“Few will know we lived a hundred years from now!”
These words, recorded in the St. Ann Convent annals as seen above, exemplify the spirit of record keeping that has been a part of the SCN community since its origins. In the early days of the Community, Sister Ellen O’Connell collected and preserved tidbits of history. Unfortunately, upon her death these collected records were seen to have little value and it is believed they were destroyed in the fire at St. Catherine Academy in Lexington, Kentucky. While little value was given to these collected records at the time, years later, Mother Frances Gardiner revived this spirit of preservation in 1870 during her fourth term and called upon Sister Marie Menard to record SCN history.
Handwritten annals by Sister Marie Menard
By 1924, the Secretary General of the Congregation Sister Mary Joseph Ryan, mandated that branch houses record and submit their annals to the Motherhouse at Nazareth. The local communities would appoint an annalist to record the day-to-day accounts of life at the mission as well as list the SCNs living in community together. In correspondence sent to the branch houses in February 1926, Sister Mary Joseph sends a gentle reminder of that standards of keeping and sending the annals. Her letter reads:
“Some of the ANNALS are not yet received, but surely the rest are on the way! It may be too late for this year, but—while I think of it, please do not send in rolls, but flat. Use good typewriter ribbon, or good black ink and not too fine a pen, and on one side of paper whether typed or hand-written. And please read over carefully to see that names, places, and dates and other particulars are given explicitly so that people a hundred years from now will know who was who and what was what. I have suggested to many that each House send a good substantial loose-leaf binder with their first installment, using the same paper (fillers) for future years. 9 1/2×11 1/2, with 300 sheet capacity, is a good size.”
As expressed by Sister Mary Joseph, the annals give an insight into “who was who” and “what was what” in the Congregation. However, the SCN annals are more than mundane descriptions of daily activities—they are rich, detailed accounts of histories, deaths and illness, visitors, current events, clippings, and photographs.
Below is a selection of excerpts from the Archival Center annals collection. Each entry highlights how the Sisters utilized the annals to capture the life of the Community.
Rising Waters in Ensley, Holy Family, Ensley, ALDated: December 28, 1942
While annals were predominantly written accounts, many annalists also included photographs. This entry from the Holy Family mission in Ensley, AL shares the heavy flooding that took place at the end of 1942. In a tale of perseverance, the local chaplain, Father Henry, waded through the flood waters to ensure the Sisters were able to have Mass said for them.
Carrier Pigeon at the Motherhouse, Pittsburgh, PADated: September 1944
The Vincentian Sisters of Charity, who merged with the SCNs in 2008, kept similar records known as chronicles. In the above excerpts, Sisters share the day-to-day happenings at St. Louise Convent that included making contact with the Pigeon Service of the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Christmas morning recollections, St. Vincent Academy, Union, KYDated: December 25, 1938
Details of Christmas morning are shared as the annalist paints a vivid image of the Sisters waking up to attend Mass. Special events such as holidays, jubilees, commencements, and feast days were often described in detail and share the moments of joy experienced in the Community.
The “widows” of St. Helena Commercial College, Louisville, KYDated: 1913-1924
The beginning pages of each set of annals usually includes a short historical narrative of the mission and the early days of its foundation. In this early recollection of St. Helena’s Commercial College, the annalist shares an amusing account of when a local resident found himself confused by the wardrobes of the young women at the convent.
Assassination attempt on the Holy Father, St. Louise Convent, Pittsburgh, PADated: May 13, 1981
The annals and chronicles include current events from around the world. Stories of Sisters’ responses to epidemics, war, politics, weather, etc. were commonplace. In the above excerpt, the chronicler from the VSC Motherhouse records the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II and the Sisters’ response to this harrowing event.
Ghosts! Goblins! Seaweed! Oh My! Camp Maria, Leonardtown, MDDated: 1942
Tales of summertime fun at Camp Maria are recounted with games such as the “ghost party” and “seaweed pulling.” Many Sisters and alumnae enjoy recalling these special memories at camp, academies, and other missions that have been preserved in the annals.
Death of Sister Mary Simeonette Savage, St. Joseph Hospital, Lexington, KYDated: June 18, 1960
The annals are often the only detailed accounts of the deaths of Sisters. In this excerpt, the annalist shares the passing of Sister Mary Simeonette Savage, and the rich impact of her life in the Community. Many Sisters from this time have few records other than their permanent record card, and entries such as this can offer a deeper look at the life of an SCN.
Cultural Conundrum, Nazareth Academy, Gaya, IndiaDated: February 1952
This account recalls the tale of Sister Ann Bernadette Ormond, known to expect tidiness and order, accidentally arriving at a temple with a hole in her sock. Her companion, Sister Ann Cornelius Curran, cannot help but find this amusing as the Sisters were expected to remove their shoes in an act of reverence in the temple in India.
The annals serve as a vital documentary record that preserves the people, places, and spirit of the Community and the Sisters that wrote them. When viewed as a whole, the annals provide an insight into not only what happened, but how the SCNs experienced life in Community and the world. Through these daily written accounts, we can keep the spirit and history of Community alive. As we continue to look to the future, we invite the Sisters to continue this act of preserving history so that many will know the lives of the SCNs one hundred years from now.