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Fall 2007 • A Publication of the Sisters of Charity, BVM
BVMs Celebrate 175 Years!
Remembering the Journey
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Editor: Mira Mosle, BVM
Design Editor: Angie J. Connolly
Communication Advisory Committee:
Jeanne Harrington, Associate; Mary Martens, BVM; Sara McAlpin, BVM; Margaret A.
McGinn, BVM; Joan Newhart, BVM; Mary
Jeanne Stopper, BVM; Betty Voss, BVM
Subscriptions: $7.50 per year, write: SALT,
1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 520037991, ph. (563) 588-2351, or email: rbechen@
bvmcong.org
2007-2008 Calendar
See p.5 for invitation to 175th Jubilee
local celebrations.
October
28 Benefactors’ Mass, Wright Hall,
Chicago
November
3 Benefactors’ Mass, Mt. Carmel
April
6 Immaculata HS Alumnae Luncheon,
Niles
20 St. Mary HS Alumnae Luncheon, Lombard
27 Mass of Resurrection for Friends and
Family of Deceased BVMs, Mt. Carmel
June
17 Golden Jubilee Celebration,
Mt. Carmel
20-22 Congregational 175th Jubilee
Celebration, Dubuque
Internet Address: www.bvmcong.org
Email Address: mmosle@bvmcong.org
Member of Catholic Press Association
ING the WAT
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ING the WAT
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SALT is a quarterly magazine published for
friends of the Sisters of Charity, BVM.
S
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3 Seasoning
by BVMs Joellen McCarthy, Peggy Nolan
and Mary Ann Zollmann
4 Celebrating Jubilee a Time of Thanksgiving
sg in
sgiving
UR
PE
by Mary Frances Reis, BVM
C
Mission Statement: As Sisters of Charity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we are called
to participate in the mission of Jesus. Our
choice of ministry is in keeping with our
BVM mission: being freed and helping others
enjoy freedom in God’s steadfast love. BVM
Constitutions, No. 10
O
B
BVMs Celebrate 175 Years!
Remembering the Journey
Fall Two Thousand Seven
Volume 36, Number 1
SS
A
6 The Gift of Memory:
Precious and Powerful
REN
O
TS of H
by Harriet Holles, BVM
7 Scripture Reveals Values,
Action of a Jubilee People
by Betty Voss, BVM
8 A Mine of Memories: Montana Hosts
Centennial of BVM Ministry
by Theresa Caluori, BVM
9 California Parishes Celebrate
BVM Ministry and Presence
10 Exploring BVM Celtic Roots: Community,
Strong Women and Sacred Places
by BVMs Patricia Bombard and Kathleen Conway
13
Celtic Spirituality
Evident in Mary Frances Clarke
by Ann Harrington, BVM
14 How BVMs Influenced Catholic
Culture in the 19th Century
by Kathryn Lawlor, BVM
15 ‘In the Spirit’ a Special Tribute
by BVMs Elizabeth Avalos, Bette Gamboni
and Marilyn Wilson
16
SALT Briefs
17 Heritage Society Keeps
BVM Memories Alive
by Pat Nolan, BVM
18 As ‘Diaspora’ Ends, Thoughts on
Being Home and Being Together
C
UR
PE
by Eileen Healy, BVM
REN
O
T S of H
Sisters of Charity, BVM
19 Fourteen BVMs Celebrate 75
Years in Religious Life
20 Golden Jubilarians ‘Come to the Water’
1833~2008
Celebrating 175 Years of
BVM Presence & Partnership
2
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On the cover: Lou Anglin, BVM pauses on her hike up Croagh’s Patrick in Ireland to
contemplate Clew Bay. See pp. 10-12.
SEASONing
Dear SALT Readers,
On November 1, 1833 in St. Joseph’s Church in
Philadelphia, Mary Frances Clarke and her four
friends proclaimed their vows, promising to be
faithful to God and to one another.
On November 1, 2007 we, their followers, proclaim a year of Jubilee to celebrate their action
and the rich history to which it gave birth. With
joy and gratitude we invite you—our benefactors,
alums, friends, family members, colleagues and
business associates—to join us in celebrating 175
years of presence and partnership.
During this Jubilee year November 1, 2007—
November 1, 2008 Salt magazine will join in the
festivities by devoting the next five issues to
Remembering, Relating, Choosing, Participating
and Imagining—energies that express the spirit of
our founding members as lived today by us, 21st
century BVMs, and by you who partner with us.
Over the years we have experienced God’s steadfast
love through you. Your presence has called forth
the best in us and has consistently moved us to
new and often unexpected places. We are grateful.
This issue of Salt, with its focus on remembering,
invites us to look at our shared past. With 175
years to honor, what and how we remember challenges us. How do any of us adequately remember any anniversary whether 40 years of marriage,
15 years of sobriety, 20 years of professional service, or 175 years of existence?
In the beginning of her poem, “The Gathering of
the Clan” Jane McDonnell, BVM writes,
The clan sits at the table of memories
to pass their tales like bread from mouth
to mouth, from heart to heart. The sounds
chime sad, chime happy, light the room
against the fears that lurk for times
beyond the gift of warmth and speech.
For Jane, as for many of us, telling the stories that
accompany the years is crucial to remembering.
Whether the tale be sad or happy, strength comes
in the telling and nourishes our hearts. The poem
goes on to say that in telling the tale the years slip
away and another time emerges bringing to life
new and dangerous journeys, the mystery
of sudden friendships, of old bitterness
softened, the seizing of the single breath
dividing life from death.
By telling the tale both speakers and listeners come face to face with the events that have
shaped them and those they love. In so doing they
are strengthened for the future. In Jane’s words
they find
the sweet taste that waits even
in the hard crust of future tense.
“The Gathering of the Clan” sums up the essence
of remembering: telling the story. In this issue of
Salt some members of our clan have gathered to
tell their stories. Some tell of the present, some of
the past; some share their musings on memory,
history or jubilee. We hope these tales will serve
as bread to nourish your heart, light to brighten
your inner room and seasoning to flavor your
future.
May this Jubilee year provide many opportunities for remembering the time honored, life giving connections among us. Throughout the year
BVMs and Associates will be gathering at numerous local Jubilee celebrations. The table of memories is at hand. We look forward to your presence,
to all the tales that will be told and to the renewed
life that the powerful energy of remembering will
release among us.
FA L L T W O T H O U S A N D S E V E N
3
Celebrating Jubilee
A Time of Thanksgiving
by Mary Frances Reis, BVM
mountain climbing.

The celebration/s would be simple.
They would not focus on BVM
achievements.
The event/s would be a celebration
of deep gratitude to God for partnerships shared through the years
It was these partnerships of alums,
co-workers, family, religious congregations, dioceses and agencies that made
possible a world-wide extension of BVM
core values of education, justice, charity and freedom in God’s steadfast love.
Reaching a Plateau
An achievable plateau was sited
early. This creative cross-section of BVM
educators, artists, musicians and admin-
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UR
ING the WAT
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ER

O
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Initially there is present boundless
enthusiasm in discovering vistas of
fantastic ideas. As the clouds clear and
reveal the challenging paths to the summit, the family usually decides on an
achievable plateau.
Often, when reminiscing on the
event, it is seen how incredibly the
plateau actually reflected the creativity and possibilities of an envisioned
mountaintop experience.
In November of 2005 a group of our
BVM family gathered to explore possible paths of a jubilee year commemorating the 175 years of BVM life and
mission.
That initial meeting at Mount Carmel revealed an abundance of joy and
enthusiasm, as one might expect. What
was surprising, however, was the quick
discovery of a common focus; a focus
reflective of Mary Frances Clarke, our
foundress:
PE
celebrations might be compared to
istrative folk brought boundless amounts
of literary, organizational and imaginative skills to meetings centered in prayer.
Work at that first meeting and during the
few following gatherings was often tempered by the mantra: Keep it simple!
