March 8, 2013 · 7:38 pm

Canonization of St. Louise de Marillac, 1934: Introduction

On March 15, we celebrate the feast of Louise de Marillac. Louise’s canonization took place on March 11, 1934. We are fortunate to have in our collection detailed first-hand accounts from Sisters who traveled to Rome for St. Louise’s canonization. Over the coming days, we will feature passages from these accounts. Each day, from March 8 through March 15, we will highlight the account from the corresponding day in 1934.

In 1934 there were two American provinces of the Daughters of Charity: the Eastern, or Emmitsburg, Province, and the Western, or St. Louis Province. Both Provinces sent delegations to the canonization, but nearly all of the accounts in our collection come from the Emmitsburg Province. Sisters attending the canonization from the Emmitsburg Province were: Sister Paula Dunn, Sister Gertrude Eiseli, Sister Winifred Kerwin, and Sister Delphine Steele. Sisters attending from the St. Louis Province were Sister Mary Barbara Regan, Sister Gertrude Foley, and Sister Alphonsine Casey.

The Sisters from Emmitsburg sailed from the US on February 15, arriving in Naples on the 22nd. The following days were spent visiting churches and historic sites throughout Italy; they arrived in Rome on the 28th. We don’t know the precise itinerary for the St. Louis Sisters, though they were in Italy by the 9th of March.

The account will begin in the following post with March 8, 1934

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March 5, 2013 · 8:30 pm

In memoriam: Sisters Florence Edward Kearney, Marie Yetter, Rose Anthony D’Alfonso

In memory of three Daughters of Charity who have died recently:

Sister Florence Edward Kearney – Died at St. Louise House, Albany, NY February 19, 2013; 81 years of age, 60 years of vocation
Sister Marie Yetter – Died at Villa St. Michael, Emmitsburg, MD, February 23, 2013; 94 years of age, 76 years of vocation
Sister Rose Anthony D’Alfonso – Died at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center, New Orleans, LA; February 25, 2013. 90 years of age, 59 years of vocation

May they rest in peace!

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March 5, 2013 · 8:24 pm

Marillac Provincial House, St. Louis

Marillac Provincial House, St. Louis

(Image of Marillac Provincial House used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)
March is Women’s History Month; March 15 is the feast day of St. Louise de Marillac, co-founder of the Daughters of Charity and namesake of the Province of St. Louise. During the month of March we will feature ministries named for Louise and items from our collection connected with her.

Seen here is an artist’s rendering of Marillac Provincial House in St. Louis by Barnett, Haynes, and Barnett, the original architects. The building was completed in 1916 and served as the headquarters for the former St. Louis Province until 1999 when it was sold to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Though many additions were made to the building over the years, the beautiful facade seen in this image still exists, virtually unchanged. Father James J. Sullivan, first provincial director for the former St. Louis Province, placed the Provincial House under the patronage of Louise de Marillac in 1914, at the building’s groundbreaking. St. Louis’ was the first Daughter of Charity provincial house to be named for Louise de Marillac.

The building, still known as Marillac Provincial House, now serves as classrooms, office space, and residence hall space for the Pierre Laclede Honors College at UM-St. Louis; the Provincial House chapel is used for concerts, lectures, and Sunday Mass for the university’s Newman Center.

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Filed under Louise de Marillac, Ministries