Sister- Nurses Sacrifice During the Civil War

During my visits to the St. Joseph Hospital, there is a silhouette of a wounded soldier being assisted by a nun. The silhouettes are life size, but The images are illuminated during the evening, creating an almost  The small site lies in between visitor parking lots,  but is rarely visited. The Sisters of the Holy Cross were instrumental in their efforts to provide healthcare to the citizens in South Bend, Indiana.

The Sisters aided the sick throughout the decades, founding the hospital today known as St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. Today the hospital has several locations, rehabilitation programs, and specialties serving people throughout the county. When the new hospital was built on Holy Cross Parkway, the historical marker commemorating the Sisters of the Holy Cross for their work during the Civil War.  The governor at at the time, Oliver Morton asked the congregation to send sisters to Kentucky to provide aid as nurses to the Union military.

Most of the women that answered the governor's call volunteered and were not trained as medical professionals, but spearheaded what would become the congregation's mission: providing healthcare services to the sick and ailing. This small marker pays tribute to the beginning of nursing programs around the country and a change in provided health care, all from 65 nuns responding to Governor Morton's request to serve.

Sources:

https://todayscatholic.org/historical-marker-honoring-civil-war-sister-nurses-rededicated/
https://www.in.gov/history/markers/images/7119651.jpg

Emily Reth