Learning About Our Mission

Since 1870 when we were founded the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill have served wherever the Church most needs us. Today 343 Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill serve in love as teachers, healthcare providers, parish ministers, lawyers, social workers, and in volunteer and prayer ministries.

There are 148 sisters in the US Province. Our newest ministry is at Mary House which serves women who are homeless and/or in need of transitional housing. The residence provides a safe, secure environment based on a common lifestyle of the residents. Other apostolic works of the province include Elizabeth Seton Memory Care Center, Seton Arts Service Corps, Seton Center, and Seton Hill University.

Our Most Precious Mission

Our most precious mission is the care for our elderly and/or infirmed sisters. These sisters have served diligently for so many years. They offer up their sufferings and limitations for all of us so that we can accept the trials and difficulties of our lives with patience and perseverance.  

Caritas Christi is the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. It is located at 129 DePaul Center Road, Greensburg, PA. This three-floored, modern facility was dedicated in 1999 and serves a number of purposes for the sisters serving in the U.S. Province. First and foremost, it is the sisters’ home. Approximately 80 retired Sisters of Charity reside in the building, while Sisters of Charity in active ministry visit for community gatherings, Provincial meetings, and recreation.

How we started reaching out to other countries

South Korea: In an effort to share God’s mercy and his healing grace with others in another part of the world, the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill responded in the late 1950’s when the Holy Father asked Religious Communities of the United States to send missionaries to Third World Countries, Our Major Superior was approached by Archbishop Henry from South Korea, a country which at that time was struggling to emerge from a devastating war. In faith and courage four Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill were missioned to South Korea in 1960.   They went by freighter, which took them one month.

Today, 195 Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill serve in the Korean Province. The apostolic works include education at four schools (two of them are special schools Eunhae School-- for children with physical disabilities and the other, St. Mary, for children with visual impairments. Seton bakery teaches vocational skills to young adults with physical disabilities.  The sisters also do parish ministry, social service work, kindergartens and day care programs, retreat work at two retreat centers, publish a Spirituality Journal and work in ministry within the Community.  

In Gangjin, South Korea, we are beginning a school for children from multi-cultural families who are having problems adapting to regular educational programs.  There is a great need for educational equipment and operational expenses for this new school in Gangjin.   

Our Foreign Ministries

China:   In thanksgiving for the many blessings received during our ministry in Korea, sisters from the Korean province were missioned to China in 1998.  Here we took over an early education program for children with disabilities started by a Maryknoll priest.

Today we have five sisters working with children and adults with disabilities in two different locations in China. 

In addition to our work in an early education center for children with disabilities, two of our sisters were invited to a center in another area in China to assist in developing programs. The sisters need to be supported especially in this new apostolate. 

The sisters teach the love of Christ by their actions! One of the parents said, “We are amazed you want to come to China and work with our children. You could live a very comfortable life if you stayed in your own homeland. You are an inspiration to us and we are so grateful for your help and dedication.” 

The sisters received recognition and awards of excellence from the Chinese government for their work in special education.Other centers and religious communities in different areas of China have asked our sisters to come and assist them with the development of their programs and to pro

Ecuador: In 2008 our sisters went to Ecuador. In preparation for our 50th Anniversary in Korea, the Korean Province decided to send sisters to a poor area in South America.  At that time sisters were missioned to Pedro Carbo, Ecuador to assume the responsibilities of a clinic and school for children with disabilities founded by Father Herbert Levthner, an Austrian diocesan priest, with Miss Elizabeth Kim, a Korean nurse.  

One of the sisters chosen to go to Ecuador was a young junior professed sister and she said, “In the beginning I thought I would help the people of Ecuador but in reality they are teaching me. They dance and sing and really love life — they celebrate life so deeply and so freely!” Wherever we go — wherever we are we can learn from each other.

Today we have six sisters ministering in Ecuador at the clinic and a school for the children with disabilities - INESEM (Instituto de Educación Especial Nuestra Senõra de las Mercedes) School for Children with Disabilities. The sisters also assist at the local parish and do outreach programs for the children in the area.  By the dedicated actions and joyful lives of the sisters the people come to a deeper understanding of what love is –the sisters are an inspiration to all those they meet.

In China, South Korea and in Ecuador we teach children with disabilities and serve those in need and for these projects we need your help! The sisters in the missions find many challenges: adjusting to hot/cold weather, learning a new language and culture, experiencing different food, seeing poverty and learning the new work but with your prayers and concern they will be blessed with God’s grace and continue to see the beauty in these differences.

As we strive to bring the love of the Lord to all those we serve, we depend greatly on your prayers and also your support. We look forward to work in partnership with you so that we can bring the healing peace of the Lord to those in need. 

Wherever we may live we are all missionaries and can help in different ways! 

There is so much to do and so much help needed!  Our sisters can do the work only if you can help them with your prayers and donations! It is a joy and a blessing to be able to share what we have with others in need! The Love of the Lord makes all things one!  

 This year we are in need of assistance to construct classrooms and provide equipment for an after school study hall for the children in Pedro Carbo, Ecuador.  We are also in need of educational equipment and lunches for the children at INESEM School.                                                                                                                                       

If you would like to help us in our ministries please contact the Coordinator for Mission Support, Sister Kwangshim Oh, SC • 412/831-1242, ext. 305 • email: myhopecj@gmail.com

I would like to share with you a poem written by a Korean boy with multiple disabilities.

“Tomorrow”

by Joh Jae-han 8th grader

I may be disabled
But there is a tomorrow filled with happiness.
A scientist devoted to mankind
Is what I want to be.

I may have a speech barrier
But there is a tomorrow filled with hope.
A world famous interpreter
Is what I want to be.

Although I can’t walk
I have a dream.
A marathon runner
Eager to run
Across green mountains
Over green fields
Down straight asphalt roads
That’s what I want to be.

And now I am heading
Toward tomorrow Embracing
These joy-filled dreams.