History
History of the Sisters
The Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns) and the Misericordia Sisters were the foundresses of healthcare in the Edmonton area.
Mother Rosalie Cadron-Jette Foundress of the Misericordia Sisters
St Marguerite d’Youville Foundress of the Sister of Charity (Grey Nuns)
Over a century ago, when Edmonton was little more than a rugged path of wilderness, the Misericordia Sisters and the Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns) founded a system of holistic, faith based health care that embodied compassion for suffering, respect for life and the right to dignity.
The work of these remarkable women became the cornerstone for Covenant Health – Alberta’s largest faith-based provider of health care which has served Edmonton and area for more than 145 years.
History of Caritas Hospitals Foundation
In 1988 two Foundations were established in the Edmonton area. They were the General Hospital (Grey Nuns) of Edmonton Hospital Foundation and it’s mandate was to support what is now known as the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre and the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. The Misericordia Hospital Foundation was also established at this time and it’s mandate was to support what is now known as the Misericordia Community Hospital. Each Foundation operated separately from one another.
Then in 1994 after the three Hospitals (Edmonton General, Grey Nuns and Misericordia) merge into one Health Group. The two Foundation offices amalgamated into one, situated at the Edmonton General. That is when we started to operate under the trademarked name of Caritas Hospitals Foundation – separate from the Caritas Health Group (which is now known as Covenant Health), but worked in conjunction with the values and beliefs of Covenant Health.
As the Caritas Hospitals Foundation we raise funds to help all three Centres provide healthcare to the public. The funds that we raise help to buy much needed and updated equipment like electric beds, lifts and recreational/therapeutic equipment. We also help start new programs and services like the Minimal Invasive Surgery Unit and the Excellence In Family Care Centre at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital and the Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit at the Misericordia Community Hospital. Also we helped started the Palliative Care Units at both the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre and the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. By helping to start these programs and services we have helped Covenant Health become a leader in Canadian healthcare.
To date the Caritas Hospitals Foundation has raised over $40 million to assist Covenant Health in fulfilling their mission of ‘Healing the Body, Enriching the Mind and Nurturing the Soul’. This success is due to the support of you the Community.