History of Service

The Sisters of the Holy Cross have dedicated their lives to, in their own words, "responding to the needs of the world." Beginning with the founding of the Order, the Sisters of the Holy Cross have dedicated their efforts to educating women and providing health services to the displaced and underserved. Their dedication to fulfilling this mission dates back nearly two centuries, offering aid as early as the U.S. Civil War. A partnership between the Sisters of the Holy Cross and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was made in the late twentieth century, in an effort to provide greater international relief. This partnership brought them to serve those displaced by violence, political unrest, natural disasters, and war in Cambodia, Lebanon, and El Salvador. In each of these conflicts, a group of sisters relocated from their homes to these conflict areas, aiding displaced groups. Their aid mostly was provided in the form of nursing care, but it also including education, advocacy, and more. The sisters continue to dedicate themselves to advocating and offering relief for displaced persons today as is affirmed in their Corporate Stand on Migration (2019).

You can learn more about the sisters' work in four 19th- and 20th-century geo-political conflicts below.