Category Archives: Sisters of Charity Federation

July 7, 2014 · 9:42 am

Introduction of Cause for Canonization: Sister Blandina Segale, S.C.

Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati)

Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati)

Sister Blandina with menmbers of her family (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati)

Sister Blandina with clients from Santa Maria Social Service Center (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we received the press release below concerning the introduction of the cause for canonization for Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. (Cincinnati). For more information, see the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati website (http://www.srcharitycinti.org)

Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan to Hold Joint Press Conference with CHI St. Joseph’s Children to Announce Vatican’s Immediate Permission to Open the Sainthood Cause of Servant of God, Sister Blandina Segale, SC
Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 11:00 AM
CHI St. Joseph’s Children Facility
1516 5th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Tuesday, June 24, 2014- IMMEDIATE RELEASE– Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan will hold a joint-press conference with CHI St. Joseph’s Children, Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 11:00 am to announce the Vatican’s immediate permission to open the Sainthood Cause of Servant of God, Sister Blandina Segale, SC. The press conference will be held at CHI St. Joseph’s Children Facility located at 1516 5th Street NW, Albuquerque, 87102. A delegation from the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati will include Sr. Victoria Forde, SC, official delegate. The historical posting of the official Decree will be displayed on the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi’s doors on Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 3pm during La Conquistadora/Our Lady of Peace Vespers and Procession to Rosario Chapel located at Rosario Cemetery in Santa Fe.

Archbishop Sheehan received permission to open the cause of beatification from the Vatican via the Congregation for the Cause of Saints. Archbishop Sheehan was named Judge for the Cause; Most Rev. Ricardo Ramirez, Bishop Emeritus of Las Cruces, has been named Postulator; and Allen Sánchez, President and CEO of CHI St. Joseph’s Children, is designated as Petitioner.

This is the first time in New Mexico’s Roman Catholic Church’s 400 year history a decree opening the cause of beatification and canonization has been declared.

CHI St. Joseph’s Children (St. Joseph Community Health) Board of Directors approved a motion to petition the canonization of Sr. Blandina Segale, SC at their May 28, 2013 board meeting.
Contact: Allen Sánchez 505.319.3334
–END

Background information
Servant of God, Rosa Maria Segale (Sr. Blandina Segale, SC)
The Servant of God, Rosa Maria Segale (Sr. Blandina Segale, SC) was born January 23, 1850 in Cicagna, Italy. Her family migrated to Cincinnati, OH when she was four years old. Her first word as a child was Gesu (Jesus).

On September 13, 1866 the Servant of God entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. She was sent to work in the newly acquired territories of the western United States in 1872. Arriving first in Trinidad, CO, Sr. Blandina taught the poor. In 1877 she was transferred to Santa Fe, NM where she cofounded the public and Catholic schools. Her work included starting hospitals in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Her work in these territories is well documented in the publication of letters to her sister, also a Sister of Charity, called At the End of the Santa Fe Trail.

Other heroic virtues include her tireless work of teaching and healing the immigrant, the marginalized, the poor, and advocating for women and children. She challenged the occupying government and military in fair treatment of the Native Americans. Sr. Blandina came to the aid of mistreated railroad workers, finding time to care for the sick while building orphanages, hospitals, schools, and trade schools.

Her compassion converted hundreds and she even had numerous encounters with the famous Billy the Kid and his band of outlaws. She calmed mobs of armed men from taking the law into their own hands and helped criminals seek forgiveness from their victims, and even saved a man from a hanging party by facilitating reconciliation between him and the man he shot before he died. In 1966 this story of bravery was told in a CBS series Death Valley Days episode “The Fastest Nun in the West” where she faced down the barrels of guns to find justice. One account is her prevention of Hispanic and Native American’s loss of homes and land to swindlers and another is saving a lost horse drawn wagon of passengers during a winter blizzard and reaching safety in blackout conditions.

In 1897 she founded the Santa Maria Institute in Cincinnati, serving immigrants. She led the organization until 1933. The institute is still in operation today, serving the poor and marginalized.

In 1900 Sr. Blandina returned to Albuquerque for two years to help start the St. Joseph Hospital whose mission continues today as CHI St. Joseph’s Children, also known as St. Joseph Community Health.

Her ministries continue today, over 100 years later, and thousands of poor children receive early childhood service by her continuing ministry. Many of the adobe structures Sr. Blandina built still stand today as monuments to her courage.. For example, in Old Albuquerque the convent bears her name. Her life’s work is well documented in the archives of the Sisters of Charity Mother House in Cincinnati.

Sr. Blandina was one of the petitioners of the Cause of St. Elizabeth Seton, and at 81 years old she traveled to Italy to meet with Pope Pius to plead St. Elizabeth’s Cause. The Servant of God died on February 23, 1941 in Cincinnati at the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity at the age of 91. Her last words were Gesu e Madre.

