Our History

The Sisters of Providence

a painting of mother emilie gamelin in a nun habit

Care Through Providence

The bishop of Montreal, Ignace Bourget, founded a community of sisters in 1843 so that the work of Mother Emilie Gamelin would continue even after her death. Emilie also joined this group and became the founder of the Sisters of Providence.

Bishop Bourget told the Sisters of Providence that it was their calling to meet needs that were not being met by others. In an age when there was almost no public provision for basic services, the Sisters were asked to help with care of the sick, the orphans, the elderly and the homeless, and education of children. Most of the Sisters’ work was done in frontier areas where other people were not available or willing to go. Within 20 years the Sisters of Providence had reached as far as the United States and Chile.

an old image of a sister of providence in a laboratory in providence hospital

Western Mission

In 1891 missions were established in western Canada. The first in Alberta was the St. Bernard Mission in Grouard (1894) followed by St. Joseph Mission in Cluny (1899) and Lacombe Home (1909). The first Sisters of Providence in the west were French Canadian. They were quickly joined by young women from the west, of many ethnic backgrounds and speaking a variety of languages. By 1912 the community had grown so much that reorganization was needed. Fourteen settlements were assigned to the Provincialate known as Holy Angels Province, which was headquartered at Lacombe Home in Midnapore. For many years, providence was all that stood between needy people and a desperately bleak existence. However, as the century advanced, the provision for basic human needs was taken on by the public through various levels of government. The Sisters were increasingly able to address new and growing needs in palliative care, home care, and the prevention of family violence..

an old black and white image of the sisters of providence at lacombe home in 1915

Managing Lacombe Home

After Father Lacombe’s death, management of Lacombe Home remained in the hands of the Sisters of Providence and continued to depend entirely on donations. In subsequent decades—particularly in times of poverty, war, and epidemic– Providence was indeed an apt descriptor of their resources. “Begging Journeys” by horseback, stage coach, wagon, river boat and trekking and early letters home –“begging letters” were commonly done by the Sisters. They collected everything from precious gold dust and nuggets, monies, basic supplies, school supplies, toys, musical instruments, cloth to make clothing for the needy and to maintain and operate the facility.

Donated deliveries included everything from pigs and produce, to such largesse as a piano and even a car. The introduction of public health care improved financial matters, although quality of life at Lacombe Home continued to be sustained by generous community support.

Father Lacombe, O.M.I.

Early Years

Albert Lacombe was born in 1827, at St. Sulpice Parish near Montreal, the grandson of a woman born to a French-Canadian mother and Ojibway father. He was ordained in 1849 and traveled by train, steamboat, stage, oxcart, and foot to his first mission in St. Boniface, Manitoba.

In 1856, Father Albert made his vows and became a member of the Oblate Congregation. Fluent in Cree and Blackfoot, and conversant in other native languages, Father Lacombe was an effective peacemaker between the warring First Nations. In 1859, he built St. Joachim Chapel, the first church building in Edmonton. In 1861 he founded the St. Albert mission. However, his preference was to travel to native settlements. “Alexis, my excellent Blackfoot cook, my horses, my car, and my portable altar, my catechisms, some objects of piety—these made up my church and my rectory”.

An old black and white image of father lacombe and indigenous leaders

CP Rail and First Nations

In 1871 he was required to return east to raise funds for his schools. He was next asked to serve as pastor at St. Mary’s in Winnipeg during the unrest of the Riel Rebellion. In 1883, when the Canadian Pacific Railway came into conflict with the Blackfoot, who wanted to prevent the route across their land, Father Lacombe successfully negotiated on behalf of the railway with Chief Crowfoot, enabling the railway to be built.

Lobbying on behalf of First Nations in negotiations with the CPR, he also opposed assimilation and advocated separate schools for native children–an idea that proved to be far from the beneficial solution he intended. Furthermore, following the Riel Rebellion he campaigned with others to have First Nations Chiefs released from prison.

End of Life

By the turn of the century, Father Lacombe was active as a diplomat and fundraiser. On a fundraising trip to Europe he was granted an audience with the Pope and Emperor Franz Joseph. His final project, undertaken at the age of 82, was to build Lacombe Home for the poor to serve the West’s most destitute. Patrick Burns donated the land, and funds were raised for the building.

When Lacombe Home opened its doors on November 9, 1910, Father Lacombe, at the age of 82, became one of its first residents, living among his friends and protégés.

Tragically, just six years later, on December 12 1916, Father Lacombe passed away. His body was transported by ceremonial train to the church at St. Albert. In further accordance with his request, his heart remained in Midnapore. It is buried in the cemetery on the grounds of Father Lacombe Care Centre.

a black and white image of father lacombe's grave, with a large white cross

Building Timeline

Click through the slides to see how our buildings have developed over the years. . .

Lacombe Home

Lacombe Home was constructed in 1910 as a collaborative effort with the Sisters of Charity of Providence, reflecting Father Lacombe’s vision of a Christian Catholic institution dedicated to the care of all individuals, irrespective of their faith. This guiding principle remains central to all caregiving activities at the home. Originally, the land, which spans 200 acres of ranch land north of Midnapore, was generously donated by future senator Patrick Burns. Key contributors to the construction, which cost $60,000, included the Province of Alberta, Lord Strathcona of the CPR, and Calgary businessman J.C. Duggan.

Over time, out buildings were built on the land by Lacombe Home including a laundry and barn. In 1921 a large wing was added to Lacombe Home, and in 1956 Providence School was built on the south edge of the site. A novitiate became part of the north site in 1958.

The New Father Lacombe Care Centre

In the late 1950s and early 1960s a new trend in social services meant the orphanage of the original Home would no longer be necessary. The last children left in 1963. Shortly afterward, in 1966, the elderly were also moved to the new Father Lacombe Nursing Home, built just east of Lacombe Home. That same year the Sisters of Providence moved their headquarters to Edmonton, and the Providence Convent was built to house the sisters who remained. The site of the old Father Lacombe Home was sold to Faithful Companions of Jesus, who operated a school and used Lacombe Home as a boarding house. That school closed in 1968, and the home remained vacant for several years until it was sold to the Catholic Diocese of Calgary.

Forging Ahead

The creation of the Inter-Faith Lacombe Centre in 1974 allowed the previous Lacombe Home and other buildings to be used by various organizations, but the buildings eventually fell into disrepair and were effectively abandoned. Sadly, on April 1, 1999, Lacombe Home was destroyed in a fire, and a city landmark and important piece of Alberta’s heritage was lost. The original vision, however, is intact: in May 2002 Father Lacombe Nursing Home changed its name to Father Lacombe Care Centre and is presently home to 114 residents. The little white convent that housed the Sisters during the building of the original home remains on Providence property, a treasured reminder of an extraordinary history of care.

Providence Care Centre

In January 2016 the doors opened at Providence Care Centre, our 160-bed facility, directly across from the Father Lacombe Care Centre. This spacious facility is home to residents requiring long term care, dementia care, supportive living (SL4), and supported living-dementia (SL4D).

New Chapel

In 2020 we celebrated the Mass of Dedication and Consecration of our new Chapel at Providence Care Centre—Our Lady of Providence Chapel.

Upcoming Care Centre

The new Father Lacombe Care Centre will be a modern, purpose-built home for people requiring long-term, complex, and memory care. It will provide care teams with the spaces, technology, and resources they need. Most importantly, it will create a place where every life is recognized as sacred and residents are supported through every stage of their journey.

That is why Father Lacombe Care Foundation is raising $16 million. Community support will help turn plans and renderings into welcoming and functional spaces.

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