August 13, 2026 at 6:30 pm
On August 13th, Sister Betty Ann McNeil, D.C. brings to life the remarkable story of Civil War nursing in a presentation that draws on her acclaimed book, Balm of Hope: Charity Afire Impels Daughters of Charity to Civil War Nursing. Based on handwritten memoirs, correspondence, and hospital recollections preserved from the Daughters of Charity, her work reveals the courage, compassion, and devotion of women who served amid the suffering of war. We will hear how these sisters staffed military hospitals, accompanied ambulances, and cared for wounded soldiers at the request of Union and Confederate leaders alike. McNeil’s research restores names, voices, and lived experiences that were long buried in archival records, making this more than a history talk—it is a powerful recovery of forgotten service. Her presentation is ideal for anyone interested in Civil War history, women’s history, nursing, or the humanitarian legacy of the Daughters of Charity. Join us for an engaging and inspiring look at how faith, sacrifice, and charity helped shape the care of the wounded during America’s defining conflict.
Sister Betty Ann McNeil, originally from Virginia, joined the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in 1965. She received a bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare from Saint Joseph College, Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 1969. She earned a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1975. Niagara University awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2019.
Sister Betty Ann has worked in various social work roles, serving children, adolescent mothers, and immigrants throughout her career. She served as the Provincial Archivist for the Daughters of Charity, Province of Emmitsburg, and was the Vincentian Scholar-in-Residence at DePaul University in Chicago from 2012 to 2022. She has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Catholic Studies Department at DePaul University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences from 2016 to 2026.
Author of “Daughters of Charity: Courageous and Compassionate Civil War Nurses,” U.S. Catholic Historian 31. 1 (2013), 51-72. Sister Betty Ann is the compiler and editor of Balm of Hope—Charity Afire Impels Daughters of Charity to Civil War Nursing. A Compendium. The Civil War Records of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul Province of the United States (Chicago: DePaul University Vincentian Studies Institute, 2015). She collaborated with the Sisters of Charity Federation’s Advisory Committee to publish the multi-volume collection titled Elizabeth Bayley Seton: Collected Writings (New City Press, 2000-2005) and has been involved with the DePaul University Vincentian Studies Institute since 1988.
Sister Betty Ann is currently a Vincentian Researcher and Writer for the Daughters of Charity Ministries, Inc., and a Research Consultant for the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland. Recently, she served as the editor and contributed to the second edition of Saint Elizabeth Seton: Portrait of a Soul by Joseph I. Dirvin (Ignatius Press, 2025) and is the author of 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 2nd edition (New City Press, 2025).
