Rosalie Hall the safe space that changed a life

An act of compassion leaves a profound imprint on the mind, heart and soul that can radically alter the course of one’s life for the better.

Thanks to ShareLife exemplifying this universal truth for 50 years, its member agencies and generous donors have outright saved an incalculable number of lives.

A longtime contributor to the ShareLife parish campaign agreed to share her testimonial of how the “kindness, compassion and dignity” she experienced at Rosalie Hall 45 years ago transformed her, if she could remain anonymous.

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This lady, now in her early 60s, was unmarried and pregnant at 19 years old, and that “carried a great deal of shame and stigma.”

“My parents felt humiliated by my pregnancy, and I was turned away from my home in Montreal,” shared the donor in a letter to The Catholic Register. “I was told to go to my brother’s place in Toronto and find a place to move onto from there.”

Frightened and essentially on her own upon arriving in Toronto, the young woman needed somewhere safe to turn.

Enter Rosalie Hall. The Misericordia Sisters founded this organization in 1914 to shelter and comprehensively support pregnant and parenting youth and young adults, and have partnered with ShareLife since its 1976 inception.

She arrived in late October. Not once did she feel judged by the Misericordia Sisters during her four-month stay leading up to her daughter’s birth in February 1982.

“They provided stability at a time when my life felt completely uncertain,” wrote the donor. “What I remember most was their quiet strength. They did not make me feel ashamed of myself. They gave me a place where I could get through my pregnancy and prepare for what was ahead.

“I don’t think I fully understood at the time how important that support was. Looking back now, I realize that Rosalie Hall gave me a foundation during one of the most difficult periods of my life.”

There were always 17 or 18 girls staying at Rosalie Hall at that time. She shared accommodations with another young girl during the first month, and a private room for the rest of her stay, beautified by the supervising housemothers.

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“One particular housemother was terrific with all the girls,” she said. “She was firm about the house rules but so kind as well. I learned by watching how she interacted with some of the more difficult residents and when two or more girls were arguing.”

A social worker found a suitable home for her daughter. She requested a Catholic family “with at least one sibling” for her baby girl. Her wish was granted.

Activities also brightened her experience, particularly the pottery classes. A cookie jar she crafted remains a treasured possession over four decades later.

Half the pregnant women staying at Rosalie Hall who chose to keep their little one attended educational programs about caring for newborns. The other half opted for adoption.

Thanks to the unconditional compassion and attentive care she received at Rosalie Hall, the self-described vulnerable, unsupported and alone teenager who arrived there was lovingly moulded into a woman with the strength to begin a new chapter, knowing that she gave her daughter an opportunity to flourish.

“I think about the young woman I was then and how different my life could have been if Rosalie Hall had not been there,” said the donor. “I went on to build a life, marry and raise five more children. I experienced tremendous happiness as well as profound losses, including the deaths of my husband and my youngest son.”

In time, love found her again. And in an unexpected, beautiful twist of fate, she reconnected with her adopted daughter too.

“She is now married and has three children of her own,” she revealed. “Meeting her again has been an incredibly meaningful and emotional experience.”

Saved by one of its member agencies, donating to ShareLife each year is a “deeply personal” act.

“It is not simply a charitable donation for me,” she said. “My donation is an expression of gratitude for something that happened more than 40 years ago. I hope that another young woman who finds herself frightened and alone will have somewhere safe to turn, just as I did.”

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She knows the lasting impact of hearing the words “you are welcome here. We will help you” — and then experiencing the tender love and care that fulfilled that promise.

“That compassion has stayed with me for more than 40 years. I think that is what makes an organization truly special, when the help you receive during a difficult time remains part of your life long after you have left.” 

(Amundson is an associate editor and writer for The Catholic Register.)

A version of this article appeared in the September 27, 2026 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Rosalie Hall the safe space that changed a life".