Sister Virginia Hanrahan papers, 1930 - 2014

Sub-Series — file_cabinet: 2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Record Group: This collection contains records from all the sisters who make up the DSOH. It includes their personal papers, publications, artistic work, photographs, diplomas, ministry history etc. The Dominican Sisters of Hope were founded in 1995. The group includes members of the former Newburgh Domincan, Fall River Dominican and Ossining Dominican Communities. The sisters work and minister in various ways including community organizing, social work, education, environmental advocacy, and retreat ministry.

Dates

1930 - 2014

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted Access. Users have unrestricted access to documents unless stated otherwise.

Biographical / Historical

Sister Virginia was born Virginia Hanrahan on June 23, 1935 in Woodside, NY. She entered the Ossining Congregation on September 7, 1953 and received the habit on April 9, 1954 when she received the religious name, Sister Catherine Joseph. (She began using the name, Sister Virginia after Vatican II.) She pronounced first vows on March 10, 1955 and final vows on March 10, 1958. During her years in the congregation she served in the following Dominican Sisters Home Health Care Agencies: Bronx, NY, 1961-1963; was Assistant Supervisor of the Home Health Agency, 1965-1967; team nurse at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Neighborhood Health Center, Bronx. NY, 1967-1968; and was Director of Nursing at Martin Luther King, 1968-1973. Sister served as Executive Director of this visiting nurse service, 1973-1994. Sister Virginia Hanrahan was President and Chief Executive Officer of Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, a community based, certified, multi-county home health agency. She was Assistant Supervisor of the Home Health Agency from 1965-1967. Sister Virginia served on many Boards and Committees pertaining to community health. In 1999, she was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and in 1998 received the Home Care Association of New York State’s highest award. Sister Virginia served in Congregational Administration as Vicar General and Assistant to the President of Dominican Sisters of the Sick Poor, Ossining, NY, 1972-1980. She also served on various Congregational Boards and Committees: Center for Peace and Justice, Las Casas Fund for Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, and the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council of Women Religious. Sister Virginia earned: her BS in Nursing from Hunter College City University of New York; and her MS in Nursing from Catholic University, where she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. An Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters was awarded from the College of New Rochelle. She died March 21, 2014.