Sister Irene (born Catherine Rosamund Fitzgibbon; May 12, 1823 – August 14, 1896) was an American nun who founded the New York Foundling Hospital in 1869, at a time when abandoned infants were routinely sent to almshouses with the sick and insane.

As the number of infants in care grew, the Foundling Hospital came to occupy a full city block between 68th and 69th Streets.

At the age of nine, Catherine emigrated to Brooklyn with her parents, where she attended St. James School, operated by the Sisters of Charity of New York.

[3] In the years following the Civil War, it was estimated, some thirty thousand homeless children wandered the streets of New York.

After visiting the public homes for infants in several cities she organized a woman's society to collect the necessary funds for the proposed asylum.

[6] The New York World wrote: "The infants were not merely abject numbers to her, but precious individuals who deserved complete dignity and loving care.

It was here that Doctor Joseph O'Dwyer developed a life saving method of intubation for children afflicted with diphtheria.

[4] Forced to evolve her own methods of dealing with foundlings and unwed mothers, Sister Mary Irene initiated a program of placing children in foster homes whenever possible, with provision for legal adoption when desired.

The practice of having, where possible, mothers of newborns nurse foundlings as well cut the mortality rate of infants in care substantially.

[6] The institution had been an innovative service-provider, and Sr. Irene is credited with using an open-air porch and windows on both sides to keep airflow on hospital units.