Choosing a theme was another
astoundingly simple achievement, as
one ordinarily might not expect possible
in a group of educators. Meeting on the
bluffs of the Mississippi River and reminiscing how waterways directed our
journeys—in the Americas and broader
world—shaped the theme:
CR
Planning family anniversary
REN
O
T S of H
1833~2008
Celebrating 175 Years of
BVM Presence & Partnership
The theme rooted the celebration
in BVM history and vision. It showed
a deep connectedness to our increasing consciousness to develop personal
respect and care of the precious gift
of water as well as our congregation’s
ongoing commitment to assist waterdeprived communities in the world.
The idea of “water currents” was
seen as a metaphor of Mary Frances
Clarke’s dauntless hope through many
trials and difficulties, and the current
challenges we meet today as women
dedicated to peace and justice. The
“currents of hope” is the abiding power
of the Spirit working in and through us
and together with our many partners.
The Proclamation (p. 5) evolved as a
reflection on the theme. It is an invitation to all: BVMs and Associates, families, friends and partners with whom
we have lived and worked in 46 states
and 35 countries with hundreds of thousands of children and adults these past
175 years.
In reading the Proclamation you will
see that we invite you to journey with
us as we
Honor the
Past
Celebrate the
Present
Embrace the
Future
in the spirit of Mary Frances Clarke,
who would probably say of today as she
did in the nineteenth century:
“Leave the future to God,
I have no fears as long as
you are working unitedly.”
We hope that you will be able to join
with us this year in some celebrations
that, hopefully, will be simple yet profound mountaintop experiences of our
love and deep gratitude.
About the author: Mary Frances Reis, BVM (Paul
Adele) ministers in Lebanon, Mo. She is a member
of the 175h Jubilee Committee.
You Are Invited to
These 175th Jubilee
Local Celebrations
Phoenix
November 1, 2007
Xavier College Prep
9 a.m. Liturgy with students and
parents
Contact: Lynn Winsor, BVM at
602-264-0445
Des Moines
November 4, 2007
St. Ambrose Cathedral
2:30 p.m. Prayer Service of Gratitude followed by reception at
Diocesan Pastoral Center
No reservations needed
Contact: Carola Broderick, BVM at
515-279-8621 (H)
Dubuque
December 8, 2007
Mount Carmel Motherhouse
Also celebrates completion of
Motherhouse renovation
2 – 4 p.m. Open House
Contact: Mary Ann Zollmann,
BVM at 563-588-2351
Milwaukee
April 19, 2008
Holy Rosary Church
4:30 p.m. Liturgy followed by
reception in church hall
Contact: Janet Desmond, BVM at
414-352-1103
St. Louis
April 20, 2008
St. Francis Xavier College Church
4:30 p.m. Liturgy followed by
reception in gathering area of
lower level of church
Reservations by March 28 appreciated
Contact: BVM Development
Oﬃce, 1100 Carmel Dr., Dubuque,
IA 52003
563-588-2351, x5554 development@bvmcong.org
Boulder
June 28, 2008
The Academy (former Mt. St.
Gertrude Academy)
11:30 a.m. luncheon followed by
program and tour
Reservations by June 24, 2008
Contact: Mary Agnes Leonard
at 719-544-4789 or send $25 to
Sheila Grotsky, 855 33rd St., Boulder, CO 80303, 303-443-5950.
Chicago
November 1, 2008
Holy Family Church
2 p.m. Liturgy followed by reception at St. Ignatius Commons
Contact: Francilla Kirby, BVM at
312-243-6125
Phoenix
November 1, 2008
Brophy Chapel
4 p.m. Liturgy followed by substantial hors d’oeuvres at new
convent or school
Reservations by Oct. 15, 2008
Contact: Lynn Winsor, BVM at
602-264-0445
November 1, 2007 – November 1, 2008
Proclaim with us
a celebration of the 175th Anniversary
of the
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
in the spirit of
Mary Frances Clarke, foundress.
“Leave the future to God, I have no fears
so long as you are working unitedly
but that God
d will aid us as in the past.”
p
MFC, 9.17.1885
M
Unit with
Unite
i h us
VM commu
co
uni families and partners of the pastt and present,
pre
pres
resen
BVM
community,
and all whom we have been blessed to serve.
ve
Come with us with grateful hearts
to the God of Living Water
who has sustained us and enlivened us
in turbulent and calm times,
carrying us in the divine currents of hope.
Honor the past with us:
CROSSING THE WATERS
of the Atlantic Ocean
our early sisters placed their security in God’s loving kindness
as the journey began.
CURRENTS OF HOPE
carried them to America
responding to a sacred call of education.
Working unitedly, they left the future to God.
Celebrate the present with us:
CROSSING THE WATERS
of this continent and beyond
the BVM journey expands, entrusting new ventures to God.
od.
CURRENTS OF HOPE
deepen the values of justice and peace
as B
BVMs
V and Associates respond to the call
all of charity.
chaarity.
Working
unitedly, we leave the
Work
kking u
he future
future to God.
Embrace
Embrac
ce the future
ffutur with
th
h us:
CROSSING
OSSING THE
T
TH WATERS
TER
of global concerns and needs
BVMs and Associates, with worldwide presence and partnership,
will listen to the cries of the oppressed and poor.
CURRENTS OF HOPE
will sustain their work for freedom in God’s steadfast love
that brings health, education and well being
to earth and its people.
Working unitedly, we will leave the future to God.
5
Remember the long way that your God
has led you these many years…
Deuteronomy 8:2
The Gift of Memory:
Precious and Powerful
by Harriet Holles, BVM
What a wondrous gift is memory,

A mother blesses her children as
they leave home in the morning
with the admonition to remember
who you are. Remember the experiences which have formed you, the
struggles which have bonded you,
the people who have shaped you,
the values we hold in common.
of whom died, wrote forgiveness large
for all to see. We can learn, must learn,
from our history—otherwise we are
condemned to repeat it. Such dangerous
memories teach and correct in order to
invite a different response in the present and in the future.

A father retells the stories the generations have created and the common longings for the future. Know
the meaning of being marked by
grandparents, great and great-great,
and carry something of this family
with you.
Living tradition, the common memory of a genuine community, is often
carried in narrative. Stories tell how the
group came to be and offer mentors,
persons who lived and shaped the spirit
of the group. Here is the history of
communal deeds and of suffering, both
lived and inflicted upon others.
Living tradition provides nourishment for a community’s future and
strength to remedy the mistakes of the
past. And so we regularly hold our lives
for inspiration against the backdrop
of Sarah and Abraham, of Francis and
Clare of Assisi, of Mary Frances Clarke
and her companions, of Dorothy Day,
of Martin Luther King.
As Christians we are in primary
dialog with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a most
significant remembering. In Eucharist
we remember his paschal mystery as
well as the mystery of dying and rising
in the lives of all believers.
Through shared story and shared
meal we respond to Jesus’ poignant
request to be remembered. This is more
than mere reminiscing or recalling. We
com-memorate, literally “remember
with the community” the saving events
of Christ’s paschal mystery, our salvation history. In being remembered in
community in the present, these events
are effective. All that God did then, we
experience now. The paschal events of
Christ occur still and point to their fulfillment in the future.
the process or power of remembering,
the mystery of bringing the legacy of
the past into the living present to be
carried into a new future!
Remembering is essential to the
formation of identity, personal as well
as group. The memory of one’s life
experiences and the meaning they hold
continues to create the person one is
becoming.
From common experiences and
shared values, memory also forms the
relationships of family and shapes the
bonds of friendship, community and
church. Without a common remembered history and heritage, no group,
large or small, can continue to thrive.
The treasury of memory captures
riches to be recalled whenever one
wishes. Our senses deposit a multitude of odors, tastes, shapes, colors and
sounds. Among the plentitude our emotions offer for remembrance are joy and
sorrow, fear, desire and gratitude. We are
blessed also through remembering other
sources of truth and wisdom—persons,
images, thoughts, books, dreams.
The ability to remember is one of
the loveliest realities of our inner world.
Experience, whether joyful or painful,
is gathered, tended and stored in our
wonderfully wise body as possibility for
transformation, integration and new
meaning. As we reflect, perhaps we find
ourselves humming Bob Hope’s signature song, “Thanks for the memories. . . .
thank you so much.”
Container of Identity
Memory creates our identity as
family—parents, children, ancestors,
descendents—and provides the security
of being rooted against the trials of life.