Contact: Allen Sánchez 505.319.3334–END
Archdiocese of Santa Fe Office of Communications/Media
505.831.8162 Website: http://www.archdiosf.org

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Filed under Announcements, Sisters of Charity Federation, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

June 19, 2014 · 11:44 am

New Exhibit: Conservation of the American Rule of 1812

The newly-restored 1812 American Rule (front, center), now on display in the Provincial Archives. In the background are images of three of the restored pages

The newly-restored 1812 American Rule (front, center), now on display in the Provincial Archives. In the background are images of three of the restored pages


(Images used with permission of Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)

Our collections are unique and irreplaceable, and preservation measures are an ongoing activity for the Provincial Archives. The Provincial Archives, working with conservator Mary Wootton, has just completed conservation treatments for one of the most historically valuable items in our collection: The Regulations for the Society of Sisters of Charity in the United States of America, commonly known as the American Rule of 1812.

Conserving the American Rule was a labor-intensive process, as each of the book’s 60 leaves received attention. Mary’s treatment plan involved several steps. After removing the binding, she washed all the pages in special solution. She then removed strips of tape that had been used to repair the volume at the beginning of the twentieth century. She then repaired the newly-cleaned leaves and re-bound the book. According to Mary, the American Rule is now in a condition very close to its original condition at the time it was written in 1812.

This is one of the most important pieces in our collection because it is the common link for all members of the Sisters of Charity Federation. It is the first American translation of the Vincentian Rule. For this reason, too, it is important for the Sisters of Charity who descend from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Preserving the legacy of Mother Seton, seen in documents such as the American Rule, is an important part of our stewardship responsibilities. Thanks to Mary’s efforts, the American Rule will be available for many years into the future.

The restored American Rule is now on display in Gallery 2. It is open to the public on Wednesday afternoons; open to Sisters and Associates on the Emmitsburg Campus during our normal hours (8am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday).

Opening page of the restored American Rule

Opening page of the restored American Rule


Another page from the restored American Rule

Another page from the restored American Rule

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Filed under Elizabeth Ann Seton, Exhibits, Preservation, Sisters of Charity Federation, Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's

May 31, 2014 · 6:00 am

Johnstown Flood – Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill (4)

Blakely letter

Letter of Sister Aloysius Blakely, S.C. (1 of 2) (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill)

Blakely letter (2)

Letter of Sister Aloysius Blakely, S.C. (2 of 2) (courtesy Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Sister Louise Grundish, archivist, Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill

There were six Sisters of Charity serving at St. Columba’s parish which was six to eight miles distant from St. John’s Convent. Because of the distance from Johnstown the impact of the water was lessened but there was still very serious devastation in Cambria as well as Johnstown. One of the Sisters was Sister Aloysius Blakely who was eighteen years old at the time. When Mother Aloysia found all the sisters alive and well, she returned to Greensburg with two of the sisters who were ill at the time and also two very young sisters who were too inexperienced to be of service to the flood survivors.

Meanwhile, Sister Aloysius’ mother who was a widow was living in Eire with her father. Her grandfather set out immediately to find the fate of Sister Aloysius. When he arrived at the station where all disembarked, he was told that the only person who could enter Johnstown were those who would carry a coffin for one of the dead. He shouldered the coffin and went on foot. Fortunately his search ended with a wonderful reunion and a happy ending.

Some weeks later, Sister Aloysius wrote a letter to her mother describing “Johnstown’s Black Friday” as she called it. Her letter is preserved in her file in the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Archives.
The letter reads in part:

“…All Thursday night the rain had fallen in torrents and when we rose on Friday morning the river was very much swollen, and was rushing angrily along… We were not much frightened as floods in Cambria and Johnstown were yearly occurrences……

…..About ten o’clock we received work that the Toll Bridge, although heavily laden with iron, stones, etc., was swept away, and knowing that in its downward course it would take Tenacre Bridge with it…… It happened as expected. The huge iron frame of the bridge, which was also covered with stones, was tossed like a feather, and at last buried from view beneath the waves.”

Sister Aloysius describes her terrifying night spent on her knees and preparing for death as well as the relief she felt as the morning arrived and the rivers began to recede. She ends the letter with this description:

“….At last the night was over and the day dawned…Such a scene of desolation! Houses if not swept away, almost entirely ruined; heaps of debris everywhere; dead bodies scattered around; and dark figures moving quietly to and fro, trying to extricate them, place them on boards, and carried them to the church. All was silent as the grave in that vast cemetery.”

Sister Aloysius describes another false alarm which sends everyone scurrying up the hill. Then the group went out to Morrellville in the country. She comments, “Here it was dear Grandpa found me on Sunday… We remained with Mr. Rush till Monday, when we departed for Seton Hill…”

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Filed under Johnstown Flood, Sisters of Charity Federation, Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, U.S. History