faith afire
DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY PROVINCE OF ST. LOUISE
Summer 2025
Dear Friends,
Much is happening in our world these days! As I write this message the Church continues to grieve the passing of Pope Francis as we enter into a new Chapter under our new shepherd Pope Leo XIV. Recently I have reread some of the wonderful writings of Pope Francis who called us to right relationships with our God, our neighbor, and our common home. Pope Francis’s convocation of this Jubilee Year of Hope was inspired! In this time of dramatic change, we must remain hope-filled that God is in charge, God has a plan, and God will never leave us.
This edition of Faith Afire highlights several exciting and hope-filled events in the life of the Daughters of Charity. Honoring the origins of Vincentian Spirituality, we join with the Congregation of the Mission, our brother community, in the celebration of their 400th anniversary (p.8). It is more than their anniversary: it is the beginning of the works of St. Vincent de Paul that continue today through all branches of the Vincentian family.
This year we also mark the 50th anniversary of the canonization of our American Foundress, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. I was in middle school when she was canonized and remember the day a Daughter came to our school to tell us about her. I still have the medal we received that day! Earlier this year I was happy to join Seton Heritage Ministry in the dedication of a new exhibit chronicling her journey to sainthood. During the year, we will enjoy more ways to celebrate her in Emmitsburg and beyond. Hers too, is a spirituality that has inspired many religious congregations, parishes, and ministries especially in the U.S. This edition of Faith Afire tells some of that story (p.4)
While we work to meet the immediate bodily needs of those who are poor, we cannot neglect the important work of speaking out for just policies and fair practices that can bring about improvements in their lives for the long term. Sadly, advocacy is a slow process, so we have to practice the virtues of patience and trust in Providence!
Join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for the decades of service our Sisters provided in Mobile, Ala., Wilmington, Del., and Little Rock, Ark. as we withdraw from those communities and leave the ministries in the capable hands of lay collaborators as committed to the work as we have been (p.10).
Whether we are living through momentous changes or simply living our day-to-day lives, we always find strength and direction from our Lord who promised to be with us always. May the Holy Spirit fill each of you with all the gifts you need to remain faithful and boldly live the faith you profess.
My Dear Friends,
Christmas Eve of this past year Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. The theme given to the year is “Pilgrims of Hope” and in the course of the year he urged the Church worldwide to explore the theme of hope — the reason for hope, how we can embrace God’s hope and allow it to fill our hearts, and how we can extend God’s hope to all people, in every part of our society in every corner of the world.
This past January for my annual retreat, I took part in a 10-day pilgrimage retreat sponsored by the Maryknoll Fathers. It was a spiritual journey in the footsteps of the Central American martyrs. My 10 days of wandering through the streets of San Salvador and through the winding mountainous roads connecting the towns and villages of Guatemala — albeit by bus and not on foot — provided me a blessed opportunity to step out of myself for an extended period of time to encounter God in the sacred memory of the people, places and events where God’s grace shone with heroic splendor and holiness in the lives of the martyrs of Central America: St. Archbishop Oscar Romero, the Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford, Maura Clark, the Jesuit martyrs of the University of Central America, Blessed Stanley Rother, a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and many more — all were Pilgrims of Hope to the suffering people of Central America in deeply troubled times.
Standing at the sites of massacres, in deserted places where the bodies of the martyrs were hastily discarded, at the sites where others were killed and in the communities they served we prayed, we read aloud words of scripture and words from the martyrs’ own writings of their interior struggle to remain steadfast shepherds alongside their suffering flock. At each site we united our voices and chanted the verses of the hymn: Holy Ground.
This is Holy Ground, We’re standing on Holy Ground. For the Lord is here and where he is, is holy. This is Holy Ground….
Just a few days ago, I completed giving a retreat to our senior Sisters on the campus of National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Md. The theme of the retreat was “Pilgrim of Hope with hearts ablaze with the love of Christ.” I encouraged them that as we gathered on these “holy grounds” of Vincentian heritage and spirituality during this jubilee year to make our eight days of retreat together a time of greater spiritual intensity, a time to reorient, refresh and renew our relationship with the Lord and with each other. May you, too, pursue that spiritual intensity with our Lord.
On the Cover:
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. The cover image is a reproduction of the portrait painted for the Filicchi family in Italy following the death of Elizabeth’s husband William. An engraving of Mother Seton by Charles B.J. Févret de Saint-Mémin was used for the face, and the religious dress based on Italian widow’s weeds was painted around it. The reproduction was sent to the Daughters of Charity by Patrizio Filicchi in 1888.
Peace, Father Perry Henry, C.M. Provincial Director
Faith Afire is published by the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise. Editorial comments or suggestions should be directed to Belinda Davis, Director of Communications, belinda.davis@doc.org or 314.341.5486; or to the writer of the article. Mail comments or suggestions to 4330 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63108. Change of address or subscription notifications should be directed to Nancy Katich, nancy. katich@doc.org or 314.561.4625. Feature Writer: Anna Ross, anna.ross@doc.org; Graphic Designer: Katie Zeller, katie. zeller@doc.org. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: The Making
It’s been fifty years since St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized by Pope Paul VI on September 14, 1975; an ideal time to honor this remarkable saint with a year-long celebration at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, Maryland. On January 4, 2025, Mother Seton’s feast day, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, opened the day with a Mass and homily that spoke of “Her pilgrimage of hope brought her at last to Emmitsburg…”, and the unveiling of a special exhibit titled, “ONE of US” reflecting the inherent hope that “each of us, too, like Elizabeth Ann, can attain sainthood.”
Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in New York City on August 28, 1774, and raised as a well-mannered and devout Episcopalian who certainly never set her sights on becoming a Roman Catholic saint. But then, too, one might ask, who among us sets out in the course of a lifetime – be it short-lived or for many decades – to achieve sainthood? For Elizabeth Ann – daughter, wife, mother, widow, Roman Catholic convert, Sister of Charity, and educator, who became a sainted sojourner from our earthly world into the celestial Kingdom of God – is a mystery for all the ages.
The second daughter of socially prominent and loving parents, Elizabeth Ann, or Besty as she was called, spent her childhood and teen years longing for a place to call home and an honest man to wed. Having lost her mother, Catherine Charlton, at age three and with a renowned but absent physician father, Richard Bailey, who quickly remarried, Betsy had a lonely upbringing spent with relatives.