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From Franklin Roosevelt’s fireside
chats to the saga of Rosa Parks, we recognize the power of memory to sustain
us against life’s struggles and to call us
home.
Significant remembering, more than
mere sentimental reminiscing, has depth
and power. We recall and bring to awareness the past but perhaps with much
greater clarity than in casual storytelling.
Recollection of the difficult paths
and courageous choices of our forebears empowers us; it engenders hope.
We marvel with gratitude at the ways
they not only endured but developed,
enriched and transformed their corner
of the world. If she could remain faithful, if he could act with justice, so can I!
Remembering can also act as a
deterrent, as a counter to certain kinds
of actions. Stories of terror, tales of
slavery, examples of exclusion invite,
maybe even compel us to act differently, to choose and to work against
injustice, violence and silence and for
justice, peace and inclusion.
Recently, the Amish community, as
they mourned the senseless and violent
attack on ten of their little girls, five
Shared Stories
Scripture Reveals Values,
Actions of a Jubilee People
by Betty Voss, BVM
Having just celebrated with the
Golden Jubilarians at Mount Carmel,
I am again filled with the joy of such
an occasion. Indeed the many expressions of delight after the liturgy and
throughout the weekend confirm a
hallmark of BVMs—we celebrate well.
Memory Loss
Sages claim that nothing in this life
is ever lost. Forgetting, the inability to
use memory, as in amnesia or dementia, or the subversion of memory, as in
keeping secrets, or erasure of persons
or events from history steals the identity of a person or a group.
Not to be remembered is to lose
part of who you are. But every time we
respect the temporary lack of memory,
and seek to recover, restore or rectify
memory loss, we contribute to the fullness of life.
And, wonder of wonders, each one
of us is held within the infinite memory
of our Creator and known intimately by
name.
With God nothing of our goodness or
our humanness is forgotten. Each dear
hair is counted; every cup of cold water
given is numbered. We remember this
Mystery, who also remembers us, and
pray in the words of Denise Levertov in
her poem:
And then
once more the quiet mystery
is present to me, the throng’s
clamor
recedes: the mystery
that there is anything, anything
at all,
let alone cosmos, joy, memory,
everything,
rather than void and that, O Lord,
Creator, Hallowed One, You still,
Hour by hour sustain it.1
1 Levertov, Denise. “Primary Wonder,” Sands of the
Well. New Directions Publishing Corp., 1999.
About the author: Harriet Holles, BVM (Agneda)
is a resource person in spirituality who serves as
a spiritual director and retreat facilitator.
Our congregation looks forward to
celebrating jubilee in 2008—the 175th
year of our founding. So the question:
what does one really celebrate at a jubilee? Is it not the living out of the call
of the scriptures by the individual or
group, consistently over time?
Sabbath
We look to Leviticus 25 for a prescription for being Jubilee people.
“When you shall have entered into the
land which I will give you, observe the
rest of the Sabbath of the Lord.”
Sabbath rest implies all those reflective times that allow us to listen and
center ourselves in the Being at the
center of our being. Prayer, meditation,
retreats, days of reflection have been
essential aspects of “religious life” in all
faiths and denominations, as it has been
of BVM life for 175 years.
Related to this is the Leviticus prescription to let the earth lie fallow. We
cease work for a time to acknowledge
that God is in charge of all: rest, re-creation. Sabbath is made possible by the
cessation of work.
Maria Harris in her book Proclaim
Jubilee identifies for us the jubilee
themes of Sabbath, forgiveness, freedom/liberation, and justice. In her
reflections on Sabbath she stresses the
importance of “recreation in community.” Sabbath rest includes ceremony,
ritual, festivity and delight shared in
community. Sabbath allows refocusing
and remembering. It also gives spiritual
energy for the other jubilee practices.
Forgiveness and Freedom
Forgiveness is a theme that can be
explored and practiced on many levels.
On the global/political level, forgiveness is related to freedom and liberation. Forgiveness calls for setting the
captives free. The captives, then as now,
were not criminals but rather political
prisoners unjustly imprisoned.
The relationship of forgiveness and
freedom also exists on the personal
level. Forgiveness liberates the one forgiven of his or her “debt” and also liberates the “forgiver.” Holding a grudge
confines one’s spirit; to forgive frees
and liberates one.
In reference to Jubilee, however,
forgiveness of monetary debt is a main
message of the Hebrew bible (Lev.
25:10). This aspect of forgiveness has
been celebrated and taken as a cause by
the group JubileeUSA. This organization
worked assiduously prior to the turn of
the century and continues to work for
the forgiving of debt by wealthy nations
of poorer ones.
Renewed Call for Justice
In 2007 they renewed their efforts
as this again is a “jubilee” (7th) year. In
order to alleviate the debt that is crushing our hemispheric neighbors, they are
urging contact of Congresspersons asking for support of HR 2634—the Jubilee
Act for Expanded Debt Cancellation and
Responsible Lending of 2007.
The Act addresses the unfinished
agenda of the Jubilee campaign by
expanding life-saving debt relief to
countries that need funds to reduce
poverty and have a plan to use the
money well. Their goal is indeed one of
the primary themes of scriptural jubilee. (Visit www.JubileeUSA.org for more
information.)
The scriptural call to allow the land
to rest focuses us today on the call of
the Creator to respect and care for all of
creation. Jubilee justice calls us to return
to the soil, air and water what rightly
belongs to each. This plays out in the
lives of many in practices of non-consumerism, political activism and prayer.
All people of good will—and now we
focus on BVMs for the last 175 years—
can celebrate jubilee as we reconfirm
our commitment to be Jubilee people,
scriptural people each day of our lives.
About the author: Betty Voss, BVM (Leonice)
is a member of the Shareholder and Education
Advocacy (SEA) group and the Communications
Advisory Committee.
7
A Mine of Memories:
Montana Hosts Centennial of BVM Ministry
by Theresa Caluori, BVM
n Mcas and Joelle
Bishop Thom
M
Carthy, BV
Stella Swakos
ki, BVM (Lidwi
na) and Arch
bishop Huntha
usen
“A treasure is something of great worth
or value; a person
esteemed as rare or
precious.” Webster Dictionary
When, early in the 20th century,
Bishop John P. Carroll of Helena
applied to Dubuque for BVMs to staff
two of the diocesan parochial schools
in Butte, his request would have been
last in a very long list of clerics hoping
to find dedicated, affordable teachers.
But he had an advantage that most
of the others didn’t: he was a “BVM
taught boy, born, bred and educated” in
Dubuque, and so the “Treasure State”
of splendid mountains, clear cold lakes
and swiftly flowing streams became
home to a succession of BVMs for the
century to come.
At the August centennial celebration of BVM presence in Montana,
another Bishop of Helena and another
“BVM boy,” George Leo Thomas, celebrated the liturgy at St. Ann Parish,
Butte, one of the pioneer BVM missions
there.
In his homily, Bishop Thomas, educated by BVMs at St. Ann’s in Butte,
described the mining camp culture the
Sisters met, and the immigrant population whose children they would teach.
He noted that the BVMs themselves
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S A L T MAGAZINE
were of immigrant culture, and as with
the people of Butte, many were from
Ireland.
This proved to be not only mutually beneficial but also a very good fit.
“We were formed by their goodness,
informed by their knowledge, and
transformed by their faithfulness,” said
Bishop Thomas. An alum echoed the
impact, “I was taught by the BVMs…I
am so very grateful…I am a teacher as
a result.”
Joellen McCarthy, BVM President
and a native daughter of Butte as well,
described in her homily in Missoula
the relationship which developed as
“your gift of friendship. Even back
when the main parish activity focused
on the running of the school, you welcomed us into your lives beyond the
classroom…
“You showed us that generosity
of spirit, that delight in the beauty of
creation and that the relationships of
friendship build a faith community.
You taught us the meaning of church
in its fullest sense. And in teaching us
this important lesson you revealed to
us a God of abundance, a God of openness, a God of freedom.”
“We sense a resonance between
our BVM spirit and the spacious spirit
of Montana and its people. We BVMs
describe ourselves as women who have
been freed and help others to be free in
God’s steadfast love.
“The heart of our lives seems at one
with the heart of life we have known
in Montana: unconstricted, open and
spacious. Among you, these past 100
years, we have known the joy of recognizing kindred spirits.”
Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen,
former Bishop of Helena, long time
friend, sent the congregation forth with
the words: “Let the celebration continue.”
In that spirit the conversation overflowed into the parish hall as former
students, parents, teachers, family and
friends shared stories and memories
and reconnected. They were joined by
20 BVMs and 15 Associates who came
from California, Washington, Oregon,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Illinois and Iowa
as well as other areas of Montana.
Rich History
In August of 1907 eleven Sisters
arrived in the “wild west” and opened
St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception
elementary schools. The initial days of
school were filled with laughter, sobs
and thudding hammers and audible
orders from the foreman as the classrooms were completed.
Their values of charity, education,
justice and freedom were shared with
parishioners and students. In 1917 the
sisters responded to the invitation to
open St. Ann and St. John elementary
schools. As more people moved west,
BVMs opened St. Anthony School
in Missoula in 1922. In 1969 BVMs
became part of the staff at South Central High School in Butte.
Families living and working in the
rural areas frequently requested that
the sisters come and prepare their children for sacraments. They graciously
responded and spent about two weeks
of the summer conducting “Vacation
Schools.”
In the ’60s and ’70s there were
no longer enough sisters to staff the
schools and one by one they closed.
The sisters found that their skills
would transfer easily to new ministries
and another new era of BVM history
was underway in the Helena and Great
Falls Billings diocese.
BVMs expanded their ministries
to parishes without resident priests,
superintendent of schools, hospital
chaplains, music ministers and retreat
directors and ministry with Native
Americans. Today, five BVMs minister
in Montana, and two at the “sister parish” in Guatemala.
Yes, the greatest treasure is the
people of Montana with whom we have
shared these past 100 years.
About the author: Theresa Caluori, BVM (Martin
Jerome) is BVM regional representative for the
West region. She is a native of Missoula, and
served as pastoral associate in Livingston and
pastoral administrator in Bridger, all in Montana.
Photo left: BVM Liz Olsen (Paul
Thomas), Ken Willette, BVM Marie Corr (Dona), Eileen Willette,
Fr. Ed Stupca.
BVMs Marge Sannasardo (Paul
Joseph), Dot Feehan (Agnes Cecile) and Jane Rogers (Jananne)
California Parishes
Celebrate BVM Ministry and Presence
Northern California BVMs enjoying
the celebration are (l. to r.) Mary
Ann Lenahan, Teresita Poulin,
Kathleen McGrath (Johnine) and
Julie O’Neill.
Petaluma
BVMs were part of a recent day of honor for “Women of Faith”—the three religious orders that taught at St. Vincent De Paul Schools in Petaluma, Calif. As the
third and final group of women religious in the parish, BVMs had a more than 90
year presence; approximately 200 Sisters were teachers and administrators.
Fr. Gary Lombardi, pastor, greeted each BVM present, and offered words
of gratitude and praise during the liturgy. Displays with photos of the three
congregations brought back memories to some, and were educational tools for
younger parish members.
Carolyn and Tom Maloney, nephew of the late BVM Emile Maloney, hosted
lunch in the old high school. Now refurbished, it houses kindergarten classes, a
music room and chapel.
The Glendale party attracts southern California BVMs Maureen
Sheehan (Wenefride) and Marguerite Murphy (John).
Glendale
Holy Family Parish, Glendale, celebrates its centennial this year, and BVMs
were honored in August at a dinner and party.
BVM President Joellen McCarthy noted in her greeting that, “The Holy Family/BVM connection began 82 years ago in 1925 and has involved almost 200
BVMs serving with you in this parish. Truly, Holy Family holds a deep affection
in the hearts of many BVMs.”
BVMs have been teachers, administrators, staff and volunteers in both the
elementary and high school. This year, three Sisters volunteer. The Sisters “have
received much from you,” Joellen continued, “the gift of your friendship, the
inspiration of your faith, the support of a parish community and the generosity
of the women from this parish and high school who have become members of
the BVM congregation.”
A financial gift has been given by the parish to the BVM congregation.
9
Exploring
BVM Celtic Roots:
Community, Strong Women and Sacred Places
by BVMs Patricia Bombard and Kathleen Conway
1
A pilgrim is someone who voyages
to a shrine or holy
place with the
desire for renewal,
wisdom, a changed
heart. –Ed Sellner
Kathleen Conway
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S A L T MAGAZINE
The 34 BVMs and Associates who
spent ten days on a pilgrimage in Ireland last June had many experiences
of renewal and inspiration of the
type suggested by Ed Sellner, noted
author on Celtic spirituality.
The experiences centered on three
themes:
a sense of community with peoples
past and present,
a broadened perspective on the
realities of oppression to which
women like BVM foundress Mary
Frances Clarke found the courage to
respond, and
an experience of the Celtic notion
of “thin places,” those locations
where one easily encounters a very
real sense of sacred presence.
Drawn into a pilgrimage spirit each
day by morning prayers prepared by
BVM co-leaders Kathleen Conway
(Richard Marie) and Patricia Bombard
(7), the group traveled by bus from
the Dublin area north to Newcastle
on Northern Ireland’s east coast,
and then west across the island,
making overnight stops at Sligo, Westport and Galway.
Sites visited along the way included
the ruins of a monastic city at Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains, St. Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare, the St. Patrick
Center at Downpatrick (1), the ancient
passage tomb at Newgrange, and the
rock strewn Burren (10) and jagged Cliffs
of Moher on Ireland’s west coast.
Evenings often began with the
pilgrims gathered to share personal
comments and original poetry that
summarized insights from the days’
experiences (7).
Community
The theme of community was highlighted on the first day with a stop at
St. Michan’s Church in Dublin (2) for
Mass. The rear entrance to the church
faces North Anne Street, in the block
where Mary Frances Clarke and her
first companions opened a school in
the 1830s.
After the liturgy, the group
gathered outside
the church, where
some members
Taking part in the Celtic journey are BVMs
First row (l. to r.): Brigid Mary Hart, Judy Callahan
(Eugene Mary), Kathleen Antol, Amy Golm, Marge
Clark, Associate Virginia Piecuch, Katherine Heffernan, Pat Nooney (Ann Carol); Second row: Mary
Pat Haley (St. Thomas), Paulette Skiba, Joellen
McCarthy; speaker Anne Chambers, Mira Mosle,
Theresa McNerney (Grace Michele); Third row:
tour guide Maria Flynn Conway, Kathleen Conway
(Richard Marie), Barbara Gaul (Charles Mary),
Sheila O’Brien (Trea), Lois Dolphin, Associate
Nancy Van Anne; Fourth row: Marion Murphy (John
Patrice), Patricia Bombard, Diane Forster, Jane
Rogers (Jananne); Fifth row: Lou Anglin, Gwen
Farry (Leontia), Pat Nolan (Frederick Mary), Associate Tess Malumphy, Jean Byrne (Jean Francis),
Betty Bowen (Florence Therese), Peggy Nolan
(Timothy Maura). Not pictured: Ann Harrington (St.
Remi), Mary Kelliher (Maurita), Rose Mary Meyer
(Sebastian), Mary Alma Sullivan (Robert Emmett).
spontaneously sang an old
favorite BVM hymn: “The
Doors of North Anne Street.”
Many in the group spoke of
what a moving experience it
was to stand on the same cobblestone streets walked by our
early members.
“Standing on North Anne
Street, I experienced a profound connection with Mary
Frances Clarke,” revealed Rose
Mary Meyer, BVM (Sebastian).
“I was deeply touched by her
willingness to leave all her
connections and to pilgrimage
into the unknown.
“I ponder my own pilgrimage, many
years ago from a farm in northwest
Missouri to the unknown of Dubuque,
Iowa. I feel privileged to be a pilgrim in
the heritage of Mary Frances Clarke.”
For some in the group, the theme
of community was felt strongest
in simply in being together for the
pilgrimage. “The experience of community was such an important part
of the pilgrimage for me—from meals
together, to our morning prayer, to the
afternoon reflection, to lots of laughter
together,” said Marian Murphy, BVM
(John Patrice).
