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.
The first comprehensive rehab in Tucson
Did you know Carondelet St Mary’s Hospital established the first comprehensive rehab in Tucson and southern Arizona in 1965? The rehab teams with Carondelet Health Network help patients who have experienced life-changing medical events that impact their ability to perform daily activities get back on their road to recovery.
Our focus is on our patients' physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being – helping them re-acquire former skills or new ways of doing things. Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital’s skilled rehabilitation team works with our patients and their significant others to develop treatment plans focused on their recovery goals, helping them live independently.
“I was a student here, completed my internship here, worked at Carondelet St. Joseph’s until their inpatient rehab closed due to COVID, and now I get to work with a dream team of therapists and healthcare staff every day,” said Jenna Verelius (Director, Rehabilitative Services)