Like many young girls then and now, Elizabeth Ann was an emotional enigma of contradictions: pensive and spiritual, who enjoyed solitary walks yet was vivacious and lively with a love for dancing. She also suffered the pangs of immense losses and crushing loneliness, wrestling with God on His “Why”? But, the Spirit spoke, urging her to continue to seek God’s plan. Two years later, Elizabeth Ann married William Magee Seton, a successful partner of an import firm who returned her abiding love in equal measure. The couple’s family was made complete with five children.
Above: The 40-year anniversary of Elizabeth Ann’s sainthood in Emmitsburg, Md.
The first canonization Mass of Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1975, Emmitsburg Chapel.
ONE of US for ALL of US
A Saint
But fortunes fall, illness strikes, and faith is tested. Having suffered financial setbacks with William’s business and in failing health with tuberculosis, the couple, with daughter Anna Maria, traveled to Italy in hopes for a cure. However, William soon died, and Elizabeth Ann and Anna Maria went to stay with the Catholic Filicchi family. It was here that “the seeds of faith were planted for her conversion,” says Seton Shrine Executive Director, Rob Judge: “She was looking out the window and saw a Eucharistic Procession pass by, and instinctively dropped to her knees.”
Upon her return to New York, Elizabeth Ann’s relatives and Episcopalian friends turned their backs on her Catholic conversion, withdrawing their financial support. As a result, she struggled both financially and socially. But her reward far outweighed material riches when she received her First Communion and Baptism on March 14, 1805: “AT LAST, GOD IS MINE AND I AM HIS!”
For the curious, the process toward becoming a saint involves four steps: 1) Called “Servant of God,” five years after death, a petition is made to the local bishop; 2) Titled Venerable, for having lived a heroically virtuous life; 3) called Blessed when a miracle occurs through the candidate’s intercession; and 4) a second miracle is ascribed to candidate’s intervention and the Pope sets canonization date.
During this special anniversary of the first American-born saint, foundress of the first congregation of religious sisters and the first free Catholic school in the U.S., St. Elizabeth Ann has left an indelible mark on the world with her persevering and persistent love for God and His promise of eternal salvation. Her Shrine, a U.S. designated shrine for the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope, affords a wealth of events and activities, pilgrimage walks and sacramental services, tours and tributes to her life, her family, and her community. https://setonshrine.org/
For those who attended in 1975 and those who attended in Emmitsburg and Rome in 2025, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton offers a journey of a lifetime; a woman just like us … for all of us. It’s been written that St. Elizabeth Ann’s favorite prayer was Psalm 23 – surely a fitting reward for a loving and faithful servant:“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever…”
Above: In 1975, four women, representing the four stages of Elizabeth Ann Seton’s life and with each speaking a different language indicating international significance, formally petition Pope Paul VI for her canonization.
The Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine where her relics are buried.
A Pilgrimage of Love … A Jubilee of Hope
On May 9, 2024, the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord into Heaven, the late Pope Francis issued a papal bull declaring 2025 a Jubilee Year: Spes Non Confundit or “Hope Does Not Disappoint.” The Jubilee Year, initiated in 1343 by papal decree, was originally held every 50 years, but shortened to every 25 years by Pope Paul II in 1470. The Jubilee is a year of restoration and renewal, the call of a ram’s horn (shofar) that ushers in a time of freedom and liberation, breaking the shackles of fear and despair.
For the Daughters and Sisters of Charity and their brother congregation, the Congregation of the Mission, the Vincentians, the 2025 Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope has taken on a special significance: a transforming grace, an inward spiritual rebirth of their life journeys as global pilgrims who seek to find the special graces needed for transformation from sinner to saint, from opposition to reconciliation, the peripatetic pathfinders who have come to venerate, to heal, to repent. Pilgrims formed along the road, trusting in Jesus’ words: “Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened.” (Luke:11-19).
The 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope began on December 24, 2024, with Pope Francis’ opening of the first of four papal doors, St Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Doors signify the pilgrim’s ultimate goal: to pass through the door in order to be led by Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Traditionally, four “Holy Doors” are opened, but the Pope added a fifth door, a stand-alone site, Rebibbia Prison, which he called “a cathedral of pain and hope.”
Pope Francis’ opening of the papal prison door signifies an ecclesial connection to the communities formed by co-founders St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac in 1633, the Daughters of Charity and Vincentians, whose charism states: “Given to God, in a Community of fraternal life, in service to the poor.”
Prison ministry has been a cherished ministry for Daughters and Vincentians; the incarcerated – women and men, mothers and fathers – whose poverty is one of spirit, of brokenness, of loss, of love. Life stories that stretch the mind and break the heart. But when voices are heard, the collaborative efforts of the communities’ ministry becomes a health center for the soul: care packages of clothing, food, vouchers, restorative justice, spiritual counseling, family support, advocacy for prison reform, legislation, and prayer.
Several Daughters who were and continue to be involved in prison ministry, highlight the infusion of hope, the need for human contact, for a listening ear and an open mind of those whom they serve: the late Sister Virginia Dunker, a former tutor for Varner State Prison in Grady, Arkansas, was quoted as saying, “I felt this ministry, when the inmates discovered their gifts and talents, as having been the greatest blessing of my life.” Sister Rita Downey recalls accompanying the late Sister Judith Hebert in ministry to the incarcerated women at a jail called “The Workhouse,” in downtown St. Louis. Built in 1966, The Workhouse was known for its inhumane conditions and a host of civil rights violations: forced labor, debt bondage, food shortages, 100+ temperatures. “In spite of their horrible conditions,” Sister Rita says, “I felt blessed to encounter these faith-filled and hope-filled women and how freely and spontaneously they spoke from their hearts.” The jail was finally closed in 2021 and demolished in 2025.
Sister Elizabeth Racko, a spiritual counselor, writes that “this ministry has lifted my heart to hope and in gratitude,” she writes. “In spite of knowing that there is evil and violence in prisons,” she concludes, “I see an immense goodness in the yearning hearts of inmates who strive for God’s saving presence.”