“Community, in particular, was
a focus of our first members as they
came together to accompany each
other on their spiritual journey, and
this continues to be an essential part of
BVM spirituality today.”
The visit to Glendalough (3) offered
an opportunity to connect through
prayer and reflection to holy people of
the distant past as well as the present.
As BVM Theresa McNerney (Grace
Michele) commented, “Walking the
labyrinth at Glendalough was an opportunity to pray for and with the many
women of our community past and
present who have been a part of changing history in our country and within
our community.”
Irish Women of Strength
In addition to offering a new way to
connect with the spirit of Mary Frances
Clarke, the pilgrimage theme of “strong
Irish women,” opened the group to
encounters with the life stories and
locales associated with St. Brigid (5, 11),
Grace O’Malley (“the pirate queen”)
(8), and Countess Markievicz, a leading
revolutionary imprisoned for her role
in the Easter Rising of 1916, but later
the first woman elected to the British
House of Commons.
Countess Constance Markievicz is
only one example of the many Irish
women who, though born into families
of substantial means, were inspired by
their faith to a deep concern for the
poor and disenfranchised.
At the Foxford Woolen Mills, the
group encountered the story of Agnes
Morrough Bernard, a Sister of Charity, who in the 1890s responded to the
needs of the poor by convincing a Protestant businessman to back her idea of
building the mill.
Hearing this story, Paulette Skiba,
BVM, was moved to reflect on the collaboration of women and men in creative ministry endeavors. “Women like
Agnes Murrough Bernard and Mary
Frances Clarke and the men who they
worked with still have much to teach
us about being women and men of the
church. I am trying to listen to what
they have to say.”
A visit to Kylemore Abbey (6), once a
private estate and now the oldest Benedictine monastery in Ireland, brought
the group in contact with the story of
religious women who, confronted by
the violence of war, responded by turning their backs on 200 years of congregational history in Belgium to make the
physically and emotionally arduous
journey to relocate their mission and
ministry in Ireland.
While the story of the Benedictines
was one of emigrating to Ireland, one
of the most poignant moments for
many on the pilgrimage was viewing a
national memorial to the victims of the
“Great Famine” of the mid-1840s located
beside Clew Bay. The metal sculpture
of a “coffin ship” (9) memorializes the
thousands of Irish men, women and
children who lost their lives at sea after
embarking to find more hopeful shores
across the Atlantic.
BVM Judy Callahan (Eugene Mary)
commented on the centuries of oppression in Ireland in light of today’s concerns in the United States. “Seeing
the courageous beauty and strength
of people across the ages continually
searching ways of making sense of the
struggles and pain of survival connects
me with the struggles in violence and
oppression in today’s world.
“The struggle of the immigrants
from Ireland during the potato famine are different outwardly, but no
less desperate than those who cross
our borders to survive. I see how God
accompanies them in the same loving
manner.”
2
11
7
3
6
5
4
‘Thin Places’
Finally, Celtic spirituality focuses
a great deal on the land and “thin
places,” those special locales where
from ancient time until today people
experience a special connection to the
spiritual. One such spot is the famous
hilltop passage tomb of Newgrange (4),
built before Stonehenge in England or
the pyramids of Egypt.
Constructed entirely of huge
stones laid strategically one
upon another in a circular lattice-work, the round interior
chamber of the tomb, reached
by passing through a narrow
stone passage, is thought
by archeologists to have
been used to honor
deceased ancestors.
After witnessing the
symbols and significance
of Newgrange, Judy Callahan, BVM, commented,
“We, just as the people of 5,000 years
ago, are still trying to answer the big
questions: “Who is God? “Who am I?”
Another sacred locale included
on the pilgrimage was the mountain
known as Croagh Patrick. Its barren
peak rises to just over 2,500 feet alongside beautiful Clew Bay near Westport.
Considered a sacred site long before
Christianity, St. Patrick is said to have
once made his own pilgrimage to the
top of the mountain where he resided
for 40 days and nights.
Today, thousands of people repeat
this pilgrimage by climbing the rock
strewn trail up the mountainside.
Though there was not time to make
the reputed three-hour round trip to
the peak, many pilgrims responded to
the opportunity to make a stop at the
trailhead by hiking up far enough to
spend a few quiet moments wrapped
in the awesome beauty of the area.
Peggy Nolan, BVM (Timothy
8
Maura) captured her experience of
the “thin places” theme in her final
reflection. “Whether it was the wells of
Brigid, the green hills of Newgrange,
the craggy, desolate Burren, or the
lushness of Glendalough , these special
places seemed to breathe the holy.
“The Celts and the Gaels before
them absorbed the spirit of the land,
and out of that grew a spirituality with
the stamp of the land upon it. That
ability to recognize the divine in ordinary places where we live seems very
Celtic and very BVM to me.”
The route for the pilgrimage was
planned by Kathleen Conway, BVM in
close consultation with her sister-inlaw, Maria Flynn Conway, who was
born in Ireland and has spent her life
involved in her family’s tour business.
About the authors: Patricia Bombard, BVM is an
adjunct faculty member at St. Xavier University,
Chicago, and a consultant. Kathleen Conway,
BVM is completing a sabbatical year after serving as a regional representative of the Great
Lakes region.
10
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S A L T MAGAZINE
Celtic Spirituality
Evident in Mary Frances Clarke
by Ann Harrington, BVM
Celtic spirituality has had profound influences on the Irish people
and Irish history. Concepts such as
the sacredness of mystery/magical
practice, nature, and the oneness of
body and spirit are some elements of
this influence.
John O’Donaghoe wrote of the
Celts: “The dualism that separates the
visible from the invisible, time from
eternity, the human from the divine
was totally alien to them.”1 James S.
Donnelly, Jr. has reflected:
Widespread acceptance of magical
practices and beliefs was, in fact,
one of the distinguishing features of
both the older, Gaelic traditional culture and modern Irish Catholic culture that supplanted it. Traditional
popular religion abounded in devotional practices that were magical in
nature, the most common of which
was the pattern or patron [saint].2
Mary Frances Clarke, the Dublinborn BVM founder, lived in Ireland
from her birth in 1802 until the summer of 1833, when she felt called
by God to teach beleaguered Irish
immigrants in anti-Catholic, anti-Irish
Philadelphia. She, along with her companions left Ireland before the Roman
Catholic church enforced rigid control
over beliefs and practices at odds with
the Celtic tradition.
What do our BVM sources tell us of
the Celtic influences on the spirituality
of Mary Frances Clarke, her early companions, and the many Irish-born early
members? BVM oral tradition includes
accounts of supernatural interventions,
often resulting in life-changing decisions.
One example occurs after the
women decided to go to the United
States. They were crossing one of the
bridges over the Liffey River in Dublin
when a section of the bridge gave way
right in front of them.
In the midst of the confusion, a
gentleman approached the women and
said. “Go where you will, ladies; the
hand of God is over you and will protect you.” They believed without doubt
that the gentleman was St. Joseph.3
When the women arrived in Philadelphia, the priest who was to meet
them did not appear. As they looked
for lodging near a church, a young man
asked if they needed help, and took
them to the home of Mrs. Margaret
McDonogh in St. Joseph’s Parish. Once
again, “they always believed that their
guide was none other than Holy St.
Joseph who had come to their assistance.” 4
The prophecy relayed to a Jesuit
novice, Brother Faye, that “the far west
will resound with the praises of the
children of Mary,” was communicated
to Terence Donaghoe by his Jesuit
retreat master, Francis Dzierozynski.
As Donaghoe was trying to decide
his own future, it proved a turning
point in his life and in the future of the
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. It was seen as a sign that the sisters should accept the invitation from
the bishop of the Dubuque diocese and
move west from Philadelphia.
The choice of the prairie for the
early motherhouse came also to Terence Donaghoe when he and Bishop
Loras visited the site, and bees landed
on Donaghoe’s hat. It was fitting
because Mary Frances showed a great
love for nature.
On the prairie where Mary Frances
spent most of her days, she remarked
with pride in a June 7, 1861 letter to
the sisters at St. Agatha’s convent in
Iowa City that “the garden looks so
beautiful that it was expressed by visitors this week that St. Joseph’s is the
most beautiful place they have seen.”
