Our community was founded in Sublimity, Oregon in 1886. The Sisters began teaching in the local parish almost immediately. In 1891, Archbishop William H. Gross asked the Sisters to serve at St. Mary’s Orphanage in Beaverton. In 1894, the Sisters began the construction of a Motherhouse in Beaverton. In 1905, the Sisters changed their name to the Sisters of St. Mary. We are known today as the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.
Our Campus Schools
Education on the campus of the Sisters began in 1903 and continues to this day. Valley Catholic School is Oregon’s only pre-K through grade 12 Catholic educational system. Additionally, our Sisters have taught in schools across Oregon and Washington.
- In 1930, a new brick Motherhouse was erected. It also served as a school building.
- By 1969, the dream of a separate high school building was realized.
- In 1991, an early learning facility opened its doors. That year, our high school became coed and changed its name from St. Mary of the Valley High School to Valley Catholic. Several years later, all of our campus schools changed their names to Valley Catholic.
- A new, LEED gold certified elementary and middle school building opened in 2006.
- In 2013 and 2014, enhanced athletic facilities – including lighting, artificial turf, a grandstand and field house – were added to the campus.
Maryville
Recognizing the growing need for elder care, Maryville opened in 1963 and quickly developed a reputation for outstanding skilled nursing care. In 2011, Maryville opened a new residential care facility exclusively devoted to the care of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In 2015, a new transitional care unit will open to meet the increasing regional need for short-term physical rehabilitation.
Our Sisters
Today, our Sisters reside at our Motherhouse on our 43-acre campus in Beaverton and at other locations, primarily in the Portland metropolitan area and across Oregon.
We invite you to enjoy a video which shares our history and honors our founders.
We are proud to be “Standing on the Shoulders” of the ones who came before us.