The Jubilee Year of Hope ends on January 6, 2026, and with Pope Francis’ death on April 21, 2025, the Jubilee Year he had declared with his papal bull, was now in the gentle hands and humble heart of Pope Leo XIV, a worthy successor to the Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church. Pilgrims, there for the Jubilee Year, were ecstatic to be witness to the conclave, and subsequent white smoke signaling to all that the world had a new Pope.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11)
The Seeds of Hope Program began in 2018 with the smallest of seeds, the mustard seed. This seed has mushroomed into a testament of faith, hope, and love with a day spent in prayer and a witnessing community open to the remarkable life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Jubilee Year 2025: Designated Pilgrimage Sites to obtain plenary indulgences
The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Md. The Jubilee Year, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of her canonization in 1975, offers a wealth of activities and events for pilgrims in 2025. https://setonshrine.org/
1. Saint Mary’s of the Barrens Seminary and Church, located in Perryville, Mo., was founded in 1818 by American Vincentians, and is the historic seat of the Congregation of the Mission. Now known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. https://amm.org/visit-us/national-shrine/
2. Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, formerly known as The Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia, Pa. https://miraculousmedal.org/
Our Brothers, the Vincentians, Celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Their Founding
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation of the Mission, or the Vincentians. Daughters of Charity around the globe offer prayers of thanksgiving for the longevity and faithfulness of the international Catholic community of priests and brothers founded by St. Vincent de Paul.
Early on, St. Vincent understood the need to alleviate suffering. In his outreach to the poor, St. Vincent quickly realized that works of charity should be well organized on the local level. These efforts, known as apostolic works, are where, today, we find Sisters and Vincentians serving side-by-side.
In 2018, a call came from the Vincentian Family to house the unhoused. Called the “13 Houses Campaign,” the Homeless Alliance aims to transform the lives of 10,000 homeless persons. The “13” is rooted in the time when in 1643, St. Vincent chose to use the money gifted to him by Louis XIII for his congregation in another way; he had 13 small houses close to Saint-Lazare, the Vincentians’ Paris motherhouse, built to care for abandoned children.
In response to the 13 Houses Campaign’s call, the Province Sisters have worked to provide homes.
New Salem, Pennsylvania
Rendu Services in New Salem, Pa., was founded in 2000 by the Daughters of Charity. The ministry served as a gateway to social services throughout Fayette County. In 2007, the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth joined the Daughters to expand and strengthen services. With the goal of empowering individuals living in poverty, the Sisters envisioned a happier, healthier, and more secure community. After closing its doors in 2018, funds from the sale of the Rendu Services property were donated to the United Veterans Billeting of Fayette County, and, last summer Rendu House, a shelter for Women Veterans and their children, was dedicated and opened.
New Orleans, Louisianna
For nearly 20 years following Hurricane Katrina, the Daughters in collaboration with the Sisters of Charity Federation operated the House of Charity in New Orleans. Through the House of Charity, volunteer groups from colleges, non-profits, and parishes, were able to spend a week living in community and serving those in need. As time passed, the need to respond to those affected by Katrina lessened. The House of Charity was closed. But what to do with the large, well-constructed home? Donate it! The former House of Charity in New Orleans has been reborn as the home of A New Way of Life! Sisters Irma Vargas and Claire Edwards joined in the open house and ribbon cutting. Made official on October 1, 2024, A New Way of Life provides housing, case management, pro bono legal services, advocacy, and leadership development for people rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
St. Louis, Missouri
In late June, one of the Daughters’ St. Louis residences was donated to Depaul USA to serve even more unhoused individuals. Read more about the many housing and supportive services to homeless men, women, and youth provided by the Vincentian Family organization.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Also at the end of June, the Daughters’ former Little Rock Residence, including all of its furnishings, was donated to Diocese of Little Rock. The house now will be used in support of the Refugee Resettlement Program of Catholic Charities of Arkansas.
Could St. Vincent de Paul have pictured his family, spread throughout the world? In 1648, to Sister Jeanne Lepeintre, he wrote, “So then, let us go along together gently and cheerfully, we belong to God and are bound to accept what He orders and permits.” (Volume: 12 | Page#: 364) To Sister Jeanne Lepeintre, 8 March, 1648.
of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
Saying Goodbye: “To Everything there is a Season …”
“You have to be ready to go wherever you are told to go, and even to request this saying, ‘I belong neither here nor there, but wherever God wants me to be.’ You are chosen to be at the disposition of Divine Providence.” (St. Vincent de Paul, July 31, 1634)
Provincial of the Province of St. Louise, Sister Teresa George, cited the above quote when making the difficult decision for three Daughters of Charity missions to bid farewell to their missions. After several hundred years of collective ministry in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, and Delaware, the Daughters made their departures with gratitude for all those whom they served, with hope for their next missions, and in faith that their ministries would carry on.
Many Provincial Sisters gathered for the Mobile farewell. Back: Sisters Josephine Lomasney, Ann Claire Rhoads, Julie Cutter, Irma Vargas, Suzanne Anglim, Teresa George, Archbishop Thomas Rodi, Sisters Bonnie Hoffman, Marsha Tierney, Marge Clifford, Rose Ann Aguilar, Joanne Vasa, Kathy Overmann, Patricia Dunne, Susan Pugh. Front: Sisters Patty Huffman, Denise LaRock, Louise Busby, Claire Edwards, Andrea Miller, Cathy Kelly.
Sister Marillac Grabinski teaches class at St. Vincent de Paul School in the 1950s.
Sister Mary Quinn at St. Mary’s School in 1960.
Family ties, Providence Hospital, Mobile, 1958 (L-R): Siblings and Sisters Ursula Cazalé, D.C.; Mary Damian, O.P., Maria Petra, M.M.; and Mary Cosmas, O.P.
Diocese of Mobile, Alabama
February 9, 2025, the Daughters of Charity who had lived and served in Mobile were honored at a Farewell Mass, celebrated by Thomas John Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It was to care for orphans that the Sisters first arrived in Mobile, Alabama, in January 1842. In 2025, nearly 184 years later, the Daughters have departed from their mission here, and, more importantly, left their ministries of service to those most in need whom they have felt privileged to serve.
It was an initial request from Bishop Michael Portier in December of 1841, that brought the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s (known as the Daughters of Charity after 1850) be sent from Emmitsburg, Maryland to Mobile. A month later, four Daughters assumed responsibility for Catholic Female Orphan’s Asylum (St. Mary’s Home) and expanded ministries at City Hospital (1852) and St. Vincent’s School (1866).
The Sisters would go on to serve the Archdiocese of Alabama through the beginning of the onset of the Civil War, through epidemics, through hurricanes and fires, and through the beginning of two new centuries. From the original four Sisters — Sisters M. Martina Butcher, Charitina Gourdain, Camilla O’Keefe, and Aquila Stakem — to the final four Daughters — Sisters Louise Busby, Margaret Marie Clifford, Andrea Miller, and Ann Claire Rhoads — 900 Daughters have served during their 180 years in cities and towns that included Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, Prichard, Auburn, Opelika, Tallassee, Lanett, Guntersville, and Whistler. Daughters served in a variety of ministries in a variety of roles — as nurses, teachers, principals, administrators, missionaries, social workers, childcare and eldercare — and have touched thousands of lives and lifted millions of hearts.