Sister Florence Clowry recounts
taking flowers to Mary Frances at the
request of Mary Gertrude Regan. She
recalls that Mary Frances “looked the
flowers over, admiring them, and giving me the common botanical names
of such as grew around the convent
in Philadelphia, testing too my floral
knowledge”5 When one considers that
community money was scarce, this
emphasis on beauty comes across as
a value cherished by Mary Frances
Clarke.
Finally, Mary Frances’ understanding of the unity of body and spirit is evident in her views toward food. At a time
when many religious men and women
thought it holy to impose physical hardships, Mary Frances’ views differed.
For her, it was not healthy to have
sisters fasting when they had a full
day’s work ahead of them. Her account
book also records the purchase of special treats for the novices, indicating
that the development of a spiritual life
included occasional treats for the body.
These are just a few examples that
demonstrate how Mary Frances carried
her Celtic influences into the United
States and into the BVM congregation
she founded. We are the richer because
of that heritage.
Endnotes:
1 Anam Cara: A book of Celtic Wisdom (New York:
Cliff Street Books, 1997), xvii.
2 “Patterns, Magical Healing, and Decline of
Traditional Popular Religion in Ireland, 1700-1850,”
unpublished paper delivered at McGill University,
Montreal, November 10, 1988, 1, quoted in Mary
Peckham Magray, The Transforming Power of the
Nuns: Women, Religion, and Cultural Change in
Ireland, 1750-1900 (New York: Oxford University
Press, 1998), 92.
3 Mary Lambertina Doran, In the Early Days, 14.
4 Mary Pulcheria McGuire, Annals, 24. Given Mary
Frances’ Quaker heritage, could it be a coincidence
that immediately adjacent to the church was a
Quaker settlement in Willings Alley, which existed
until 1841?
5 Letter, Mount Carmel Archives, Dubuque Iowa.
About the author: Ann Harrington, BVM (St.
Remi) is professor of history at Loyola University,
Chicago, and the author of Creating Community:
Mary Frances Clarke and Her Companions.
Margaret Silf has described the
Celtic knot as “complexity held
within a greater simplicity,” which
I find a fitting description of Mary
Frances Clarke and her life.
Sacred Spaces: Stations on a Celtic
Way (Brewster, MA: Paraclete
Press, 2001), 16.
Picture above taken at Glendalough
in Ireland by Ann Harrington, BVM
13
How BVMs Influenced Midwest
Catholic Culture in the 19th Century
by Kathryn Lawlor, BVM
Before she died in the early
20th century, Sister Mary Scholastic
McLaughlin reminisced about teaching at Holy Family, Chicago. She said
the BVMs had a “great name” but it
wasn’t deserved because there were
“too many in every room, over a hundred in the first grade.”
After teasing through the writings
of BVM Founder Mary Frances Clarke,
it is possible to identify the reasons for
this “great name” which a mob of children in the classroom were canceling.
The BVMs’ reputation began with
two goals Mary Frances had in mind
when she sent forth the sisters to establish schools. BVMs were to teach about
a God of love and they were to help the
students develop their potential.
She saw the goals being achieved in
two ways: the sisters were to demonstrate God’s love by looking upon their
students with love and they were to
fulfill the second goal by teaching their
students to think.
These simple yet profound objectives sent the BVMs on a counter-cultural mission. The 19th century church
had a reputation for preaching about
fire and damnation. Church members
were law-abiding because of the threat
of hell rather than because of a belief
in a God of unconditional love.
Counter-cultural
Directives
Mary Frances’ advice to a beginning teacher ran counter to the church
practices of the day, “When you see a
very poor and neglected little one look
on her with love and be kind to her
and the poor little one will be grateful
and will love you and when she learns
to know God, she will love him for
your sake.”
Teaching students to think ran
counter to the educational methods
of the 19th century. Pupils learned by
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S A L T MAGAZINE
rote which rarely allowed for individuality or for thinking. Victorian society
expected women and children to be
seen but not heard.
Within this culture Mary Frances
directed the BVM teachers, “We must
wake up [the students] minds by constantly calling into action their powers
of observation and reasoning, and incite
them to ascertain for themselves. If we
do not do this, or if we do it poorly, they
will grow up blind, so to speak, to the
manifold beauty of God’s creation.”
Working Together
The young women who were to
carry out these directives joined the
BVM congregation that was surviving on the American frontier as the
majority of other settlers survived,
by farming. Entering the convent
meant entering a prairie farm south of
Dubuque, Iowa.
Coming from Chicago, Kansas City,
or the neighboring settlement, all
the women learned how to put food
on the table. Milking cows, feeding
chickens, picking corn were the basics
they discovered about the beauties of
God’s creation. They prayed on the job
and they completed the daily chores
around their class schedules.
The second thing BVM aspirants
learned was the importance of community. When hauling water, carrying in
the firewood and gathering eggs, they
discovered their dependency on one
another.
This interdependence forged loyal
bonds of friendship that proved to be
their greatest blessing. Their personal
experience of affectionate relationships
gave them an understanding of why it
was necessary to look upon their students with love if they were to teach
them about a loving God.
These lessons produced self-sufficient women who became principled
pragmatists as they traveled along frontier stagecoach trails, railroad tracks
and rivers beginning an educational
system that was based on God’s love
and the potential of the students.
Missionary priests invited them
to open schools in church basements,
abandoned buildings and log cabins.
They equipped the make shift classrooms by splashing black paint on
the wall for chalkboards, hammering
together school benches and encouraging the students to bring with them
whatever books they had at home.
Children who had been wildly running the prairies would face teachers
acting upon Mary Frances Clarke’s
directive, “…that from the moment
the children present themselves in
the morning until dismissed in the
evening, we will have to give them our
undivided attention.”
In 1855 Sisters
began to open
schools and boarding academies in
towns along the
Mississippi and the
westward railroad
tracks.
‘In the Spirit’ a Special Tribute
Round the
Clock Ministries
The boys attended school until
the spring planting began and then
returned after the fall harvest. The
girls moved in with the sisters because
they had no transportation available for
them in the rural areas. This was the
beginning of the boarding academies
that popped up along the frontier and
the beginning of 24/7 jobs for the sisters as parents, nurses and teachers.
The 19th century BVM school system included nine academies in Iowa,
one each in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas
and Colorado.
Since often these were the only
institutes of higher education for girls,
Protestants moved in with the Catholics. The barter accepted for tuition,
the produce from the convent gardens
and the few chickens raised provided
for the students’ meals. With any cash
collected the sisters bought a piano.
Many of the graduates joined the
BVMs and continued their work. Others pioneered teaching careers when
they returned to their rural areas and
were sought after to begin education
in the roughly built one-room schoolhouses.
They grew to be the same resourceful women they had witnessed in their
boarding school days. They taught as
they were taught, spreading the education they had received. Social training
and tact became a part of the basic curriculum.
After these teachers married, their
names disappeared from the history of
public school education but the public
school systems were built upon the
backs of the boarding academies’ graduates in their one-room schoolhouses.
Backbone of Parishes
The graduates returning to their
country churches were equally influential. Because they had gone to the
sisters’ school the missionary priests
handed them the catechism and
expected them to prepare the children
to receive the sacraments.
While preparing for First Confession, First Communion and Confirmation the children learned about a God
who was intimately involved in their
joys and sorrows, their griefs and fears.
These women taught an experiential
theology which they had practiced in
boarding school.
by BVMs Bette Gambonini, Marilyn Wilson, Elizabeth Avalos
One of the perks of attending the International Women’s Peace
Conference in Dallas this past summer was a visit to the Women’s
Peace Museum under the guidance of Associate Joan Judge Mirabal.
What drew the 14 BVMs and BVM Associates to this museum in
Fair Park, Texas? It was a specific exhibit that began:
“With their feet planted firmly on the ground and their eyes
fixed on heaven-however they saw it, these women have made
an indelible imprint on religious life. Whether as priests or
prophets, healers or mystics, American women have been fascinated and committed to the spirit world.”
This introduction is found on the wall of the In Spirit Exhibit.
Found among the portraits of well-known women like Elizabeth Ann
Seton, Mother Cabrini, Mother Drexel, Mary Daly, the first female
Rabbi, and the first female Episcopalian Bishop, we find the foundress
of the first religious congregation to come to Iowa, our own Mary Frances Clarke.
