HISTORY

Image of St. Ignatius of Loyola

St. Ignatius Nursing Home was founded in 1952 by the late Monsignor John T. Mitchell, pastor of St. Ignatius Church. Father Mitchell discovered elderly parishioners living in deplorable conditions and moved swiftly to remedy this crisis.

Father Mitchell went to work on a nearby abandoned house on property acquired by St. Ignatius Parish. He made much-needed repairs and furnished the original site of St. Ignatius Nursing Home at 628 North 43rd Street in the Mill Creek section of West Philadelphia.

Original Site of
St. Ignatius Nursing Home

The need for residential care of destitute seniors continued to increase throughout the St. Ignatius neighborhood as well as the surrounding Philadelphia community. In 1956, St. Edmond’s Home for Children moved from West Philadelphia to Rosemont, PA and their former building at 4401 Haverford Avenue became the new home for St. Ignatius.

Within one year, both the nursing home and annex were full to capacity.  Construction for an expanded facility began in 1968 and the present facility opened in 1971.

Today, the Felician Franciscan Sisters and their dedicated staff at St. Ignatius Nursing Home continue to care for infirmed seniors of limited income as part of their Sacred Mission.  Their compassionate healthcare ministry is a tribute to the legacy of Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska, the Foundress of the Felician Order. 

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