“The diversity of the Daughters of Charity ministries in the Archdiocese speaks profoundly of their contributions to the life of the Church in Alabama since 1841,” says Archdiocese of Mobile Liaison with Religious Sister Deborah Kennedy, RSM, continuing, “The Sisters leave behind a legacy of service that responded to the needs of the time, wherever that may take them. We will greatly miss their loving presence and outreach to all God’s people.”
Sisters Louise Busby, Margaret Marie Clifford, Andrea Miller, and Ann Claire Rhoads have since been missioned elsewhere, eager to begin again, to be of service, to journey together with those whom they see as the “face of God.”
Left: Sister Lucille Marie Beauchamp on the 350th Anniversary of the Daughters of Charity in 1983, Mobile.
Right: Sister Leona Blubaugh, who served in Mobile for 63 years, including St. Mary’s Home, caring for orphans.
photo taken in 2004 is labeled in Archives as “Providence
Sisters Theresa Peck, Catherine Madigan, Theresa
Mary Francis Loftin, Father Pat Harritty, Sisters Joanne Cozzi, and Mary Elizabeth Cullen;
Ann Marie Butler, Elise Boudreaux, Maureen McGuire, Anne Marie Schreiner, Clare Hogan,
Bernice Coreil, Margaret Polheber, Dolores Zoghby, Carol Keehan, Alexandrine
“We are leaving God for God if we leave one of our spiritual exercises for the service of the poor.”
—St. Louise de Marillac
On May 18, after 52 years of service in the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, the Daughters of Charity were honored with a farewell reception given by the Diocesan Council of Black Catholics in Little Rock as they bid farewell. The final three Sisters to serve in the diocese — Sisters Mary Ann Azar, Mary Powers, and Nancy Cassidy — were joined by their Sisters in Community, many of whom had at one time served in this special community, where the need has been great and each act treasured beyond words.
At the request of Bishop Andrew J. McDonald, in writing to then Visitatrix Sister Mary Rose McPhee in the 1970s, “come to Little Rock if you are looking for an opportunity to work in a missionary environment, if you seek mobility, and if you wish to work among the needy, we in Arkansas beckon you.” Sister Mary Rose’s reply, in part, “… we are particularly interested in those whom others are not serving; in other words, the unmet needs of the Poor.”
Departure to Arkansas in 1988Sisters Maria Liebeck, Karen Flaherty, Cecile Matushek, and Teresa Daly
Sisters Doris Moore, Illiana Aponte, Teresa George, Elizabeth Greim, Joanne Vasa, Mary Ann Azar, Mary Powers, Nancy Cassidy, Mary Walz, Mary Catherine Dunn, Nancy Murphy
This
Hospital, Mobile, Ala.” Those pictured include, back row, L-R:
Sullivan, Betty Gunselman, Rosalind England, Maureen Schmalzried,
front row, L-R: Sisters Janet Keim,
Dorothy Olinger, Marilyn Moore,
Lazzari, and Sherry Barrett.
Archdiocese of Arkansas
Top left: Sister Karen Flaherty loads up the van.
The first four Sisters to arrive in Arkansas in 1973 — Sisters Vincent Thomas, Stephanie Hudek, Jane Frances Bey, and Carol Kellinger — initially served in health care and home visits. Over the next 52 years, the Sisters, with a total of 45 Daughters’ serving in the Diocese of Little Rock, expanded their outreach to include more than 15 cities and towns across the state, immersing themselves in a wide range of ministries and programs.
Accolades have poured in throughout the years for the Daughters’ service in Arkansas, yet the Daughters themselves accept praise and honors in true humility and with appreciation for the awareness offered to the outside world of those they feel privileged to serve. Creativity, ingenuity, frugality, are the hallmarks of the Daughters’ charism to live and serve among the poor. Two such examples include senior citizens riding in “a pumpkincolored carriage” (van) to St. John’s Center for a seniors’ hot meal lunch, and the “Mission Possible” program, a presentation of the face of Christ to reflect Him as a patient for their Healthcare ministry.
Top right: Sister Seraphine Ferrero addresses health and wellness.
Bottom: Sister Mary John Code, visiting, greets the clinic admistrator in Gould, Ark.
Priests and Daughters bid farewell:
Bishop Koenig was the main celebrant, joined by Bishop Emeritus Francis Malooly, Father Joseph McQuaide, current rector, and Father Perry Henry and Father John Kettelberger. Sisters JoAnne Goecke and Mary Ellen Thomas (front center): back row, Sisters Mary Fran Hildenberger, Teresa George, Maureen Houlihan, Jean Rhoads, Bella Davila, Marge Clifford, Mary Fran Barnes, Louise Gallahue, Loretta Hoag; short middle row, Sisters Kathleen Marie Christopher, Janet Keim, Kathy McGuire, Joan Corcoran, Donna Smith, and Ellen Marie Hagar; front row, Bernadette Miller, Anne Marie Lamoureux, Michelle Nguyen, Claire Debes, Clarisse Correia, Jane Graves, Barbara Ann Curran.
Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware
On May 13, 2025, a Mass of Thanksgiving was held in recognition of over two centuries of service in Wilmington by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Along with a reunion of many of Daughters who had served in the diocese, Bishop William Koenig was joined on the St. Peter Cathedral altar by Bishop Emeritus Francis Malooly, Father Joseph McQuaide, the current rector, and other priests. It was a bittersweet farewell reunion for all gathered.
The service of the Daughters of Charity in Wilmington began more than 195 years ago, in December 1829, when Father George A. Carrell, then pastor of St. Peter in Wilmington, sent a letter requesting “two or three” Sisters to be a Catholic presence to his small Catholic flock. The date was December 1, nine years after the death of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, foundress of the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The recipient was Mother Augustine Descount, the 2nd successor to Mother Seton.
Father Carroll’s request was granted and on April 14, 1830, three Sisters — Eulalia, Aloysia, and Ann Scholastica — departed St. Joseph’s of Emmitsburg, Maryland, for Wilmington to establish the seventh mission of this young religious community founded by Mother Seton. From an original three Sisters to 348 Daughters during their
195-year history in Wilmington, the Sisters (known as the Daughters of Charity after 1850) were initially sent to care for Catholic orphans at St. Peter’s Female Orphanage, established after a series of explosions at the DuPont Powder Mills that had left many children without parents.
