Fifteen sisters currently belong to the province of the United States, created in 1960. This province is made up of three communities located in and around Chicago (Illinois) and San Bruno (California), while three sisters live on their own.
The Society of the Helpers of the Souls in Purgatory first appeared in the United States at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the zeal of a Jesuit father and several women from New York, who opened the first house in 1892. Many other communities have since sprung up across the country, but many have since closed as the Sisters have aged and the number of Auxiliary Sisters has dwindled.
Currently, most of the sisters live in the Chicago area, where they are involved in a transitional housing program for homeless women and children and in running a resource center for Hispanic women.
One sister works full time as a clinical psychologist in the Boston area, and another has a justice and peace ministry in and around San Francisco, working with various organizations.
“We give priority to those who are wounded in their human dignity and who most need to hear the Good News.”
Our missions
Originally, the main ministries of the Helpers Sisters of the United States Province were home care and visiting, as well as catechetical ministry. The Sisters’ missions have now evolved.
Establishment of the Helpers Sisters in New York
Implantation in St Louis (Missouri), San Francisco (California), New York City and Chicago (Illinois)
Creation of the United States Province
