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Mission Effectiveness Through Archives
The value of religious community archives is much more than preservation of the history of a particular religious community. They are also an important resource for mission and heritage formation in health care, education and social-service ministries that are, in large part, led today by laity. Such is the case with the Sisters of Providence…
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Benedictine Crafts: Needlework in Minnesota
The Art/Needlework Department of Saint Benedict’s Monastery had its roots in St. Walburg Convent, Eichstatt, Bavaria, its motherhouse. Sister Willibalda Scherbauer, one of the first Benedictine sisters from Eichstatt to arrive in Minnesota in 1857, was trained in needlework as a young girl. She taught the first class in art needlework, specializing in fine embroidery,…
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The Role of Leadership in a Congregations Archives
Leaders of religious congregations play a pivotal role in preserving a congregation’s archives. When I began my role as the congregational leadership liaison to our archives, I knew very little about the subject. However, as my understanding of archives grew, it is clear to me now that leadership has a proactive responsibility for maintaining and…
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Sister Mary Kenneth Keller, BVM: A Pioneer in Computer Science
Sister Mary Kenneth Keller, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Dubuque, Iowa, USA) was among the first women to receive a PhD in Computer Science. She received her degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1964 and was the first person, woman or man, to receive such a degree from that educational…
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The Sisters’ Legacy is Deeply Embedded into the Fabric of American Life
As a historian, I think it is important to remember and emphasize that the lived experience of American sisters is embedded within broader social and cultural struggles that rocked the nation in the last half century. By the mid-1960s, over 200,000 Catholic women were living and working in over 400 religious orders in the United…
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Labor Activist: Rev. Vincent O’Connell, SM
“He has been shot at, black listed, and quietly transferred to other parts of the country, but he has always come back for more.” One morning when they were young boys, Vincent O’Connell and his brother “sensed that something other than coffee was brewing in the kitchen.” The boys’ father, owner of a Philadelphia hosiery…
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Missing Piece to Los Angeles Plaza History
Our Lady Queen of Angels Church (La Placita) located in the heart of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles was staffed by the Claretians from 1910-2015. The church was the center of Mexican Catholic life, sponsoring many parish organizations, encouraging an active Catholic Action ministry, and publishing a national weekly magazine, La Esperanza (1930-1955). George…
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The Franciscan Presence in America: A Story of Devotion
On April 26, 1858, the German Franciscans of the Holy Cross Province found a new home on the shores of American soil. Exiles from their fatherland, they established an independent province on July 2, 1879. The new province was named after the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Their mission was simple – to bring the…
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Mercy Archives Educating and Advocating As the Community Evolves
The role of archives within an institution is a reflection of the organization’s values. Unlike the world of secular archives, Catholic religious’ archives have a mandate, that of Canon law, stipulating “all documents concerning the diocese or parishes must be kept with the greatest care” (Canon Law, cc 486). However, how each Catholic entity interprets…
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CYO Homes and the Viatorians
Viatorians have a rich legacy of reaching out to those accounted of little importance in society. Below is just one example from an earlier time in the province. In the late 30s and early 40s, Viatorian brothers staffed Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) homes in Chicago at the invitation of Archbishop Bernard J. Sheil, co-founder of…
