Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph Cemetery

Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph Cemetery is located on Du Couvent Street, in Tracadie-Sheila. The cemetery is reached by following the Sentier du Patrimoine (Heritage Trail), which starts nearby the Académie Ste-Famille.

Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph Cemetery is designated a Local Historic Place in recognition of the work of a group of nuns interred there who were pioneers in health and education within the community.

The cemetery was built in 1885. It contains 60 graves, the most recent dating from 1979. In addition to the 59 nuns buried there, the cemetery also contains the remains of Reverend Joseph Théberge, former parish priest of Neguac, who did a great deal to help the orphans of the area.

The Religious Hospitallers arrived in Tracadie in 1865 in order to take care of the lepers, virtual prisoners left to fend for themselves in a former lazaretto. The living conditions of the lepers improved considerably after the nuns arrived, and the place became much more viable. In addition to working in the field of health, the nuns were important figures in education in the community. They opened a school in 1874, teaching 64 students the first year. Three years later, they opened an orphanage as well. Construction of the Académie Ste-Famille, where the educational mission continued, is also the work of the Religious Hospitallers.

Source : Ville de Tracadie-Sheila, Dossier du Patrimoine # 7

The character-defining elements that describe Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph Cemetery include:

- 58 wrought-iron crosses;

- tomb of Father Théberge;

- location near Académie Ste-Famile, the hospital, and the lazaretto;

- three-metre high cross recalling the work of the hospitallers.