A lack of funds soon became an obstacle to their ministry, and in 1841, a boarding school, called The Free Academy for Girls, was established to provide Catholic education for boarders and produce additional revenue. Over the next 70+ years, renovations were made to the original orphanage, wings were added, and adjustments to the children’s needs made. Services focused primarily on the care and education of children and expanded to include a free school for girls which morphed in 1925 into what is today known as St. Peter’s Cathedral School.
Although education was a hallmark of the Daughters’ ministry in Wilmington, the legacy of the Daughters is, as Sister JoAnne Goecke describes: “Since the 1940s, Daughters have come and gone, ministries opened and closed responding to the calls of the Church and Community.” From a senior center, to working with eight social service agencies, to opening an early learning center, to its food pantry and food closet, Sister JoAnne concludes her history with the words that have carried their community on a journey of a lifetime…
“Change and transformation have occurred throughout our history, a history that rests firmly on the saintly shoulders of Elizabeth Ann Seton, Vincent de Paul, and Louise de Marillac. One hundred ninety years of faithful service have produced a rich harvest …”
The harvest will continue, as Sister Teresa George reassures all gathered: “You are fortunate to have dedicated lay people in the Diocese who will carry this work forward for the next generation. I want to especially mention Karen Banta, the newly named principal for St. Peter Cathedral School who has served in the school more than twenty years, and Peter Slattery, executive director of St. Patrick Center.”
As to how difficult the decision was to leave Wilmington, Sister Teresa expresses what many congregations are facing today: “As I observe the number of women religious declining across the country, I sometimes wonder what God has in mind. Then I recall that faith is not faith when its object is seen and that God’s plan for us is one of fullness.”
Top left: Principal Sister Celeste Donohue teaches a young student about Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1959.
Top right: Sister Loretta Hoag helps students with an art project.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
St. Peter’s Cathedral Adult Center
25th anniversary Mass with (L-R): Sisters Patricia Coughlin, Bishop Robert E. Mulvee, Grace Marie Dunn, and Loretta Hoag.
2025 Jubilarians
Celebrating 2,250 Years of Serving Christ in Those in Need
During January through December 2025, 35 Daughters celebrate jubilees.
80 Years Vocation
Sister Mary John Lindner
January 5, 1945
A Teacher, Superintendent of Schools, Provincal Councillor and Visitatrix, Parish Minister, Tutor, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in La., Mo., and Texas; she currently serves in the Ministry of Prayer, Emmitsburg, Md.
75 Years Vocation
Sister Anthony Barczykowski, D.C.
January 18, 1950
A Housemother, Social Worker, Administrator, Executive Director, Local Community Superior, and Provincial Councillor, Sister has served in Ala., Calif., and La., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Carmela Molini, D.C.
March 25, 1950
A Teacher, Principal, Pastoral Minister, Librarian, Docent, Tutor, and Local Community Superior, Sister served in Miss., Mo., La., Iowa, Texas, Ariz., and Md. She now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Mary John Code, D.C.
August 9, 1950
A Nurse-Supervisor, Rehab Coordinator-Director, Home Health Case Manager, Staff Development Coordinator, and Wellness Educator, Sister has served in Ill., Ala., Texas, Mo., and La., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Thérèse Noble, D.C.
October 25, 1950
An Elementary Teacher, Tutor, Aide, Pastoral Care Minister, Docent and Volunteer, Sister has served in Mo., Calif., Nev., Ala., Utah, Miss., Ill., and Md. She currently serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Gloria Esposito, D.C.
December 18, 1950
A Primary Teacher, Principal, Foreign Missionary, Director of Schools in Bolivia, Instructor, and Provincial Treasurer, Sister served 60 years in Bolivia, and in Calif., Md., Ohio, and N.Y. She now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Albany, N.Y.
Sister Molly Smith, D.C.
December 18, 1950
A Teacher, Principal, Seminary Directress, Parish Director, Religious Education Co-Director, Catholic Charities Food Pantry Assistant, and Samaritan House Co-Director, Sister has ministered in Md., and N.Y., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Albany, N.Y.
70 Years Vocation
Sister Suzanne Baumgartner, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, PT, Foreign Missionary, Assistant Principal, Parish Associate, Retreat Leader, Local Community Superior, Spiritual Director, and SVDP Spiritual Advisor, she has served in Conn., Pa., Va., D.C., India, Md., S.C., and W.Va., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Virginia Ann Brooks, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Principal, President, Vocation-Formation Minister, Administrator, Provincial Visitatrix, Mission Integrator, Spiritual Advisor, and Local Community Superior, she served in Ohio, Mass., Md., Va., D.C., and Ind.; she serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Catherine Hagan, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Principal, Associate Superintendent of Schools, Regional Director, Foreign Missionary, Spiritual Advisor, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Md., Pa., Va., Mass., N.Y., and Australia, and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Albany, N.Y.
Sister Elaine Jordan, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Tutor, Docent, Pastoral Care Director and Associate, and Villa Assistant, Sister has served in Ohio, Md., Fla., W.Va., Va., and D.C., and currently serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Louise Macchia, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Social Worker, Hospital and Women’s Prison Chaplain, Sister has served in D.C., N.Y., N.J., Mass., and Conn. Sister now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Albany, N.Y.
Sister Marie Poole, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Formation Minister, Novice Directress, Foreign Missionary, Assistant Principal, Motherhouse English-speaking Secretary, she has served in Md., N.Y., Va., DRC, Conn., Pa., and France; she serves in Vincentian Heritage Project and Ministry of Prayer, Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Margaret Tuley, D.C.
January 26, 1955
A Teacher, Nurse-Supervisor and Director, President-CEO, V.P. of Mission, Associate Administrator, Governance, Board Chair, and Local Community Superior, she has served in N.Y., Md., Va., Mass., Maine, Conn., and Pa., and now serves in Parish Ministry, Bayside, N.Y.
Sister Natalie Marengo, D.C.
February 13, 1955
A High School Teacher and Local Community Superior who has served in Mo., Iowa, La., and Texas, Sister currently serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Arthur Marie Donnelly, D.C.
June 23, 1955
A Program Director, Early Childhood Education Specialist, Pastoral Care Associate, Villa Assistant, and Local Community Superior, Sister has ministered in Mass., N.Y., Conn., and Pa. She now serves in the Ministry of Prayer, Emmitsburg, Md.
