About St. Augustine Chapel -Home For Aged · Indianapolis, Indiana
St. Augustine Chapel is the Roman Catholic chapel at the center of St. Augustine Home for the Aged in Indianapolis, Indiana, operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor since 1873. The chapel physically anchors the residence hall — its two wings branch out from either side of the worship space — placing Christ at the literal center of the community. Daily Mass, the rosary, adoration, confession, the Anointing of the Sick, evening prayer, and Benediction all revolve around this chapel, which is available 24 hours a day to the elderly Residents the Sisters serve.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Augustine
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
St. Augustine Chapel is the prayerful heart of a home where more than a hundred low-income elderly Residents live with the Little Sisters of the Poor. Anyone may attend the daily Mass, pray the rosary with the community, spend a half-hour with the Blessed Sacrament, or join Eucharistic Adoration on the second Tuesday of each month from 7–8 p.m. The chapel is open 24 hours a day, and the Sisters extend a warm welcome to visitors, volunteers, and anyone discerning a vocation to consecrated life — the Home welcomes people of all faiths to come pray, serve, or simply be present with the elderly.
Mass times at St. Augustine Chapel -Home For Aged
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Available regularly — see the daily activity calendar for current times
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration on the second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- A half-hour visit to the Blessed Sacrament each day (community prayer)
History of St. Augustine Home
Four Little Sisters of the Poor arrived in Indianapolis in early 1873 at the invitation of Bishop Jacques M. Maurice de Saint-Palais of the Vincennes Diocese and Msgr. Jean-Francois Augustin de Bessonies, vicar general and pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish. Father Bessonies rented them two small houses near his church, and they took in six elderly guests within a few days. In 1873 they purchased 2.5 acres from the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and built their first Home on East Vermont Street, placing it under the patronage of St. Augustine. By 1878 a larger three-story brick building rose on the same lot; Bishop Chatard dedicated it in 1879. After more state-required changes became impossible, the Sisters bought 34 acres at 86th Street and Township Line Road and moved in with their 86 Residents in November 1967; the new Home was dedicated in 1968. Since 1873 the Sisters have cared for roughly 6,500 elderly through the Home. The order itself was founded in 1839 in Brittany, France, by St. Jeanne Jugan.
- 1873 — Little Sisters arrive in Indianapolis and found St. Augustine Home on East Vermont Street
- 1878–1879 — larger brick Home built and dedicated by Bishop Chatard
- 1967 — Sisters and 86 Residents move to 2345 W. 86th Street
- 2017 — Indiana Historical Bureau marker unveiled at 502 E. Vermont Street; Mayor Hogsett declares May 20 'Little Sisters of the Poor Day'
Welcome & Mission
The Little Sisters operate St. Augustine as a true home, not an institution, so that Residents may live in peace, happiness, and security for their remaining years. The Sisters live at the Home and are available 24/7 to respond to Residents' needs. A spiritual approach to aging is exemplified by the central location of the chapel, the presence of a chaplain and resident priests, daily Mass and rosary, and the regular availability of the Anointing of the Sick. The mission is rooted in welcoming low-income elderly persons aged 65 and older regardless of race or religion, ministering to them emotionally and spiritually, and protecting life in every form.
- Continuum of care: independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing (Medicaid certified)
- All bedrooms are single occupancy with private bathrooms
- Family-style dining rooms available to apartment Residents free of charge
- Rejection of euthanasia and assisted suicide, with protection from all forms of abuse and neglect
- A constant Little Sister presence at the bedside of the dying
St. Augustine Chapel — Liturgy of the Home
St. Augustine Chapel sits at the physical heart of the building, with residence halls branching from either side. Every day the community gathers for rosary and Mass celebrated by resident priests, and the chapel is open around the clock. The article from The Criterion noted that every day 'residents have the opportunity to pray the rosary then worship at Mass celebrated by resident priests,' with frequent availability of the Anointing of the Sick and a calendar of confession, adoration, evening prayer, and Benediction.
- Central physical layout — the chapel anchors the entire residence
- Daily Mass and daily rosary
- Open 24 hours a day
- Frequent Anointing of the Sick
- Regular confession, adoration, evening prayer, and Benediction
Admissions & Eligibility
St. Augustine Home welcomes low-income elders aged 65 and older regardless of race or religion. Admission usually begins with a conversation with one of the Little Sisters or with the Director of Social Work, followed by an interview at the Home or an application if an interview is not possible. Direct admission into the skilled nursing unit is generally not possible; those rooms are typically reserved for Residents already in assisted living or apartments who need a higher level of care.
- Contact: Amber Clark, Director of Social Work
- Phone: (317) 415-5767
- Email: [email protected]
- Eligibility: low-income, age 65+, regardless of race or religion
Care, Services & Facilities
The Home offers a true continuum of care on a single campus, with on-site medical and dental offices, physical therapy, family-style dining rooms, recreational areas, a full-service laundry, an industrial kitchen, meeting rooms, an award-winning garden, a shrine, a gazebo, and the 24-hour chapel. The Little Sisters work with more than 100 full- and part-time staff members and more than 300 volunteers.
- Independent living apartments for low-income seniors
- Assisted living
- Skilled nursing care (Medicaid certified)
- On-site doctor, dental, and physical therapy services
- Accepts Medicare and Medicaid
- Garden, shrine, and gazebo on the grounds
Volunteering & Visiting
Volunteers are central to life at the Home — the Little Sisters work alongside more than 300 volunteers. Visitors are warmly welcomed. The Sisters suggest attending Mass, dropping in to pray the rosary with the Residents, joining monthly Eucharistic Adoration on the second Tuesday evening, or arranging a tour of St. Augustine Home.
- Attend a daily Mass or monthly Eucharistic Adoration
- Visit markets and businesses with the Sisters in the traditional begging rounds
- Volunteer with the elderly
- Take a discernment retreat or spring/summer service placement
Vocations & Discernment
The Sisters welcome visitors who want to learn about Little Sister consecrated life and the mission of hospitality to the elderly poor. Discernment begins by sharing time with the Sisters and Residents — an afternoon visit to one of their Homes, a service placement, or a spiritual internship are all suggested paths.
- Contact: Sr. Marcel Joseph at (317) 415-5767
- Discernment retreats held throughout the year at various locations
- Spring and summer service placements / spiritual internships offered in U.S. homes
Leadership & Staff
The Indianapolis home is led by the Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor and supported by an Administrator and a Director of Social Work, as well as staff for Resident Activities and Entertainment and more than 100 full- and part-time employees plus 300 volunteers. The Sisters themselves live at St. Augustine and are present 24/7.
- Mother Maria Christine — Mother Superior
- Steven Still — Administrator
- Amber Clark — Director of Social Work (Admissions)
- Sharon Bed — Resident Activities and Entertainment
- Chaplain and resident priests serving the chapel
Visit, Address & Contact
St. Augustine Home sits on the northwest side of Indianapolis, convenient to St. Vincent Hospital. The chapel is the focal point of visits — daily Mass and rosary, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and the ever-open doors invite prayerful presence with the Residents.
- Address: 2345 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260-1905
- Phone: (317) 415-5767 (317-415-LSOP)
- Home Fax: (317) 415-5773
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://littlesistersofthepoorindianapolis.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Jean-Francois Augustin de Bessoniesearly 1870s
Diocesan vicar general and pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis; invited the four Little Sisters to Indianapolis and rented them two small houses near his church. The Home was placed under the patronage of St. Augustine — possibly to honor him.