With each portrait on the wall is a description of the woman’s contribution of the Spirit. In addition, glass mobile pictures hang from the
ceiling of the second floor landing of the exhibit with the picture of
each woman. Mary Frances Clarke is among them.
According to museum director Karen Colbert, “The content for all
the exhibits was a combined effort between the designers, local experts
and women in the community, as well as historical consultants.
“The women that were chosen to be represented came from a great
deal of research with the intention of providing a broad overview of
women’s history in America. We are a nationally focused museum,
therefore wanting to represent women from all over the country.”
It brings tears to one’s eyes, knowing that she is recognized beyond
BVMs, BVM Associates, friends and Iowans. Here in Texas, too, she is
recognized for the great work that she started and the legacy that she
has left for us to continue.
When the priest was absent from the
Sunday service, the catechism teacher
substituted with the rosary because she
knew the fifteen mysteries.
She pumped the organ and squeaked
out a hymn which she may have been
the only one in the congregation singing. No records were kept of these
women, but American Midwest Catholics are standing on their shoulders.
Perils of Success
At the close of the 19th century the
success of the sisters’ schools caused
them to lose control of their schools
and of their way of life. Seeing what
the sisters had accomplished in education, the U.S. Bishops declared in
1884 that all Catholics children should
attend a Catholic school.
This was the beginning of the
clergy of the dioceses superintending
the system. The sisters, coping with
the greater responsibility and cost of
staffing schools, saw all available classrooms filled with wall to wall children.
Sister Mary Scholastic McLaughlin
bemoaned the loss of a “great name.”
When Pope Leo XIII saw the numbers attracted to the American women
religious congregations, he took control
of their lives by fitting them into the
church pyramid. After 600 years the
code of cannon law was updated to
include regulations for these feminine
church pioneers. Self-sufficiency and
pragmatism gave way to obedience.
The 20th century was not the 19th
century for women religious, but the
influences they had on the culture of
American frontier church made Midwest Catholics unique.
About the author: Kathryn Lawlor,BVM (John
Laurian) is a BVM historian and author or Your
Affectionate: Commentary on Mary Frances
Clarke’s Writings. She currently chairs the BVM
Heritage Society.
15
Briefs
For the sixteenth consecutive year, Jane
McDonnell, BVM (Bonaventure) has had
a poem “August” published in the 2007 edition of Lyrical Iowa. Another poem, “Fish
Days,” has been accepted for the Dubuque
Area Writers’ Guild Gallery 2007.
Rooted in Vision, a book on Blessed
Junipero Serra by Gertrude Ann Sullivan,
BVM has been revised by the author and
re-published. The book was initially written
in 1984 for students in Southern California, where many of Serra’s missions are
located. The revised
edition has been funded
by the Serra Club of
Dubuque, Iowa. Rooted
in Vision, the third book
of a trilogy, is a reflective biography.
Letitia Close, BVM is all smiles at ribbon-cutting with LeeAnn
Farrell, SSND, director of the center and Detroit Auxiliary
Bishop Earl A. Boyea.
Letitia Close, BVM (St. Noel) is the first recipient of an
award from Guest House Inc. named after her! It is given
in recognition of a significant ministry to women religious
affected by addictive disease.
Letty, a member of the Board of Trustees of Guest House
in Lake Orion, Mich., urgently advocated the building of a
treatment center for women religious at Guest House. The
new building has become a reality, and was dedicated in
August. A loan from the BVM congregation’s Community
Development Fund helped with the funding for this new
facility.
For many years, Letty has been executive director of the
Inter-congregational Addiction Program. It is the network
which enhances and strengthens the 12-step addiction
recovery program of women religious both nationally and
internationally.
The National Catholic Council on Addictions (NCCA) Board
has selected BVMs Letitia Close and Mary Gene Kinney (below) to receive the Sister Ignatia Gavin Award at
the NCCA annual conference. They were chosen for their
innovative and long-term contributions to the recognition,
education, treatment and maintenance of recovery from
alcoholism for women religious, beginning when they first
met in 1976. Sister Ignatia Gavin, SCA was the co-founder
of Alcoholics Anonymous. “For Mary Gene and me to be
associated with her name and work is an immense honor
and pleasure,” said Letty.
Kathleen Spurlin, BVM (Bernardone) (center) has been honored with the Mississippi state award as the “Heart of Hospice.” She received the honor in New
Orleans at the conclusion of a two-state hospice conference. Pictured with her
are Volunteer Coordinator, Liz Roth (left) and Hospice Director, Ramona Martin.
Hospice staff nominated Kathleen, who is a volunteer chaplain in Hattiesburg,
Miss. Her interest began while teaching in Butte, Mont., where she accompanied students on visits to nursing homes.
During her 25 years as a prison chaplain, Kathleen was regularly involved with
bereavement ministry to prisoners when a loved one was dying or had died.
She first encountered hospice when a prisoner was able to visit his dying father.
This ministry “has been such a blessing for me,” Kathleen said. “I receive more
than I could ever give, continually being inspired by their faith dealing with suffering. They appreciate having the scripture read and having prayer. Other times
I provide respite for the caregiver.”
16
S A L T MAGAZINE
Heritage
Society
Keeps BVM
Memories
Alive
by Pat Nolan, BVM
Memory remains alive and thrives
through stories. “You don’t have anything if you don’t have the stories,”
writes Leslie Marmon Silko in her
novel Ceremony.1 How often does the
name of a person or a past event connect itself to a story?
BVMs find resonance with this
as well. For nearly 20 years the BVM
Historical Society, now known as the
BVM Heritage Society, has endeavored to preserve actual BVM stories
by researching, collecting, preserving,
interpreting, and exhibiting the history
of the BVM congregation.
While much of the exhibited work
of this organization has centered
around celebrations—the Centennial of the Motherhouse in 1992; the
sesquicentennial arrival of the BVMs
in Dubuque in 1993; Father Terence
Donaghoe’s 200th birthday in 1995;
and, in 2003, Mary Frances Clarke’s
200th birthday—a good deal of the
ongoing work of the Society is reflected
in the researching and the collecting of
stories of ordinary BVM life from the
past 174 years.
Late in the 20th century, the Heritage Society initiated and encouraged
BVMs to trace their ancestry, resulting
in a genealogical collection of family
trees and histories of several hundred
BVMs primarily from California, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Members of
the society have
researched lives of early Mothers
General,
presented papers and chaired sessions at the History of Women Religious Congregations Conference,
invited theologians and historians
to speak on the role of women religious at their two yearly meetings.
BVM Louise French (Anne) is interviewed by Virginia Hughes, BVM (Flocella) on her memories of
the 1968 Chapter.
More recently, in 2003, Kathryn
Lawlor, BVM (John Laurian) current
chair of the BVM Heritage Society, published a commentary on the writings of
Mary Frances Clarke and, in 2004, Ann
Harrington, BVM (St. Remi) published
Creating Community: Mary Frances
Clarke and Her Companions.
Currently two projects gaining
momentum in the Heritage Society are
the writing of BVM biographies and the
collecting of BVM oral histories.
To date, the Mount Carmel Archives
holds literally hundreds of biographies
of deceased sisters, the majority of
which have been authored by Jane
McDonnell, BVM (Bonaventure). Oral
history cassette tapes number approximately 250; many of these have been
recorded by a number of BVMs.
In their writing, biographers follow specific guidelines in recording
information about a sister’s background
and all details related to entrance and
ministries. Biographical material is
researched in a variety of places, some
of which include files from schools,
parishes, and convents where sisters
lived and worked. Articles, stories and
pictures often abound in such files.
Of this work, Jane McDonnell
asserts, “I love doing it!” The routine,
a few biographies every day, each
according to the same format, is offset
by the material. As Jane mentions,
“Even though the outline is always the
same, the subjects change—they are all
people!”
A sister who completes her oral
history on cassette tape or for whom
her history is recorded by someone
else signs what is known as a “deposit
agreement” which allows the tape to be
preserved and subsequently used for
research.
Most oral histories are completed
by BVM interviewers who guide the sister through a variety of topics related
to memories of family customs and traditions, education, entrance, and places
of ministry.
