The Origins of Nazareth Living Center

Nazareth Living Center's history begins with the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph who came to St. Louis from France in 1836 at the urging of St. Louis Bishop Joseph Rosati. Originally asked to establish a school for the deaf, the sisters soon became engaged in a wide variety of needed services: health care, education at all levels, pastoral care, child care, advocacy for the poor, counseling, social services, and parish ministry. That order of nuns is known today as the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

In 1872, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet began their mission at Nazareth as a home for retired and infirm sisters. In 1992, the Sisters expanded their mission beyond caring for retired sisters to the broader community to meet the growing need for quality elder care services.