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| Our History | ||||
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ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITALS + the Sisters of Charity To trace the history of St. Vincent's Hospitals and the Sisters of Charity who founded them, you need to start more than 400 years ago in rural France. There, Vincent de Paul was born in 1581 into a poor peasant family in the village of Pouey. Ordained at the age of 19, Vincent's life adventures and accomplishments were many, and St. Vincent de Paul was canonized in 1737. Inspired by his work, the Sisters of Charity were founded across the ocean in 1809, working primarily in hospitals, schools and orphanages. Over the years, they expanded throughout the United States and Canada, reaching Vancouver in 1939 with the opening of the 100-bed St. Vincent's Hospital. St. Vincent's grew over the years, adding the Arbutus, Langara and Brock Fahrni sites, while maintaining a focus on extended care and geriatric psychiatry. Until 2003, more than 650 extended care beds fell under the St. Vincent's umbrella. In 2004, Providence Health Care began a transition phase that will develop innovative new models of care and revitalize services for the elderly in Vancouver. The vision of the Sisters of Charity will guide Providence Health Care as St. Vincent's moves towards this new vision. Learn more about the history of the Sisters and St. Vincent's Hospitals... |
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