Who We Are

The Religious Sisters of Charity

We are a Congregation of women religious living a vowed life supporting local communities for over 200 years through our engagement in healthcare, education, social and pastoral care and on human rights issues. We continue to provide services that meet the needs of today, including working with the poor, homeless, anti-human trafficking issues, care for our common home (universe), prisoners, asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants.

Our Vows

We express our dedication and commitment primarily through our work but also how we live together as part of a community. We take four vows; the three vows that most religious orders take, chastity, poverty and obedience, and a fourth vow that is specific to our Congregation, ‘service of the poor’.

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Religious Sisters of Charity in England and Scotland stairs

Mary Aikenhead

In 1815, Mary Aikenhead founded the Religious Sisters of Charity. She was a visionary of great faith, whose dream was to give to people who were poor, what people who had money could buy. Today, we continue to follow her dream in Ireland, England, Scotland, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, California and Australia.

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Strengthened by vowed consecration, nurtured by prayer and the Eucharist, sustained by community living we bring God’s love and compassion to those who are most in need

Our History

The Religious Sisters of Charity were founded in Dublin in 1815. In the 1820’s and 1830’s the work of the Religious Sisters of Charity grew and expanded from Dublin to Cork, and to Australia in 1838.

This work included the establishment of schools, hospitals and orphanages for people in need, and the visiting of the poor, especially the sick in their homes, and those in prison. After Mary Aikenhead’s death in 1858, her vision continued to grow and spread in Ireland, England, Scotland, California, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi & Australia.

Our Foundress

Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Religious Sisters of Charity, was born on 19 January 1787 in Cork City, Ireland. She died on 22 July 1858 in Harold’s Cross, Dublin.

First Convent

Prison Ministry

First School

Cholera Epidemic

In 1832 there was an outbreak of Asiatic cholera in Ireland. A temporary hospital was set up in Grangegorman but it was badly managed and under-staffed. The Archbishop of Dublin asked Mary Aikenhead to send some of her sisters to Grangegorman to help. The death rate was high, but the sisters remained at their posts bringing solace to the dying and gentle nursing to the convalescents. Only one sister contracted the disease, but none died.

St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin

England

Temple Street Children’s Hospital

First Hospice

Foxford Woollen Mills

Zambia