A Mission Begun in 1866 in Galveston

Our activities are rooted in a mission that began in 1866, when the first three Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word arrived in Galveston, Texas, from Lyons, France.

At the urging of Bishop Claude Dubuis the sisters began extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, serving a “multitude of sick and infirm of every kind.”

Over the decades that followed, God blessed the sisters’ works as their works blessed others. Their ministry expanded, split to better serve distinct geographical areas, and then re-united in 1999 to form CHRISTUS Health.

Today, almost miraculously, CHRISTUS Health, headquartered in Irving, Texas, ranks among the ten largest Catholic health systems in the United States.

Ten Ministries for Healthy Minds and Bodies

Our foundation, an outreach organization associated with CHRISTUS Health, was established in 1966 for the purpose of supporting and advancing the work of one Houston hospital, the city’s historic CHRISTUS St. Joseph. In 2005, after the sale of St. Joseph, we refocused our energies and resources. With a new name, CHRISTUS Foundation for Healthcare, we rededicated our organization to attracting resources to serve a larger community—a diverse array of 10 health- and human-services ministries in the Houston-Galveston area.

Some of the operations are well established. Others are still on the drawing boards. Each is a faith-based, mission-driven outreach program of CHRISTUS Health. All address pressing needs in our community and advance the Founding Sisters’ mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

Throughout this web site, we hope to provide you insights into the transforming power of our activities, to engender an appreciation for their indispensable work—and to inspire you to join us in our healing work.