Mary, Queen of Angels


The Province of Our Lady Queen of the Angels
had its first beginning in 1941 when Brother Matthias Barrett arrived from the Brothers' Canadian Province to initiate an old expression of Hospitality in a new country. Among the number of Brothers who arrived from Canada between 1941-1945, Brother Andrew Aucoin remained in the USA Province.

The early ministries of the Brothers in the Los Angeles area included soup kitchens, a boys' ranch, a night shelter and care centers for the sick and the elderly. In 1945, the Brothers established similar services in Boston, Massachusetts.

Brother Patrick Corr came to the United States from his native Ireland in 1946. Brothers came from Ireland, Australia, Germany and England to volunteer their services to help this fledgling Province become established.

The campus that today is St. John of God Retirement and Care Center is very different from the original facility on the corner of Western and Adams which was purchased by the Brothers in 1945. In addressing the needs of the whole person, St. John of God Retirement and Care Center offers a continuum of care including independent living, skilled nursing, residential care and a specialized Alzheimer's Unit. In addition to the Retirement and Care Center, this campus is shared by the Provincial Offices located in the Villa María; and the Hospitaller Foundation which coordinates the help of many generous benefactors to assist the Brothers and their co-workers in their mission of Hospitality.

In 1955, the Brothers purchased the property in Ojai that today is known as St. Joseph's Health and Retirement Center. This beautiful property of orange groves and various buildings had as its original intent to be the training center for men wishing to become Brothers of St. John of God. The Brothers built a small skilled nursing facility and novitiate, but since then, the formation program has move to Los Angeles and the buildings are now used as a residential center for the elderly. In the middle of 1980, a new chapel was built in Ojai. This lovely building is now used not only by the residents and Brothers, but many local people also come here to pray and to worship. The Brothers have great dreams for the future of St. Joseph's and hope to embark on a major building program in the next few years in order to add more facilities for the sick and the elderly.

In 1969, the Brothers of St. John of God took over the sponsorship of St. Mary Desert Valley Hospital from the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The hospital opened in 1956 with 25 beds and in 1992, with 109 beds, St. Mary's became a member of St. Joseph Health System. A major expansion project was made and the hospital now offer a vast continuum of acute care services to the people of the high desert with the sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and the Brothers of St. John of God co-ministering at St. Mary's.

St. John of God Health Care Services, has since 1985, provided social model alcohol recovery homes in Apple Valley and Victorville. The programs today include a social model detoxification unit, primary recovery for both men and women, a special for women with young children, sober living environments for men and a recovery program for teenaged young men.

In 1991, Apple Valley Care Center, a 99 bed skilled nursing facility was opened. This is a joint venture between the Presbyterian Church of the Valley and St. Mary Desert Valley Hospital.

The USA Brothers of St. John of God, Province of Our Lady Queen of the Angels, is currently made up of 28 Brothers members: 29 are Solemn Professed, 3 Temporary Professed and 1 Novice.

Several of the Province membership originally come from Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Ireland, and Vietnam. The majority live in 3 communities: Los Angeles, Apple Valley, Ojai, and Santa Ana. 3 of the members are involved in different apostolates in different parts of the United States. The Brothers' ministries include: acute and long term care, senior living, chemical dependency, and transitional living centers.

A number of co-workers are collaborating with the Brothers in many of their ongoing projects, e.g. strategic planning, Provincial Animation Commission, associates, fund raising.


© 1996 The Brothers of St. John of God