Providence Care was founded by the Sisters of Providence from Montreal, a congregation of religious women within the Catholic Church, dedicated to compassionate service in response to the needs of our times.

Today, Providence Care is still imbued with the spirit of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul; the Sisters continue to sponsor our Providence Care Foundation and a Sister of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul sits on the Catholic Health Corporation of Ontario board.

Philosophy of Health Care

The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul believe:

• that all persons are made in the image and likeness of God, the source of their dignity and worth;
• that all persons are called to wholeness of body, mind and spirit, hence our commitment to the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of illness;
• that all persons have a right to maintain their independence and freedom of choice;
• that human life is sacred and that suffering and death have meaning;
• that the dignity of all persons associated with our health facilities merits recognition of
• their giftedness, opportunities for personal development and fair recompense;
• that each of us has been given gifts for the service of the whole community;
• in nurturing the leadership potential of those associated with us in our health care ministry;
• in upholding the values and principles inherent in the Health Ethics Guide approved by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops;
• in excellence as responsible stewards, in keeping with our charism and within the limits of our resources.

History of the Congregation

The legacy of the Sisters handed down to us is to be channels of God's Providence in the world through compassionate service in response to the needs of our times.

Members of the congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul came to Kingston in 1861 at the invitation of the Bishop of Kingston, E.J. Horan. They founded what is today known as Providence Manor, originally a home for destitute elderly persons and orphans. The Sisters also visited prisoners and cared for the sick in their homes.

As years went by the Kingston community sent members to other parts of Canada in response to pleas for service. In 1967, the Sisters' ministries were extended to Peru and Guatemala.

The charism or gift of this religious congregation is "compassionate caring for God's people, especially the most destitute, manifested by service given in a spirit of humility, simplicity and charity, and relying on the Providence of God which we are called to proclaim."

The Sisters do not attribute their founding to a single person but to a process of history involving key people guided by a deep spirituality and passion for social justice. Among them are Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac, Bishop Bourget, Emilie Gamelin, Bishop E.J. Horan, Mother Mary Edward McKinley, and the first members of the Kingston community.

Contact the Sisters of Providence:

Providence Motherhouse
1200 Princess Street
P.O. Box 427, Kingston ON K7L 4W4
Tel: (613) 544-4525; Fax: 544-4957
E-mail
www.providence.ca