The Congregation of The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, was founded in Lyon, France. In 1869, three young Roman Catholic women arrived in San Antonio, Texas, at the request of Bishop Claude Dubuis, with their mission, to help the area recover from a deadly cholera epidemic and serve “to make God’s love a lived reality by service to education, women, children and the elderly, and the elimination of poverty.”

They soon established the first hospital in San Antonio-, Santa Rosa Hospital, a hospital of charity, followed by hospitals throughout the state.

In 1874, the Sisters established orphanages, which led to opening schools in Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Missouri and Mexico. In 1881, The Sisters were given the authority to operate schools on all educational levels. That year, they opened, The Incarnate Word College, a college, chartered for women. In 1971, the college became coed, although the Nursing School always admitted men. The school became The University of the Incarnate Word in 1996.

Now, 153 years after 3 French Sisters arrived in San Antonio, there are 5 Christus Santa Rosa Hospitals in the San Antonio area as part of CHRISTUS Health, a non-profit health care systems, as well as additional hospitals throughout the United States and Mexico.

For more information and history about The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, please go to: https://www.amormeus.org/en/