Joint Statement from SND and St. Charles:
It is with great pleasure that the Sisters of Notre Dame (SND) and the St. Charles Community (St. Charles) share with you that they have reached a preliminary agreement for an expansion of the St. Charles’ ministry to take place on the Dixie Highway campus of the SND (St. Joseph Heights), which has been home to the SNDs since 1926.
Nichole Smith, Executive Director of the St. Charles Community, comments on this opportunity by saying, “Since our founding by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1961, the St. Charles Community has been a leader in senior care in Northern Kentucky. Our mission calls us to care for the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – with professional competency, respect, and deep devotion to the healing ministry of Jesus. We believe that this expansion will enable us to reach more seniors in desperate need of compassionate care and services, while honoring and preserving the legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame in this region.”
In 2023 and 2024, most of the sisters who were living at St. Joseph Heights transitioned to living on the St. Charles’ campus. Ms. Smith further commented, “Welcoming the sisters to our St. Charles Community has been a blessing.”
Regarding the future, Sr. Shauna, Provincial Councilor for SND, has shared, “It is very affirming to the sisters to see the potential for St. Joseph Heights to continue serving the SND mission through an expansion of St Charles’ own mission and ministry on the campus. And since many in-depth studies have shown that a re-purposing of the existing building is not feasible, the SND will be taking it down this summer – this as the next step in St. Joseph Heights’ further service to mission.”
Ms Smith added, “After a year of prayer, study and meetings, we are committed to entering the next part of the study. We envision a phased development, and we have engaged professionals to assist us in determining how St. Charles can best serve the local community through this expansion and long into in the future.”
Sr. Shauna concluded with, “In making decisions about the future, our goal is to maximize our mission-related impact and to continue to strengthen our existing ministries. We believe that transitioning the St. Joseph Heights property to St. Charles will provide significant benefits to both the Sisters and St. Charles, and to the broader Covington / Park Hills communities.”
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Margie Schnelle, by email at [email protected] or phone 859-392-8229.
Thank you,
Sr. Mary Shauna Bankemper, SND
Provincial Assistant, SNDUSA
“God says: I know the plans, I have in mind for you, plans for peace and not disaster. I reserve a future full of hope for you.” – Jeremiah
The Mission Carries On
Despite the closing of the St. Joseph Heights building, the mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame remains strong. The Sisters have donated items and furniture from the building to various organizations locally and beyond. These donations reflect the ongoing commitment to supporting those in need. Those organizations include:
United Christian Volunteers Ministry (Erlanger/Elsmere)
Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky (H.O.N.K.)
Catholic Charities – Parish Kitchen and Mobile Food Pantry
DCCH Center for Children and Families
Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky
The Little Miracle Center – run by Sue Brown and the Glenmary Sisters
Ronald McDonald House
PeeWees’ Place
Scrap It UP – Sewing Room Materials and Supplies
Park Hills Fire Department
Villa Hills Civic Club
McHales Catering and Event Centers
St. Agnes Parish
Blessed Sacrament Parish
Cristo Rey Parish
St. Thomas Parish
St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Spring, KY
Mary Queen of Heaven Parish – Fish Fry
St. Augustine Parish, Augusta, Kentucky
NKY University Newman Center
Notre Dame Urban Education Center
St. Charles Community
The Julie Learning Center
Notre Dame Academy
Covington Catholic High School
SND Chardon Region
SND Toledo Region
Employees, Friends, and Families of the Sisters of Notre Dame