The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, the order that founded the Hospital of Saint Raphael in 1907, is celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. The milestone will be marked in New Haven with a special Mass at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, at Saint Aedan’s Catholic Church, 112 Fountain St.
Three Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth currently work full-time at Saint Raphael’s: Sister Jean Trainor, the hospital’s director of Outpatient Nutrition; Sister Ann Matthew Lorusso, R.N., Parish Nursing coordinator; and Sister Joan Granville, president of the Saint Raphael Foundation and vice president for Mission Services at the Saint Raphael Healthcare System.
The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth came to New Haven in 1907 at the behest of a group of physicians to found a hospital open to health workers and patients “without regard to race, creed or color.” In addition to Saint Raphael’s, the Sisters currently sponsor four hospitals in New Jersey and one in New York.
Saint Raphael’s CEO Chris O’Connor has been impressed by the work of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth since his first stint at the hospital, working as an emergency room technician before he began college.
“The faith and dedication of the Sisters I encountered in my early years at Saint Raphael’s have played a role in my decision to pursue a career in Catholic healthcare,” O’Connor said. “They continue to inspire and guide me in my role as Saint Raphael’s president and CEO.”
