Sisterhood of St. John the Divine

Celebrating more than 125 years of care

For more than 125 years, the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine has led the way in providing needed healthcare based on the latest scientific knowledge and a holistic, spiritual approach.

The Sisters are a community of approximately 30 women, founded in Toronto, Canada in 1884. The Sisters are a prayer and gospel-centred monastic community, nurtured by a founding vision, open and responsive to the needs of the church and the contemporary world, continually seeking guidance of the Holy Spirit in life and ministry.

Pioneers in health care since 1884, the Sisters opened St. John's Convalescent Hospital in 1937 as Ontario's first hospital focusing on rehabilitation care. The Sisterhood continued to administer and manage Ontario's most comprehensive, and specialized rehabilitation hospital, until June 1996 when the hospital appointed its first layperson chief executive officer.

Today members of the Sisterhood continue to play a vital role in the St. John's Rehab program and St. John's Rehab Foundation. Having pioneered a unique, multi-faith approach as spiritual care providers, the Sisters take an active part in patient-care teams. The Sisters provide the inner strength and spiritual hope to support the rehabilitation of each patient. They focus on patients' individual faith needs, helping them on their healing journey.

Canada's only indigenous Anglican women's religious order marked a tremendous milestone in 2009. We are proud to celebrate, recognize and thank the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine for more than 125 remarkable years of dedication to rebuilding people's lives.