60 Years Vocation
Sister Patricia Dunne, D.C.
June 5, 1965
Teacher, Social Worker, Daycare Administrator, Provincial Councillor, V.P. of Mission, School Counselor, Teacher’s Aide, Tutor, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Md., Ill., Miss., Tenn., Ind., La., and Wis. Today, she serves in Evansville, Ind.
Sister Therese MacKinnon, D.C.
June 5, 1965
A Teacher, Religious Education Director, Parish Minister, Pastoral Associate, Outreach Services Coordinator, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Mo., Ohio, Ala., Ill., Mich., and Wis. She now serves as Director of Discipleship in Detroit.
Sister Marsha Tierney, D.C.
June 5, 1965
A Teacher, Seminary Directress, Religious Education Director, Provincial Councillor, Case Manager, Instructor, and Local Community Superior, she has served in Mo., Ill., Miss., Md., Ind., Wis., and La., and now serves adult learners and at the Ignatian Spirituality Project, New Orleans.
Sister Clarisse Correia, D.C.
June 27, 1965
Head Nurse, Educator, Administrator, College President, Program Director, Campus Coordinator, and Local Community Superior, she has served in Md., N.Y., Mass., Conn., and Pa. She now serves at The Central Associate of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia, Pa.
Sister Joanne Donovan, D.C.
June 27, 1965
Child Care Supervisor, Clinical Social Worker, Group Home Director, Elder Care, Pastoral Care Director, and Local Community Superior, she served in D.C., Mich., Mass., N.Y., and N.J., and now as Vincentian Spiritual Moderator for Albany Ladies of Charity and at Albany Community Hospice.
Sister Mary Jean Doyle, D.C.
June 27, 1965
Dietitian, Social Worker, Trafficking Victims Assistant., Administrator, Childcare-Community Outreach, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Maryland, South Carolina, Florida, and Washington, D.C., and now serves in Catholic Charities-Immigration & Refugee Services.
Sister Carol Keehan, D.C.
Nurse-Administrator, Pastoral Care, V.P. of Nursing, President-CEO of hospitals and Catholic Health Association, Sister has served in D.C., Md., and Fla.; she now serves in Governance-Consulting and is the Local Community Superior in Bladensburg, Md.
Sister Barbara Maggio, D.C.
June 27, 1965
Nurse, Childcare Supervisor, Teacher, Parish Visitor, and Resource Teacher, Sister has served in D.C., Md., Fla., N.C., Ga., Pa., and Va., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Betty Ann McNeil, D.C.
June 27, 1965
A Social Worker, Assistant Administrator, Grants Director, and Archivist in Md., Va., D.C., and Vincentian Scholar-in-Residence at DePaul University, Chicago, she is now an adjunct faculty member at DePaul U. and Vincentian Researcher and Writer, Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Andrea Miller, D.C.
June 27, 1965
A Child Care Provider, Social Services-Healthcare Minister, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Md., Mich., N.Y., Mass., N.J., Ala., Pa., and Conn., and now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Emmitsburg, Md.
Sister Maureen Schmalzried, D.C.
June 27, 1965
A Teacher, Principal, Seminary Directress, Pastoral Associate, Provincial Secretary-Councillor, Villa Assistant, and Local Community Superior, she has served in Ohio, Ind., Ill., Calif., Miss., Mo., and Md.; she now serves at SVdP, E. St. Louis, Ill., as an Oral Historian, and ESL-Literacy Tutor.
Sister Susan Sheehan, D.C.
June 27, 1965
Sister has served in the Middle East for 50 years; 26 years spent in Gaza where she served in fundraising. She has served Emotionally Disturbed Children and was a Preschool Director in D.C., and in Mich. Sister continues to serve in the Middle East.
Sister Rose Ann Aguilar, D.C.
August 14, 1965
A Social Worker, Family Services Director, Provincial Councillor, Policy Committee and Stewardship Assistant, Director, and Local Community Superior, Sister has served in Texas, Mo., N.Y., and La., and currently serves at Hotel Hope, New Orleans.
Sister Joan Kuester, D.C.
August 14, 1965
A Nurse-Supervisor, Healthcare Administrator, Provincial Treasurer, Executive Director of St. Louis Daughters of Charity Foundation, hospitals and not-for profit agencies boards. She has served in Mo., Ind., La., and Texas. She now serves in the Ministry of Prayer in Evansville, Ind.
50 Years Vocation
Sister Ellen Marie Hagar, D.C.
April 3, 1975
A Teacher, Principal, and President, and a General Assembly Delegate, Sister has served in Md., Va., and W.Va., N.C., Ga., D.C., and Pa., she now serves at the International Vincentian Family Office in Philadelphia.
Sister Jean Rhoads, D.C.
April 3, 1975
A Teacher, Nurse, Clinic Director, V.P. of Mission, Provincial Councillor, Ascension Sponsor member, Vocation Director, and Local Community Superior, she has served in Ga., Mo., Md., D.C., Fla., N.C., Ind., and Pa., and now as Director, Catholic Native Ministry, Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau.
Sister Donna Franklin, D.C.
May 6, 1975
Social Worker, Child Care-Senior Living, Domestic Violence Minister, program for unhoused persons, formation for deacons-spouses, Executive Director for Catholic Charities, and Local Community Superior, she has served in Mass., N.Y., and Pa., and now in the Ministry of Prayer, Albany, N.Y.
Sister Joanne Vasa, D.C.
July 11, 1975
A Special Education and Religion Teacher, Pastoral Associate, Liturgical Musician, Seminary Directress, Vincentian Formator, Board Member, Provincial Councillor, and Spiritual Director, she has served in Mo., Md., Ill., and Ind., and now serves on the Province Leadership Team.
Sister Patricia Huffman, D.C.
August 22, 1975
Nurse, Campus Minister, Mission Services, Liturgy Coordinator, Cook Islands Missionary, Teacher, Federation House of Charity, and Local Community Superior, she serves as Spiritual Companion for the Vincentian Small Faith Communities, and with Ascension DePaul Services, San Antonio.
The Daughters Reflect on a Decade of Laudato Si
By: Rachel Moccia
Ten years ago, on Pentecost, Pope Francis released Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home. It was the first encyclical to focus entirely on care for creation and challenged its readers to embrace an integral ecology — a worldview that recognizes the interconnectedness of all created beings.
