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A Rich History
In 1916, prominent philanthropists Thomas and Marie Claire Maloney gave the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace their 26-acre estate consisting of a farm and some buildings in Saddle River, NJ, to support the Sisters' ministries. Later, in the 1920's, the Maloneys underwrote the construction of a three-story mansion on the grounds and named it in honor of Mrs. Maloney, known today as Villa Marie Claire. For the past 90 years, the Villa and its magnificent property have housed many of the Sisters' ministries and its use has evolved continuously to meet changing needs and serve its surrounding communities. Founded as a residence for working girls, it served as a working farm for orphan boys during the First World War, and later as a parish school, a rest home for women and a retreat house. A convent was added in the 1930's and in the 1950s, the Villa was home to both young, newly-professed sisters and aging and infirm sisters. In recent years, it became a retirement community for 20 residents and 12 sisters. Through each era, the Villa's beautiful and serene environment coupled with its caring atmosphere made it an extremely special place. A New Vision Today, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace have accepted a proposal from Holy Name Medical Center to establish a 20-bed inpatient hospice, the first of its kind in Bergen County. The Sisters embraced this proposal as a timely extension of their ministry and of the healing mission of Holy Name Medical Center, which they also founded and have sponsored since 1925. The Sisters and Holy Name Medical Center envision a new purpose for Villa Marie Claire: to meet a growing and critical need for compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill patients and their loved ones. In this new role, the Villa will nurture patients and families from all religious, social and economic backgrounds for generations to come in a comfortable and peaceful environment as they near the final stages of life's journey. |
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Villa Marie Claire
