Little Sisters of the Poor to withdraw from St. Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Totowa 

The Little Sisters of the Poor, who have housed and cared for the elderly poor for 145 years in the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson, will be withdrawing from St. Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Totowa. 

An official announcement was made by the sisters on July 13 — the same day they met with the residents, their families, lay associates, staff, and volunteers to share their decision.  

The 12 sisters will be assigned to other elderly homes run by the Little Sisters throughout the U.S. or overseas once the 60 residents are settled.  

Mother Alice Marie Monica, l.s.p., provincial superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor, said critical shortages in the long-term care workforce in a post-pandemic world have been challenging for the facilities. A decline in vocations is also creating staffing shortages. In the 1960s, the community had about 5,000 members worldwide. By 2020, that number dropped to less than 2,000, with about 300 in the U.S. 

“As part of a strategic plan aimed at bolstering our ministry and the quality of our religious life despite the aging of our communities, we Little Sisters have recognized the need to withdraw from a certain number of homes in the United States, a process that has been advancing over the last several years,” Mother Monica said. “In addition, since the COVID-19 pandemic, critical shortages in the long-term care workforce have posed serious ongoing challenges in our home in Totowa. Many factors have obliged us to move forward with the decision to withdraw.” 

The decision only came after a lengthy period of prayer, much consultation, and much study, Mother Monica said.  

The 12  sisters and 90 lay healthcare workers are employed to take care of 60 or so residents at St. Joseph’s, said Father Mark Cregan, Esq., attorney for the Little Sisters. 

The Little Sisters will be assisting the residents and their families in finding other accommodations based on the residents’ needs. The Little Sisters, who own the six-acre property with facilities containing 41 long-term care rooms and 69 residential units, will then look at options for transferring the property, said Father Cregan, who has handled the withdrawal of sisters from 11 other facilities. 

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, Bishop of Paterson, called for prayers as the transition process proceeds.  

“A rich history here concludes; the example of generous, loving care by the Little Sisters is our guide for the future,” Bishop Sweeney said. “The Little Sisters have taught us to be rooted in faith and joyfulness and will forever have our gratitude. Our prayers and gratitude go forever with them and the residents of Saint Joseph’s Home.”  

Mother Mary Thomas, l.s.p., superior of the home, also promised that the Little Sisters in the Totowa community will do all they can to support and care for the residents during this time of transition.  

“After being in New Jersey for 145 years, it is very hard for us Little Sisters to imagine that we will not be serving here in the future,” Mother Thomas said “We recognize how difficult it is for the residents and their families to envision a move from this home. But we will work with you to find the best option for you moving forward. We will take this next step in our journey together.”  

Bishop Sweeney thanked the Little Sisters for their 145 years of ministry in the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Paterson and for “their rich compassion, boundless energy, and confidence in God’s providence.” 

“I thank Mother and all of the Little Sisters of the Poor for their careful sensitivity and concern for the residents as this time of difficult transition emerges,” Bishop Sweeney said. “Perhaps the only real antidote for sadness is gratitude. …The care of the Little Sisters for the residents for almost a century and a half in our area, following in the line of Saint Jeanne Jugan, has placed love at the heart of their home. The trust of the Little Sisters in God’s providence has never failed them; God’s generous love will not pass us by now. The witness of selfless service by the Little Sisters will remain.” 

The Little Sisters of the Poor was established in 1839 by Jeanne Jugan, a French religious sister who became known for dedicating her life to the neediest of the elderly poor. The Little Sisters of the Poor care for the elderly who have no other resources throughout the U.S. and 30 other countries in Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa. 

St. Theresa’s Home, 70 Dey Street, Paterson (Left). St. Rose of Lima’s Home, 1 South 8th Street, Newark.

The sisters have served seniors in northern New Jersey since 1878, offering the “neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family, and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to himself,” according to their mission. 

The Little Sisters of the Poor first established St. Rose of Lima Home for the Aged on South 8th Street in Newark. In 1901, they opened St. Theresa’s Home for the Aged on Dey Street in Paterson.  

In the 1960s, newly established building codes for nursing facilities brought about by Medicaid and Medicare regulations resulted in changes for the sisters, the residents, and their facilities. Bishop Lawrence Casey, Bishop of Paterson, invited the sisters to build a new state-of-the-art building on diocesan land in Totowa on Shepherds Lane. The groundbreaking took place in 1974, and the facility officially opened in 1976 with 250 residents relocating there from the Newark and Paterson homes.  

The change in building codes in the 1970s brought the number of Little Sister homes throughout the U.S. from 52 to 32. And in recent years, the Little Sisters have been closing even more homes, with the number now down to 22.