For 120 years, Saint Anne’s Hospital has been a place of care, compassion, comfort and hope for the people of Fall River and surrounding communities. At the heart of that legacy is the presence of the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin (Dominican Sisters of the Presentation), the Catholic religious congregation that founded Saint Anne’s Hospital and continues the tradition of Catholic healthcare.
In 1905, five sisters, by the invitation of the Dominican Fathers in Fall River, left France to establish the Congregation’s first mission in the United States: building a Catholic hospital in Fall River. Their leadership and that of their successors have shaped Saint Anne’s unique culture and distinctive healthcare service from the ground up.
In 1905, the Dominican Sisters of Charity of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin (Dominican Sisters of the Presentation), a Catholic religious congregation, founded Saint Anne’s Hospital. Today, the tradition of Catholic healthcare continues with sisters Carole Mello, OP, Vimala Vadakumpadan, OP, and Glorina Jugo, OP (pictured here from left to right).
Today, sisters Glorina Jugo, OP, Carole Mello, OP and Vimala Vadakumpadan, OP continue to serve the sick and needy, following in the footsteps of their Congregation’s foundress, Blessed Marie Poussepin. All three sisters serve on Saint Anne’s Hospital Community Board. Their presence is quiet but unmistakable: a familiar face in the hallway, a gentle voice at the bedside, a steady presence in today’s fast-changing healthcare environment.
Sr. Carole Mello, 82, grew up in Rehoboth, MA, dreaming of becoming both a religious sister and a nurse. She began her four-year bachelor’s program in nursing at Salve Regina University. After completing her first year, she was ready to join the Dominican Sisters in Dighton, Massachusetts, but she honored her parent’s request and year before entering the congregation at age 19.
She started working as a registered nurse at Marian Manor, staffed by the Sisters, and later earned a master’s in theology and board certification in clinical pastoral education. In 1979, she began her long ministry as a chaplain at Saint Anne’s Hospital. She served as director of spiritual care services for 18 years before stepping down from the role. Today, she continues her ministry as a staff chaplain, bringing the same dedication and compassion to her work.
Sr. Glorina Jugo, 78, succeeded Sr. Mello recently, becoming the director of mission and spiritual care. Raised in the Philippines, she attended Dominican schools and graduated from the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (UST), the Catholic University of the Philippines. She is board-certified in both pharmacy and medical technology and was later certified in clinical pastoral education and catholic bioethics. She began her career at a medical center’s microbiology laboratory in New York City, later transitioning to the medical device and in vitro diagnostics industry. For over two decades she was a professional specialist in Quality Systems International Standards and Regulatory Compliance. At the age of 55, she fulfilled her childhood dream when she responded to her religious calling by joining the Dominican congregation.
Sr. Vimala Vadakumpadan, 71, was born and raised in Kerala, India, where she first met the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation. Their missionary zeal and witness inspired her religious calling. She began her religious formation at 18 and earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the Bhopal School of Sciences, India. In the US, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Stonehill College in Massachusetts and an MBA from Providence College. She joined Saint Anne’s Hospital in 1989 as a member of the Board. In 2005, she was appointed chair of the community board of Saint Anne’s and continues serving in that capacity.
While technology, medical treatments, and healthcare structures have evolved dramatically, the Sisters believe that what patients need at their core has not changed: it is a patient-centered quality healthcare that is provided with compassion and respect for the inherent human dignity, faith tradition, and cultural background of every person.
“You cure an infection of the body, and you heal the deep wounds of the soul,” Sr. Jugo explains. “Healing has the spiritual component.” She continues, “When we are with a patient, we listen to the story. We bring a healing presence. Patients share stories with us which they often hesitate to share with other healthcare professionals. They freely express to us what they keep within their hearts. As religious sisters, we provide a safe space. They consider us someone they can trust with their story and feel accepted. And in the telling of the story, the healing begins.”
Looking ahead, Sr. Vadakumpadan is hopeful. “It is going to be a great future for Saint Anne’s. Becoming part of Brown Health has added a new dimension of caring. The expert care the hospital has been delivering with grace will only get better.”
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