration and support of the young colony helped them day after day. This first relocation lasted until 1861.
Second relocation 1861 – 2019
Moving of the Hotel Dieu and monastery to Mont Saint-Famille
The first hospital was too small, the progress of medicine required new developments. In addition, there was an increasing urban and environmental concentration in Old Montreal and some institutions of the city moved gradually to the North. The new religious communities coming to Montreal at the bishop’s request settled in this new part of the city. Bishop Bourget invited the RHSJ to transplant Hotel Dieu to the foot of the mountain, on land which the Basset brothers had given them, called «Terre de la Providence {The Providence Land}».
After much hesitation, in 1858 the RHSJ Community responded to the request of Bishop Bourget and decided to move the Hotel Dieu to the foot of the mountain. But it was only in 1861 that the move took place. The 69 Sisters crossed the City of Montreal taking with them the remains of Jeanne Mance and the deceased Sisters, as well as a fragment of the Hotel Dieu on St. Paul Street which they integrated into the new hospital building.
It took a long time to begin construction and develop the new Hotel Dieu.
In 1967, there was a legal agreement in which the RHSJ community separated its assets from those of the hospital which had become civilly incorporated.
In 1973, Sister Thérèse Trottier, Hotel Dieu Hospital CEO, definitively left the administrative function. She was the last Hospitaller administrator of the hospital. Sister Trottier died in 1988.
In 2017, the RHSJ sold the monastery, the chapel, the museum and the gardens facing the Hospital to the City of Montreal.
A lease was signed with City Hall so that the Community could reside in a section of the former monastery now to be called House of the Hospitallers of Saint Joseph.
Third relocation – 2019
The time has come to cast off (let go of) the moorings and enter what will become the House of the Hospitallers, our new mode of presence in which we are called to pursue the mission:
- from owners we become tenants
- from managers we become residents of the COGIR firm.
These are certainly important changes, but through this situation we want to remain faithful daughters of Jérôme Le Royer and Marie de la Ferre who, from the beginnings of the Congregation called us to live the Holy freedom of the Children of God, wherever we are, by proclaiming a God who unites and liberates.
How?
- By embodying this Mission first among ourselves, with all those who surround us and whom we meet, especially the poorest.
- By sharing our challenges with the laity associated with our spiritual family
our mission could be as follows:
We, Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph are called to be present to the many faces of our world, in the City of Hospitallers, as women of faith, free to love and serve».
Let us live Easter 2019 in peace and serenity
and be participants in the Resurrection of Christ
Seventeen years after the arrival of Jeanne Mance in New France on October 26, 1659 three Hospitallers joined Jeanne Mance to collaborate in her mission. This we call the first relocation for the Religious of Saint Joseph who came from La Flèche. After receiving the blessing of our Founder Jérôme Le Royer de la Dauversière, initiator of the New France project, Sisters Judith Moreau de Brésoles, Catherine Macé and Marie Maillet, embarked on the Saint André in company of Jeanne Mance and Marguerite Bourgeois.
They joined the French colony on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River where, with Jeanne Mance, the Hospitallers gave themselves body and soul to serve the fledgling population, and the native peoples. In speaking about these pioneers, it is said: «They were apostles through prayer, words and work». Little by little, the first Hotel Dieu developed in spite of poverty and fires which ruined their efforts. But their courage, their faith in the impossible, the collaboration and support of the young colony helped them day after day. This first relocation lasted until 1861.
Second relocation 1861 – 2019
Moving of the Hotel Dieu and monastery to Mont Saint-Famille
The first hospital was too small, the progress of medicine required new developments. In addition, there was an increasing urban and environmental concentration in Old Montreal and some institutions of the city moved gradually to the North. The new religious communities coming to Montreal at the bishop’s request settled in this new part of the city. Bishop Bourget invited the RHSJ to transplant Hotel Dieu to the foot of the mountain, on land which the Basset brothers had given them, called «Terre de la Providence {The Providence Land}».
After much hesitation, in 1858 the RHSJ Community responded to the request of Bishop Bourget and decided to move the Hotel Dieu to the foot of the mountain. But it was only in 1861 that the move took place. The 69 Sisters crossed the City of Montreal taking with them the remains of Jeanne Mance and the deceased Sisters, as well as a fragment of the Hotel Dieu on St. Paul Street which they integrated into the new hospital building.
It took a long time to begin construction and develop the new Hotel Dieu.
In 1967, there was a legal agreement in which the RHSJ community separated its assets from those of the hospital which had become civilly incorporated.
In 1973, Sister Thérèse Trottier, Hotel Dieu Hospital CEO, definitively left the administrative function. She was the last Hospitaller administrator of the hospital. Sister Trottier died in 1988.
In 2017, the RHSJ sold the monastery, the chapel, the museum and the gardens facing the Hospital to the City of Montreal.
A lease was signed with City Hall so that the Community could reside in a section of the former monastery now to be called House of the Hospitallers of Saint Joseph.
Third relocation – 2019
The time has come to cast off (let go of) the moorings and enter what will become the House of the Hospitallers, our new mode of presence in which we are called to pursue the mission:
- from owners we become tenants
- from managers we become residents of the COGIR firm.
These are certainly important changes, but through this situation we want to remain faithful daughters of Jérôme Le Royer and Marie de la Ferre who, from the beginnings of the Congregation called us to live the Holy freedom of the Children of God, wherever we are, by proclaiming a God who unites and liberates.
How?
- By embodying this Mission first among ourselves, with all those who surround us and whom we meet, especially the poorest.
- By sharing our challenges with the laity associated with our spiritual family
our mission could be as follows:
We, Religious Hospitallers of Saint Joseph are called to be present to the many faces of our world, in the City of Hospitallers, as women of faith, free to love and serve».
Let us live Easter 2019 in peace and serenity
and be participants in the Resurrection of Christ