The path of education has taken the Sisters of Charity in many directions throughout our years in the archdiocese; from the late 1800s into the 2000s, congregations of women religious worked hand in hand with the church to meet the growing needs of a new immigrant population on all fronts. Our beginnings saw us responding to the people in various cities and towns in which our schools were located. A deep desire of these families was the education of their children as they transitioned into a new cultural and social environment. And for us, Sisters of Charity . . . "Caritas Christi urget nos." "The Charity of Christ impels us."

Nearest to the heart of the city of Boston, Sisters of Charity staffed six Catholic Schools in Roxbury and Dorchester, beginning in the late 1800s and spanning over 100 years: St. Patrick Grammar and High Schools, Roxbury; St. Peter Grammar School, St. Margaret Grammar, Msgr. Ryan Memorial High School, St. Kevin Grammar School, and Elizabeth Seton Academy, all located in Dorchester.

Looking slightly to the West of the city, we found ourselves serving in St. Joseph Academy for Boys, the Academy of the Assumption (originally a boarding school), Elizabeth Seton High School, and St. Paul Grammar School, all in Wellesley. St. Joseph Grammar School in the neighboring town of Needham joined this educational cohort.

The Merrimack Valley also saw a great influx of immigrant families seeking homes, jobs, and schools. In response to this, Lowell welcomed our sisters at St. Peter Grammar School. Sisters also were sent to St. Patrick Parish, Lawrence, to provide education in both a grammar school and a high school. In the near-by town of North Andover, St. Michael Grammar School served the needs in this area.

In later years, as needs changed, the sisters were called to two new locations. Just north of Boston, we find St. Francis of Assisi School in Medford and just south of the city, St. Mary School in Randolph.

Today, several parish schools in Dorchester, including St. Margaret's, have merged to form St. John Paul II Catholic Academy, where Sister Pat McCarthy worked until 2022. Similarly, St. Patrick's School in Lawrence and several other parish schools in the city have now become Lawrence Catholic Academy. Sister Ellen Donovan still serves as a volunteer tutor with primary grade children.

While most of these schools are no longer carrying out their original missions, the Congregation continues to respond to the very varied needs for education in many sectors of society today. We continue to serve at other existing parish schools throughout the diocese. We are involved as well in new endeavors that strive to address the needs of an ever-increasing number of immigrants through programs and projects that provide ESL classes, training in parishes, schools, and colleges. The path of education has been one of giving joyful witness to God's love and continues to move us to respond to the call of new generations of God's people.