Caring for Northern California Since 1912

Providence was formed by the journeys of courageous Catholic Sisters who sought to meet the needs of the communities they served. Two congregations in particular – the Sisters of Providence and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange – had major roles in establishing and guiding the health system Providence is today.

The roots of Providence’s Northern California ministries were planted in 1912, when a group of Sisters of St. Joseph, invited by the bishop of Sacramento and led by Mother Bernard Gosselin, came from Illinois to Eureka to establish a Catholic school. Mother Bernard soon sought to expand their services into healthcare – a vision propelled by the flu pandemic which hit Eureka in 1918. The Sisters helped to nurse the sick and dying in their homes before Mother Bernard sent the Sisters to the San Francisco area and to Minnesota’s Mayo Brothers Clinic for clinical education. Eighteen newly trained Sisters opened the 28-bed St. Joseph Hospital Eureka in 1920.

Over the years that followed, the ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph expanded across Northern California and to Southern California and Texas. Further growth occurred in 2016, when Providence Health & Services (founded by the Sisters of Providence) joined with St. Joseph Health to establish Providence St. Joseph Health. The health system combines the two systems to strengthen the Mission across seven Western states.

Today, Providence carries forward the legacy of these pioneers by reimagining the future of healthcare delivery and improving the health of individuals and communities across seven Western states. The Providence family of organizations remains rooted in its Mission to serve all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable, and committed to fulfilling its vision of Health for a Better World.