Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-10-31
INSPIRATION
That Resulted in Founding OF
Sisters of Charity I'm the
West.
Now Form One of the COun-
try's Greatest Teaching
Orders.
From Philadelphia They Went
to Iowa Seventy Years
Ago.
FATHER DONAGHOE TELLS STORY
FATHER DONAGHOE TELLS STORY
BY lanes A. Rooney. LII. D.

to be a Jesuit, but that the Far
West will one day resound with the
praises of the Children of Mary"
was the inspired answer given by a
holy Jesuit lay brother one day
when asked for his prayers that he
might advise a friend according to
the will of God. No names had been
mentioned and no circumstances
stated to the good brother, yet his
decision largely influenced the Rev.
Terence James Donaghoe, pastor of
st. Michaels church, Philadelphia,
to forego his intention of entering
the Society of Jesus, and also re-
suited in his founding the Sisters OF
Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
in Philadelphia in 1888.
Beginning with five Jealous men,
bers in humble quarters in vikings
alley, near St. Joseph's church, these
Sisters form one of the great teach
ing orders of the West, though little
known elsewhere, as they have no
houses east of Chicago. They num-
Der 1900 members, with seventy
four converts and schools, in which
about $4,000 pupils receive such an
education as only the experienced
teaching orders of the church can
give. Their converts and schools
are to be found in most of the do
ceses Of Iowa and Illinois, with
many establishments in Missouri,
Nebraska, Montana, Colorado and
California. They conduct about
fifty high schools and academies and
in Chicago alone they have charge of
twenty-three parochial schools and
four high schools.
The inspiration that resulted in
their establishment is to be looked
for during the cholera epidemic of
1881 in Dublin, when Mary Frances
Clarke, Margaret Mann, Elizabeth
Kelly, Catherine Byrne and Rose
O'Toole met in their ministrations
among the stricken, and began their
life work by teaching poor children,
being privileged at the same time to
be of assistance to Mother Catherine
McAuley, who had Just founded the
Sisters of Mercy in Baggot street.
They took house in North Ann
street from which to prosecute their
work, and their chaplain happened to
be, or was it not rather providen-
tial, a Philadelphia priest in Ire
land for his health. From him they
heard of the great need of Catholic
teachers In America and hither they
finally decided to come. The cele-
brant of the last mass at which they
assisted in Dublin was a young
priest named Peter Richard Kenrick,
afterward destined to rule over the
diocese of st. Louis as successor of
the Right Rev. Joseph Rosati, its
first Bishop, and then to be the first
Archbishop OF that great see.
The four named sailed from LIVER
pool on the Cassandra, July IS,
1888, Miss O'Toole being detained
until later by some pressing business
affairs. They were accompanied by
John Early, on his way to the Jesuit
novitiate at Frederick, and Andrew
Burns, New York seminarian. On
arriving at New York their first mis-
fortune was the loss of their savings
in Miss Kelly's keeping, which fell
overheard as they were leaving the
ship. The warmth of their welcome
to the home of Mrs. James Reilly,
aunt of Mr.. Burns, made them forget
their troubles. Though invited by
II
main in the city, they adhered to
! their original intention and arrived
in Philadelphia, September z, with
out money, friends or any definite
plan. Their first visit was to st.
Joseph's church. and there through
the kindness of Mrs. Margaret Nc
Donough, mother of Lieut.. Patrick
McDonough. the hero of the defense
of Fort Erie, where he fell August
10, 1914, they met Father Donaghoe,
destined to be their spiritual director
and fast friend for life.
With his wonderful gift of dis
cernment he was quick to recognize
the hand of God In the coming OF
these unheralded, pious women, and
the date of their meeting, September
10, Is still a red-letter day In their
annals. He opened school for them,
and witnessing their efficiency and
piety, with the consent of Bishop
Conwell he decided to organize them
into a religious community. There
fore on November they pro-
nounced their act of conservation,
received the religious habit at his
hands and also the title of Sisters OF
the Blessed Virgin Mary, the word
Charity" being added ten years
later. Mother Mary Frances Clarke
was the first Superior. She died
December A, 1889. aged eighty-foul
years.
Father Donaghoe built a new con-
vent for them, of which they tool
possession September 20, 1898, the
same convent which, with st
Michaeps church. was destroyed by
fire during the Knownothing riots OF
1874, and for which Father Donag.
hoe collected In damages the sum OF
$33,437.06 two years later from the
City of Brotherly Love. There they
labored with continuous zeal and
success until June s. 1S43, when
they left for Dubuque. then a small
frontier town In the Territory oil
Iowa, at the invitation OF the Righl
Rev. Matthias Loras. Bishop of that
see. He and Father Donaghoe es,
corted them to their new home, and
strangely enough, they were also
accompanied by Bishop Kenrick, who
had said the last mass for them n
Ireland, ten years before. He wal
on his way to his see OF 81. Louis
Their arrival on June rs. the fsasl
Of the Sacred Heart, It Dubuque wa
announced to waiting thronRs from