Category Archives: Social Work

Architect’s drawing of St. Vincent Orphan Asylum, Philadelphia, 1920

(Photo of St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum, Philadelphia, 1920, used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)

St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum in Philadelphia was begun by a small group of laymen in 1850. Bishop John Neumann requested Daughters of Charity to take over the work in 1855 and in 1858 St. Vincent Orphan Asylum was incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania. In 1920 the orphanage moved into this building, located on a 33 acre site at Garrett Road and Lansdowne Avenue. Completion of the building was delayed by the outbreak of World War I; the dedication of the building took place on May 9, 1920. The dedication ceremonies were witnessed by an estimated 116,000 spectators, making it the largest gathering in the state of Pennsylvania up to that time.

By the late 1940s, St. Vincent’s housed approximately 90 boys ages 4-7 and 350 girls. Over its first century more than 13,500 children lived there. However, a new trend towards foster home care for dependent children was gradually reducing the number of children cared for at St. Vincent’s, reflecting a pattern seen all over the country. Meanwhile there was an increased need for additional facilities for the ever growing Catholic High School population.

In 1953 children living at St. Vincent’s were transferred to Our Lady of the Way, St. David’s and the orphanage was converted to Archbishop Prendergast High School for Boys. Upon the completion of Msgr. Banner High School in 1956, the building became Archbishop Prendegast High School for Girls.
In 1958 St. Vincent’s Home merged with Gonzaga Home in Germantown.

Throughout the month of February, in honor of Black History Month, we are featuring stories and images from ministries past and present which serve the African American community. We continue with Fathers Support Center of St. Louis. Founded in 1997, Fathers’ Support Center has consistently provided a comprehensive program of services for men who want to learn to be a responsible father, committed to a strong family relationship. Since its founding, Fathers’ Support Center has served more than 9,000 fathers and their families, including over 22,500 children. Learn more about Fathers Support Center at:
http://www.fatherssupportcenter.org/about-us/history-a-mission

(Photo of ministry at Guardian Angel Settlement, St. Louis, used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)
Guardian Angel Settlement Association in St. Louis (GASA) has been serving those in need for more than 150 years. Established in 1859 by the Daughters of Charity as an orphanage for young immigrant girls, Guardian Angel has evolved into an agency serving children, teens, families and older adults. The mission of Guardian Angel Settlement Association is to serve those living in poverty by helping them improve the quality of their lives and achieve economic independence.