Shorb arrived in Boston on May 2, 1832 at the request of Bishop
Benedict Fenwick who had requested the assistance of the Daughters of Charity. Once Shorb arrived with Sisters Blandina Davaux and Loyola Ritchie, they began caring for orphaned girls. They set up a school and taught religious education classes. By March 1843, the
Great and General Court granted them a charter as the St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum. It was the first Catholic charitable organization in the state. The Asylum cared for girls between 3 and 10 without regard to their religion. Shorb ran the Asylum for the next 40 years. When the asylum was too small to take in more children, she organized a fair that raised $10,000 in two weeks. In 1866, the
Sisters of Charity founded the
St. Mary's School and Asylum at what was formerly the
Norfolk House in
Dedham, Massachusetts. Shorb, along with two others, purchased the property for $1 by Martin Bates who, out of a "spirit of vindictiveness," gave it to the Sisters because the Town of Dedham would not purchase the run down building from him at his asking price. ==Nursing and hospital administrator==