Some oral histories have been
transcribed by Jean Byrne, BVM (Jean
Francis). Jean has also transcribed
BVM “wake stories,” those memories
of the deceased sister shared by those
attending her wake.
According to Mary Lauranne Lifka,
BVM, archivist for the Sisters of Charity, BVM, requests for access to archival
documents must be written and are
honored “for due cause or valid reason.”
Practical uses of biographies and
oral histories seem evident: research
related to congregational business, family inquiries, varieties of requests from
former students or others with whom
and for whom a sister ministered, as
well as material for funeral reflections.
Beyond the practical, inspiration
resulting from kept memories touches
and moves those who journey in similar footsteps.
Georgia Ann Lange (Georgelle),
member of the BVM Heritage Society,
is quite certain that biographies and
oral histories “show the personal, individual, unique side of the BVM community.” They offer the stories that
keep the memories alive.
1 (New York: Viking, 1977)
About the author: Pat Nolan, BVM is on the
faculty of Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa and is
vice-chair of the BVM Heritage Society.
17
As ‘Diaspora’ Ends, Thoughts on
Being Home and Being Together
by Eileen Healy, BVM
Joy—expectancy—gratitude—
delight—counting the days, the
hours, the minutes—excitement—exultant that I’ll soon be—God Willing—“settled”—empathy for the
truly homeless. All these are feelings
expressed by the Motherhouse Sisters
when asked about their feelings on
their return to Mt. Carmel.
In every case, the COMING
HOME after 18 months was most connected with being with their Sisters.
If the Motherhouse Community has
one overriding learning from the 18
months of living in five different locations, it is a deep need for each other—
for the local community.
Since the building of Caritas Center
in 1999, Mt. Carmel has been a ‘united
campus’ meaning that there is the ability to walk through all the buildings
without going outside. (This had not
been true since July 1955 when fire
destroyed the old infirmary.)
For the past eight years Sisters have
had the ability to go to Marian Hall or
Caritas Center, no matter the weather
or the time of day. The inability of
their friends to just drop in at any time
has been one of the great sufferings
for those in Marian Hall and in Caritas Center as well as the Sisters who
were relocated. Everyone is anxious
to be able to visit, to write letters, to sit
with the sick and dying, again, without
aligning schedules for car pools!
The Sisters express great appreciation to the Presentation Sisters and
to the Dominicans for the great effort
to make them a part of their communities. Especially appreciated is
the fact that they were welcomed to
community prayer, liturgy, retreat and
cultural events. But all these benefits
fade when put against the prospect of
coming home to their own place and
sisters.
Residents appreciate the process
of choosing their new rooms. Administrator Joyce Cravens and BVM community representatives Alice Caulfield
(Alissio) and Flo Heflin (Floretta) put
a great deal of time and consideration
into planning the procedure and taking
the time to insure that the Sisters had a
say in their destination—even if it was
the seventh choice! The general satisfaction of the Motherhouse community
in the results shows the wisdom in the
care, time and effort expended.
About the author: Eileen Healy, BVM (Patrick
Ellen) is relocation coordinator for the Motherhouse residents.
Coming Home
What are the great anticipations of the Sisters?
“…seeing my friends on a daily basis.” Vincentia Kaeferstein, BVM
“I’ll be near the chapel and able once more
for quick little visits. I’ll have the view of the
grotto, my favorite crab apple tree, and the
Barn. Tree tops give my room the feel of an
aerie.” Rosemary Sage, BVM (Michael David)
(pictured left)
“I’m also delighted to have my room back.
Since it is ‘H,’ it will be ‘Hogan Haven.’”
Madalyn Hogan, BVM (Renata)
“I’m bursting at the seams to get to Mt. Carmel and have a room all my own on the third
floor surrounded by BVMs.” Jackie Burke,
BVM (Timothena)
“It is like anticipation for the last chapter of a
good book and looking forward to the happy
ending.” Gabrielle Hagerty, BVM
18
S A L T MAGAZINE
“To be with everyone in a community building
venture and to share the graces and gifts
the Lord has given me.” Joan Redden, BVM
(James Irene)
“Mary Frances Clarke calling, ‘Come home
to the Hill.’” Margaret Swann, BVM (Reina)
“Great excitement and anticipation about
finally moving home and being with all our
friends.” BVMs Rose Andre’ Koehler and
Joan Opatts (John Annette)
“Gratitude that there have been no serious
accidents during reconstruction and for all
the work done.” Virginia McCaffrey, BVM
(Justinian) (pictured above)
“What carried me through: community is the
strong bond of my BVM Life.” Ann Regina
Dobel, BVM
Fourteen BVMs Celebrate 75 Years in Religious Life
It’s believed to be the largest
group of Diamond Jubilarians in
BVM history! On Sept. 8, fourteen
Sisters who came to Mount Carmel in 1932 marked the milestone
with celebrations in Dubuque and
at Wright Hall, Chicago.
Gathered before the liturgy at Marian Hall are: (front row, l. to r.) BVMs Jamesine Connell, Joan Rita
Timmons, Teresa Mary Murphy (Felicita); (second row) BVMs Ann Patrice Durr, Margaret Swann
(Reina), Marian McGonegle (William James), Marguerite (Christine) Neumann, Cleonica Meier, Helen
C. Flynn (Alberta), and Monica Cahill (Monita). Not pictured: Marie Lucette Sterk, BVM.
Festivities at Wright Hall honored (l. to r.) BVMs Dorothy Townsell (Mildred Ann), Jeanelle Bergen
and Ann Ida Gannon.
Opportunity for
EDUCATION and SERVICE
in Ecuador
Interested in an education/service
project Out of Country? Consider
joining a delegation to Ecuador.
Learn more about
• Ministry at the Working Boys Center in Quito administered by BVMs Cindy
Sullivan and Miguel Conway
• Education ministry in Guayaquil at Nuevo Mundo administered by BVM
Associates Pat McTeague and Sonya Rendon and
• Hansen’s Disease ministry at Damien House, Guayaquil, administered by
BVM Ann Credidio.
Circle your calendar for
March 28 – April 7, 2008 and join BVMs Lou Anglin and Elizabeth Avalos or
June 3-16 (return date ﬂexible) with BVM Associate Kay Brown
Deadline: February 1 for the March Project or March 1 for the June Project.
Contact one of these organizers for more information:
Initial Membership Coordinators
Lou Anglin, BVM
langlin@bvmcong.org
Kathy Carr, BVM
kcarr@bvmcong.org
Sponsored by the
BVM Initial Membership &
Associate Coordinators
Associate Coordinators
Elizabeth Avalos, BVM
eavalosbvm@mac.com
Kay Brown, BVM Associate
brownkderner@aol.com
There will be an orientation prior to the project and reﬂection time during and
after the service project. Family members and friends are welcome to join the
delegations. For more information contact those listed above.
19
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Dubuque, IA
Permit No. 477
O
SS
Change Service Requested
ING the WAT
S
ER
CR
1100 Carmel Drive
Dubuque, Iowa 52003-7991
UR
PE
Celebrating
brating 175 Ye
brating
Yea
Years
a of
BVM Presence
rese
resence
ence & Pa
Par
Partn
Partnership
n
REN
O
TS of H
Golden Jubilarians ‘Come to the Water’
Seventeen golden jubilarians celebrated with family,
friends and more than 30
former members of their
set at Clarke College this
summer. They are:
20
S A L T MAGAZINE
First row (l. to r.): BVMs Mary
Agnes Giblin (Julianne), Mary
Ann Lenahan, Cornelia Harrison,
Marcelia Maglinte, Jean Meyer
(Jeanette); Second row: BVMs
Ann Harrington (St. Remi), Nancy
Feldman (Dorothy Mary), Margaret McCulloch (St. Henry), Sheila
O’Brien (Trea), Dolores Becker;
Third row: BVMs Ruth Evermann (Lyle), Mary Lou Caffery
(James Mary), Regina Wagner (St.
Regina), Dee Myers (Dolore) and
Laurene Brady.
Not pictured: BVMs Elizabeth
Slown (Laetitia) and Elizabeth
Steiner (Stephanie).