The Sisters of Charity are celebrating 150 years as a religious congregation; the sisters trace their founding from Nov. 11, 1858, in Leavenworth, Kan. Eleven years after their founding in Leavenworth, the sisters answered a call to ministry in Montana, and arrived in Helena on Oct. 10, 1869.

In 2009 the sisters will have had a continuous presence in Montana for 140 years. The choice of Oct. 9 as the day to mark both anniversaries remembers especially the sisters’ response to needs in Montana and the vigil of their arrival in Helena.

The evening will begin with sung evening prayer in the Cathedral of St. Helena at 6:30 p.m. with Bishop George Leo Thomas presiding; a reception in the Brondel Center will follow, with displays of the works the sisters have initiated through the years. There will be lists of the names of sisters who have served in various ministries, and a multimedia presentation on the sisters’ works in the state of Montana.

All are invited to attend and mark these milestone anniversaries with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 24, No. 9, September 19, 2008.