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Description

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About Us
A History of Caring
Our Nursing Home

Mount Saint Joseph has been a dynamic presence in the Miramichi since 1949 Sponsored by Catholic Health International and founded the Religious Hospitallers of St Joseph we pursue excellence in Long Term care LTC while respecting the wholeness and dignity of each person

We provide high quality long term care to our 131 permanent residents as well as those who use our 2 community relief beds for a short stay The Home consists of 2 specialty units One is a 15 bed Special Needs Unit for young adults with severe cognitive andor physical disabilities the other is a 25 bed Dementia Unit for those suffering from Alzheimers Disease or other related dementias

We currently employ 150 staff and have many volunteers that assist us in our delivery of care to our residents Together with our Medical Advisor and students they demonstrate a deep commitment to excellence in long term care every day

Mount Saint Joseph also takes pride in the role they play in training nurses dieticians nursing staff and other health professionals of tomorrow Working collaboratively with area schools Colleges and private training centers we are helping shape the future of long term care in our area

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History

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Our Heritage
Mount Saint Joseph Nursing Home is sponsored and guided by Catholic Health International It was founded the Religious Hospitallers of St Joseph a congregation of religious women founded by Jerome le Royer de la Dauversiere in 1636 in Le Fleche France A married civil servant with 5 children he wanted to provide health care to both settlers and natives specifically in New France now known as Canada

It was not until 1659 with the help of Jeanne Manse the 1st lay nurse of North America that the Religious Hospitallers arrived in Montreal Jeanne had already established a hospital in 1642 with Maisonneuve the governor of New France

On July 16 1869 five RHSJs from Hotel Dieu of Montreal disembarked at Chatham NB where at the request of Bishop Rogers they had accepted to take care of the sick to open a boarding school for young girls and an orphanage

The hospital work began in 1869 in the Bishops former residence which also served to house the Sisters for some months This modest start was the beginning of 127 years of service of the RHSJs to the sick of the Miramichi region From this Chatham HotelDieu community would come the foundresses of two large hospitals in the United States and another smaller one in Alberta

The end of the 20th century brought great changes in the provision of healthcare due to restructuring on the part of the Provincial Government The HotelDieu disappeared in 1996 following the construction of the modern regional hospital for the Miramichi the city so named after the merger of the towns ChathamNewcastle

Jerome Le Royer

Jeanne Manse

St Michaels Academy 18711970

With the assistance of a lay person the RHSJs founded a school in Chatham in 1871 Sister Cesarine Raymond of Montreal was the first directress In September 1931 classes were removed into a new building and the first school became the boarders residence
The Rhsjs would remain at St Michaels Academy until 1969 the year it became a government elementary school

It later became a part of the New Brunswick Community College Miramichi Campus and functions in that capacity today

Mount Saint Joseph 1949 present

In 1949 the old section used for boarders of St Michaels Academy was renovated and became a residence for the elderly In 1975 the residents of the Mount moved into its present 4 storey building Throughout the years Mount Saint Joseph has expanded and adapted to new needs in its milieu

Catholic Health International 2006

In February 2006 the responsibilities under Canon Law for the Philosophy and Mission of Mount Saint Joseph Nursing Home were transferred from the Religious Hospitallers of St Joseph to Catholic Health International a Public Juridic Person of which RHSJ is a founding and active partner Catholic Health International is comprised of RHSJ three other religious congregations and the Catholic Health Association of New Brunswick and is authorized to sponsor works of the church