A century of Anglican women religious in Nova Scotia, 1891-1991

Abstract

Three Anglican women's religious orders existed in Nova Scotia in the last century. The Sisters of Saint Margaret managed the Church Hospital from 1891 to 1893, the Sisters of Saint John the Divine operated All Saints' Springhill Hospital from 1936 to 1949, and the members of The Society of Our Lady, Saint Mary, have acted as a religious presence in Digby County since 1979. This study considers the development of women's religious orders since the mid nineteenth century, with emphasis on their progression in the Anglican Church. It avoids the usual stereotypes of the lives of women religious and presents a realistic analysis of their work in three areas of Nova Scotia. Their failure to date to become permanently established is blamed on anti-Catholic sentiment as well as a lack of support from members of the diocese.