Driven by their religious belief and mission to help the sick, the poor and the deprived in Texas, three Catholic women sailed to Galveston from their home country France in 1866. Sister Deenan Hubbard will discuss her organization’s founders and their significant role in the community during the Cultural Speaker Series at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 20.

Texas in 1866 was plagued with disease and poverty. To provide health care for his needy people, Bishop Dubuis went to his native country of France in search of nursing sisters. Three French women volunteered to come to Texas. With their arrival the new Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word was founded. These Sisters opened the first Catholic hospital in Texas and soon started an orphanage.

Speaker Sister Deenan Hubbard will represent the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, With a proud heritage that began in Galveston, the Congregation today is multicultural and international as it continues to serve those in need in five countries.

The event is a part of the eight-month-long Cultural Speaker Series, which is held on the first and third Saturdays of each month in conjunction with the traveling exhibit, Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston Island. Presentations are free and open to the public and give opportunities for individuals to participate in, while passing on the legacy of Texas settlers to the generations to come.

Forgotten Gateway chronicles the Port of Galveston’s largely forgotten history as a major gateway to American immigration from 1845 to 1924. The exhibit is the first of its kind to explore, on a national scale, Galveston’s legacy as a port of entry and its importance in shaping Texas and U.S. history.

Forgotten Gateway will be on exhibit through Sept. 11, and admission to the exhibit is $8.95 for adults and $6.95 for children and seniors. For more information about the Cultural Speaker Series and the Forgotten Gateway exhibit, please visit moodygardens.org or call 800-582-4673.

AT A GLANCE

Event: Forgotten Gateway Cultural Speaker Series: Habit of Healing

Speaker: Sister Deenan Hubbard

Date/ Time: 1 p.m., Saturday, March 20

Location: Pompano Room, Aquarium Pyramid, Moody Gardens, One Hope Blvd., Galveston

Admission: Free, open to the public

Information: 1-800-582-4673, moodygardens.org

Exhibit: Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston Island

Admission: Adults $8.95, children (4-12) & seniors (65+) $6.95

About the Exhibit:

Galveston was a Southern equivalent of Ellis Island. With over 200 original artifacts, Forgotten Gateway chronicles the largely forgotten history of Galveston as a major immigration port between 1845 and 1924.