Carondelet Legacy Stories
Celebrating 145 Years
Carondelet has a long and rich history that spans decades. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the congregation was originally established in France. The Sisters came to the United States in 1836 to serve the diocese in Carondelet, Missouri.
In 1870, seven Sisters of St. Joseph traveled from San Diego to Tucson to open a school. In 1880, the Sisters opened St. Mary’s Hospital, Arizona’s first hospital. In 1961, they opened St. Joseph’s Hospital to provide services for Tucson’s growing east side. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet began managing Holy Cross in 1981 and assumed ownership in 1987.
Chapel at St. Mary's Hospital
Our current chapel at St. Mary's holds cherished pieces from the original St. Catherine's Chapel. St. Catherine's was initially built next to the convent, now the location of Parking Garage East, and underwent remodeling in the late 1880s to early 1890s. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the chapel in 1925. In the early 1970s, Sister Saint Jo Willard envisioned a new chapel on the hospital grounds, incorporating a section. Some artifacts from the old chapel were preserved, and Sister Jo decided to incorporate these into the new chapel established in the early 1990s.
These artifacts include statues, large wooden doors, the Stations of the Cross, three original triangular wooden beams from the ceiling, and a significant wooden beam with gold writing. In 2007, Sister Irma Odabashian discovered the fourth triangular beam from the old chapel, which has been placed in the Healing Gardens near the surgical desk and ICU. This beautiful integration of historical elements allows us to experience pieces of the original 1880s chapel, honoring our rich history.