This connection between what Pope Francis had referred to as the “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (LS, 49) is clear to the Daughters of Charity, whose charism is service to those living in poverty. Sister Sharon Horace, co-lead for the Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP) for the Province of St. Louise notes that, “traditionally, we’ve worked and lived in areas that are impoverished and one of the ways that they’re often impoverished is environmentally.” And this environmental poverty can increase material and health poverty, adds Sister Mary Jo Stein, Sister Sharon’s LSAP colead. “The Sisters serve Christ in persons who are poor, and environmental degradation has such a direct impact on vulnerable populations, making them more vulnerable.”
While the Daughters had been engaging in creation care before the publication of Laudato Si, the past decade saw renewed energy and deepened engagement with this work, thanks to this groundbreaking encyclical.
Sisters Mary Jo Stein and Sharon Horace have been coordinating the Province-wide response to the encyclical through the Laudato Si Action Platform. The platform was launched by the Vatican in 2021 and is a seven-year journey during which institutions, including religious orders, create concrete action plans to help them better care for creation.
One of the largest initiatives that the Province has undertaken as part of the LSAP is a pair of land studies on the Evansville and Emmitsburg campuses. The Province partnered with local universities to conduct surveys of the land
to identify the species that were present and to determine whether the Daughters could promote increased biodiversity. This effort also included wraparound initiatives including education sessions for the campuses’ grounds staff and an intentional sharing of learnings with local communities. Reflecting on the project, Sister Sharon says, “it’s probably the best thing we’ve done.”
While the LSAP has helped the Province to engage on larger, more systemic actions to better care for creation, the Interprovincial Care of Earth Subcommittee has been focused on helping Sisters across the United States make changes in their daily lives. The subcommittee provides prayers, educational materials, lifestyle tips, and advocacy actions that Sisters can take to better care for creation. Sister Regina Hlavac, the Chair of the Interprovincial Care of Earth Subcommittee hopes that because of the subcommittee’s work, Sisters will, “strive to put Laudato Si into effect every day and to challenge ourselves and one another to creatively live Laudato Si.”
Sisters Loretto Gettemeier and Julianne Blanchard are embracing the call to creatively live Laudato Si as members of the Laudato Si Committee at the Sarah Community, a retirement community for members of five different religious congregations and the public, located in Bridgeton, Mo.
The committee recently led an effort to set up a recycling program. When Sisters Loretto and Julianne arrived at the community, nothing was being recycled. “So,” the Daughters said, “Why don’t we just do it ourselves?” Sister Loretto explained. Each week the Daughters would drop off their recycling at Sister Loretto’s room for collection. Eventually, other residents noticed the recycling effort and wanted to join in. The effort was growing too large, so the committee decided they needed to advocate for a community-wide recycling program. They got to work, researching where their recyclables are processed, thinking through quality control, and collaborating with the Director of Maintenance and other members of the community’s administration. The communitywide recycling program was approved and launched in May!
As the Daughters look forward to another decade of Laudato Si, they are committed to continuing this work that they see as central to their charism. Sister Julianne explains, “our logo is the charity of Christ urges us. That’s what moves us. And if [the cry of creation] doesn’t move us, then we’re not doing what we’re supposed to.”
During a winter sowing project, seeds gathered from the courtyard in Emmitsburg were left outside the University greenhouse to sprout; here, Sister Mary Jo Stein and the project participants display the planting jugs.
Loretto Gettemeier
Julianne Blanchard
On the Sisters’ Emmitsburg Campus, the Land Plan, developed by Dr. Rachel Hartnett (left) of Mount St. Mary’s University, is being implemented. Two Environmental Science Program students volunteered to assist Sisters Anne Higgins and Mary Jo Stein thin out native perennials that are thriving in the courtyard gardens and transplant them to a meadow space adjacent to the labyrinth prayer walk.
Sisters
and
gather items for recycling at The Sarah Community.
In Memory
“Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.”
Revelation 2:10
We remember the 16 Daughters of Charity who, in recent months, have gone to their Eternal Home.
You are invited to read the Sisters’ complete obituaries online.
Sister Mary Agnes O’Neil
Sister Linda O’Rourke
Sister Marilyn Perkins
July 21, 1939
December 7, 2024
63 years vocation Nurse, Healthcare Minister, Foreign Missionary, Director of Ambulatory Services, Provincial Councillor, V.P. and Director of Mission, Pastoral Associate, and Local Community Superior
Sister Mary Thurlough
Sister Cecile Matushek
September 12, 1926
December 8, 2024
July 19, 1940
March 14, 2022
63 years vocation
75 years vocation Nurse, Hospital Administrator, Local Community Superior, Board Member, Provincial Councillor, Docent, and Receptionist
Primary School and Learning Club Teacher, Principal, Vice President Mission Integration, Board Member, Local Community Superior
Sister Ann Paul Chenard
Sister Michael Friebe
March 18, 1928
January 30, 2025
March 16, 1922
March 30, 2022
77 years vocation Teacher, Pastoral Minister and Nursing Home Chaplain
79 years vocation Nurse, Nurse Supervisor, Chaplain
Sister Catherine Kline
October 13, 1938
January 16, 2025
January 5, 1933
March 27, 2022
August 15, 1932
January 16, 2025
70 years vocation Teacher, Taiwan and Chongqing, China Missionary, Volunteer
57 years vocation Teacher, Child Care Center Administrator, Social Worker, Social Minister, Director, Volunteer, and Local Community Superior
Sister Joan Drega
Sister Kathleen Stafford
April 27, 1936
63 years vocation Teacher, Social Worker, Outreach Center Director, Archdiocese of New York for Disabled Persons Director, Parish Minister, Assistant Director of Catholic Charities, and Local Community Superior
Sister Gilbert Martin
Sister Mary Clare Hughes
June 13, 1936
November 28, 1945
February 7, 2025
June 19, 2022
57 years vocation Teacher, Principal, Local Community Superior
70 years vocation Teacher, Principal, Development Director, DC Foundation Liaison, Providence Health and Seton Heritage Development Minister, and Local Community Superior
November 25, 1924
February 8, 2025
June 25, 2022
67 years vocation
79 years vocation Nurse, Administrator, COO, Visitatrix
Nursing Supervisor, Assistant Nursing Director, Pastoral Care Associate and Director, Homebound-Bereavement Coordinator, and Senior Sisters Assistant
Sister Patricia Elder
July 27, 1931
