IN 1539 JUAN CIDADE, LATER KNOWN AS ST JOHN OF GOD, OPENED A HOSPITAL FOR THE POOR AND DESTITUTE IN THE TOWN OF GRANADA IN SPAIN. THE FOLLOWING YEAR A GROUP OF MEN FORMED TO ASSIST HIM IN HIS WORK OF CARING FOR THE SICK AND POOR. THUS WAS FOUNDED THE HOSPITALLER ORDER OF ST JOHN OF GOD SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY SAINT PIUS V IN 1571. IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING JUAN'S DEATH THE ORDER OPENED HOSPITALS IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FOLLOWING THEIR APOSTOLATE AS A HOSPITALLER ORDER. TODAY THEY OPERATE A RANGE OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES IN 46 COUNTRIES.

THE ORDER CAME TO AUSTRALIA FROM IRELAND IN 1947 AT THE REQUEST OF THEN CARDINAL GILROY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WISHES OF HIS PREDECESSOR ARCHBISHOP KELLY. ITS FIRST WORK WAS A RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SCHOOL IN NEW SOUTH WALES FOR BOYS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES. SIMILAR SCHOOLS WERE LATER ESTABLISHED IN VICTORIA AND IN NEW ZEALAND. THE ORDER ALSO BECAME INVOLVED IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE AND TREATMENT AND OPENED TWO PRIVATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS IN SYDNEY. THE WORK OF THE BROTHERS PROSPERED AND AUSTRALIA BECAME A VICE-PROVINCE IN 1952 AND IN 1956 AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & PAPUA NEW GUINEA WERE RAISED TO FULL PROVINCIAL STATUS UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF THE HOLY FAMILY.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF FOUNDATIONS MADE BY THE BROTHERS OF ST JOHN OF GOD IN AUSTRALIA. THOSE FOUNDATIONS WHICH THE BROTHERS MADE OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA IN NEW ZEALAND AND PAPUA NEW GUINEA ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LISTING.

AVALON
1972

BURWOOD
1957

CHELTENHAM
1953

ENFIELD

GREENSBOROUGH
1967

LILYDALE
1955

MORISSET
1947

NORTH RICHMOND
1952

STRATHFIELD