Motherhouse, Montréal

























124 Years of Presence at the Motherhouse
In 1871 the Grey Nuns depart the General Hospital in Pointe à Callière, where they resided and worked since 1747, to escape the local urbanization and industrialization, the continual expansion of Montréal’s port, and the inevitable annual spring flooding of the neighborhood.
They move to their newly built Motherhouse on Mont Sainte-Croix (Mount Holy Cross), a vast and productive agricultural area acquired from the Sulpician Priests south of their Seminary, located halfway between Montréal and what would become the city of Westmount. Along with the Nuns go all the people under their care: infants, orphans, elderly, infirm and boarders. As is customary, a healthy garden is planted within the convent’s enclosure.
Mont Sainte-Croix land (1861) in Survey of plans and land/Sister Saint-Jean-de-la Croix, s.g.m., 1900. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montréal)’s Fonds, L082-C-1-1-04
Successive land (1867-1907) in Survey of plans and land/Sister Saint-Jean-de-la Croix, s.g.m., 1900. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montréal)’s Fonds, L082-C-1-1-04
Plan of the Motherhouse, 1957. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montreal)’s Fonds, L082-C-1-1-05
The number of people residing in the Motherhouse increases rapidly and by the early 20th century it is a small village welcoming a thousand people daily. The works housed in the Motherhouse are numerous and varied: the Youville nursery for infants (Crèche d’Youville, 1871 to 1925); an orphanage; a residence for the elderly (Foyer Saint-Mathieu, 1874 to 1972); a boarding home (1888 to 1972); a home-making school (l’Institut familial, 1905 to 1964); a nursing school (Institut Marguerite-d’Youville, 1934 to 1963) and a teaching institute (École normale, 1937 to 1964).
With the advent of the Welfare State in the 1960s and 1970s, the congregation relinquishes the educational and social services it provided. Various charitable organizations, especially those helping homeless, women or victims of violence, occupy the premises left vacant. 2013 marks the departure of the last members of the Congregation for a new residence, leaving the Motherhouse’s new owner, Concordia University, to occupy the entire building.