February 18, 2025
74 years vocation Nurse-Supervisor, Faculty, Graduate, and Maternity Care Program Director, Midwife, Community Ambassador, Governance and Local Community Superior
Sister Elizabeth Ann Lingg
May 18, 1931
April 12, 2025
75 years vocation
Pharmacist, Administrator, Provincial Councillor and Assistant, Pastoral Care Director, and Local Community Superior
Sister Edith Thompson
Sister Michael Friebe
February 3, 1928
Sister Maurice Naquin
April 5, 1934
March 3, 2025
70 years vocation
Missionary Head Nurse, Nurse and English correspondent for handicapped children, international adoptions and benefactors in Japan
Sister Patricia Connolly
Sister Grace Marie Dunn
August 15, 1935
March 17, 2025
69 years vocation Teacher, Principal, Provincial Councillor, VP Mission Integration, Coordinator, and Local Community Superior
Sister Betty Ann Keppers
Sister Catherine Kline
April 14, 1943
May 2, 2025
January 24, 1932
May 5, 2025
62 years vocation
January 5, 1933
March 27, 2022
69 years vocation
June 19, 2025
March 16, 1922
March 30, 2022
76 years vocation
79 years vocation Nurse, Nurse Supervisor, Chaplain
Primary, Elementary and Upper Elementary Teacher, Foreign Missionary, Chaplain, Pastoral Care Director, Hostess, Docent, Receptionist, and Board Member
70 years vocation Teacher, Taiwan and Chongqing, China Missionary, Volunteer
Teacher, Principal, CCD and Liturgical Coordinator, Provincial Councillor, NGO Representative, Dream Path Program Minister and Justice Director, and Local Community Superior
Sister Patricia Bachman
January 25, 1943
July 6, 2025
58 years of vocation
Housemother, Social and Child Care Worker, Group Living Coordinator, Case Manager, Parish Minister, Administrator, Associate, Ladies of Charity Moderator, Local Community Superior
Business Education Teacher, Guidance Counselor, Computer Programmer, Parish Minister, Pastoral Care Director, Archivist, Fund Development and Computer Operator
Sister Grace Calvisi
Sister Mary Clare Hughes
January 10, 1933
November 25, 1924
July 17, 2025
June 25, 2022
73 years vocation
79 years vocation Nurse, Administrator, COO, Visitatrix
Elementary and Special Ed. Teacher, Program Director, Administrator, Provincial Councillor, Development and Community Relations Director, Hispanic Ministry, and Local Community Superior
Collaboration between Daughters’ Archives and DePaul University Offers Digital Access to St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton’s Family Papers
As the 50th anniversary of the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton nears (September 14, 2025) and the U.S. approaches its 250th, the Archives of the Daughters of Charity Province of St. Louise in collaboration with the Digital Commons at DePaul University announces the online publication of the first of many historic Bayley Seton family papers.
Among the initial digital offerings are letters to and from St. Elizabeth Ann, Right Reverend John Carroll, and Antonio Filicchi. In upcoming online publications, researchers will find diary entries, spiritual writings, early documents related to the governance of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s (predecessor community to the Daughters of Charity in the U.S.), and correspondence of St. Elizabeth Ann with her children, family, and in-laws For each paper, researchers will have access to a photo of the original document as well as a transcription. Publication of these papers will extend into 2026. Manuscripts currently available may be accessed online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/seton_family_papers/.
Some of the manuscripts in the Daughters’ Provincial Archives collections or in outside collections have already been published in edited compilations but have only been done so selectively. Letters of Mother Seton to Mrs. Julianna Scott (editor Msgr. Joseph Code), a compilation of the correspondence between Mother Seton and her best friend and confidant, Julia Scott, had been published as early as 1960, but were edited and incomplete. Sister Regina Bechtle, S.C., Sister Judith Metz, S.C., and Ellin M. Kelly undertook the Elizabeth Bayley Seton Collected Writings between 2000 and 2006, but these four volumes only published manuscripts created by Mother Seton, not manuscripts sent to Mother Seton or created by other people.
The manuscripts document the course of Mother Seton’s life before, during, and after her marriage and conversion. Among other topics, they discuss:
• The life she had with her children, worrying about them as her sons joine d the United States Navy and her fear of them being deployed during the War of 1812
• Her immense sadness upon the deaths of her daughters, Annina and Reb ecca, and the life she hoped to share with
• The nascent state of the Catholic Church in the United States – politically, org anizationally, and theologically.
• A women’s religious community on the frontier of the early Federal period.
Province News
A new publication on Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is now available from the Seton Shrine Gift Shop by telephoning 301-447-7122: Joseph I. Dirvin, C.M. (2025). Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. A Spiritual Portrait (2nd ed., Soul of Elizabeth Seton). (Betty Ann McNeil, D.C., Ed.) San Francisco: Ignatius Press. This 2nd edition of the classic spiritual portrait of Mother Seton, newly edited with an introduction by Sister Betty Ann, traces the spiritual journey of the 19th-century American wife, mother, educator, and religious leader, who became the first native-born canonized saint of the United States.
Baltimore-area Catholic congregations recently participated in an ad campaign, “Put the Guns Down. Let Peace Begins with Us.” The ads ran through June on the outside and inside of city buses, and on Baltimore’s subway. Sister Mary Jo Stein (6th from the left) represented the Daughters of Charity in the effort.
Merced Housing Texas recently celebrated 30 years. On May 8, founding members, including the Daughters of Charity, were recognized at a celebration. Pictured, left to right, Sister Esther, Guerrero, MCDP; Mary Helen Diliberto; and Sisters Patty Huffman and Josephine Lomasney from the Province of St. Louise.
In February, the Councils of the Province of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton from Los Altos Hills, Calif., and the Province of St. Louise gathered in St. Louis, Mo., to meet with General Councillor, Sister Julie Kubasak. Prayer, futuring, and fellowship filled the meeting days. Here, Father Perry Henry, C.M., Provincial Director, celebrates mass for the Sisters.
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Sister Kate Makes Vows for the First Time
Sister Kate McFall made vows for the first time on May 10 during a Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, Macon, Georgia. Many Sisters of the Province were in attendance. Pictured at left, Sister Elyse Staab, Local Community Superior, Sister Kate, and Sister Teresa George, Provincial; pictured below, Sister Kate surrounded by Sisters Mary Francis Bassick, Salvatrice Murphy, Mary Beth Kubera, Paula Gallant, Julie Cutter, Deborah Mallot, Meggie Flores, Elyse Staab, Cheryl Hillig, and Teresa George.
