St. John's Orphanage

In 1890, Mother St. Pierre determined that a building of an orphange for boys could no longer be delayed. The new home woud be constructed on the site of Santa Rosa (now on the Houston Street property) "at the far end where the stables were." It's proximty to the hospital meant the children could be fed from the same kitchen; morever it was close enough to the San Fernando School for Boys that the young children could easily and safely walk to school.

When the 4-story St. John's Orphanage opened in December of 1890, the two top floors were used for the novitiate of the growing community; the orphans occupied the lower floors.