Mother Mary Ignatius Hayes and the Arrival of the Poor Clares in America

Sr. Camille Sarno TO MOTHER MARY IG ATI!"# controversy $as the## stuff of life%& othing she did or accom'lished during her lifetime $as devoid of controversy% And no$here is this more evident than in the coming of the Poor Clares to the !nited "tates% The (road outline of this story is familiar to us# (ut the convolutions involved (efore the final unraveling ma)e one stand in a$e at the mysterious# incom'rehensi(le $ays of God% *ithin a year after esta(lishing her Institute at +elle Prairie# it (ecame evident to Mother Ignatius that she had chosen too vast a mission territory $ith too fe$ 'riests availa(le to serve the needs of the Church% The reno$ned missionary# ,ather -ose'h +uh# had (een 'astor at +elle Prairie since ./01 (ut fre2uently had to leave his 'arish unattended for $ee)s at a time% 3e'rived of the sacraments# mass# and s'iritual direction# Mother Ignatius decided it $as time to ta)e matters into her o$n hands% "he )ne$ that +isho' Thomas 4% Grace had tried unsuccessfully to get ,ranciscan friars to hel' in the $ilds of orthern Min nesota% "he $as also acutely a$are that she could not continue her $or) in the !nited "tates $ithout $ell5 trained "isters to hel' in the a'ostolate% In a letter she $rote to a Cardinal in Rome# dated May 6# ./71# she stated that &% % % a great num(er of vocations among $omen of good $ill $ere coming to us (ut %%% they $ere com'letely ignorant of the history and traditions as $ell as the s'irit of religious life% %%& And so $ith the (lessing of +isho' Grace# Mother Ignatius set out for Euro'e in ./76 in her 2uest for young $omen interested in (ecoming mem(ers of her Institute% "he $ould also try to o(tain ,ranciscan friars $ho $ould not only evangeli8e the area (ut $ould serve as cha'lains to minister to the s'iritual needs of her "isters% Eventually# the friars did ma)e a foundation in Minnesota# though not in +elle Prairie% Once again# the 'art 'layed (y Mother Ignatius in this e'isode of ,ranciscan lore is o'en to de(ate% Ho$ever it came a(out# the testimonial of the Minister General of the ,riars Minor# ,ather +ernardino de Portogruaro# dated A'ril 0# ./71# states that &% % % she 9Mother Ignatius: came to me loo)ing for ,ranciscan ,athers for the mission% "he also desires to (ring (ac) $ith her some "isters of the Third Order%%%%& "eemingly# Mother Ignatius had chosen a 'ro'itious time for the recruitment of religious to ta)e (ac) $ith her to Minnesota% Italy $as in turmoil# since Gari(aldi had ca'tured Rome in ./7; and Po'e Pius I< (ecame the &Prisoner of the =atican%& *ith the demise of the Pa'al "tates# fear s'read among Church grou's that the ne$ Italian government $ould sei8e more church 'ro'erty (y su''ressing monasteries# convents# and other religious houses% umerous diocesan clergy# mon)s# and religious (egan to loo) else$here for the esta(lishment of their communities% Given such circumstances# it $ould a''ear that Mother Ignatius $ould (e a(le to get recruits for her ne$ Institute in America% "he had stated# in the letter of May 6 already 2uoted# that she $anted only &% %%three or four nuns %%% called (y God to devote themselves to a hard and difficult mission% %%%& +ut third order "isters $ere hard to come (y% One can only con>ecture $hy those communities contacted (y Mother Ignatius $ere un$illing to ta)e u' the challenge? the language 'ro(lem@ the distance@ a(ove all# the cultural difference% Then from an uneA'ected 2uarter came the ray of ho'e denied her for so long% A Poor Clare nun# a certain

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Mother Pasiutta# from the Convent of "t% Clare in Palermo# eA'ressed interest in going to America% *as it this offer from Mother Pasiutta that first made Mother Ignatius a$are of the (enefits to (e gleaned from having a &'o$erhouse of 'rayer& esta(lished in connection $ith her o$n InstituteC *hat surer means of (ringing do$n GodDs (lessings on her active a'ostolate than (y having a contem'lative Order associated $ith hersE It $as a novel idea $ith a dou(le solution? she $ould get her &mature religious& 'lus the service of a regular cha'lain# since assuredly a ,ranciscan friar $ould (e assigned to hel' $ith the founding of a Poor Clare monastery in America% It is $ell to mention that during the ,rench Revolution (1789-1814) an attem't $as made (y three Poor Clares from Amiens to found the first Poor Clare monastery in the ne$ly formed !nited "tates% The story of their travels# la(ors# and su(se2uent failure $as $ritten (y Pedro +ada(# a Havana "ul'ician% His $or) $as 'u(lished in English in 1936 F3eso(ry# ,ather -ean% &+icentennial of a Poor Clare Odyssey%& The Cord. -uly5August 1993, pp. 211-217). *asting no time as $as her $ont# Mother Ignatius (egan her search for the recruiting of Poor Clare nuns $ho $ould esta(lish the "econd Order of "t% ,ran cis on the mission shores of America% "he visited several Poor Clare monasteries in Rome and its environs# and found many "isters $ho $ere at least interested in hearing a(out her offer% *hen it a''eared that several of these "isters $ere actually contem'lating accom'anying Mother Ignatius to the !nited "tates# o(>ections from various channels of >urisdiction $ere strongly voiced% The Minister General of the ,riars Minor# to $hose s'iritual >urisdiction the Poor Glares $ere su(>ect# $ould have to give his a''roval of the underta)ing# as $ould the Cardinal Prefect for the "acred Congregation for the Pro'agation of the ,aith and also the Cardinal =icar of Rome% The final seal of a''roval $ould have to come from the Holy ,ather% Even (efore any of these 'ermissions could (e sought# there $as the 2uestion of the individual "isters themselves $ho might (e chosen for this venture% Their motives for $anting to go as $ell as the state of their health had to (e considered% Also to (e considered $as their a(ility to ada't to hardshi's and 'rivations and their $illingness to face the 'ermanent severance from family and country% *hat seemed a rather sim'le 'ro>ect had no$ (ecome an almost insurmounta(le 'ro(lem% *ith her customary a'lom( and determination# Mother Ignatius set a(out removing or circumventing o(stacles# (oth ecclesial and 'ersonal% A visit to the Minister General of the ,riars Minor convinced him of the via(ility of her 'lan to (ring Poor Clares to +elle Prairie# $here they $ould devote themselves to a life of 'rayer $hile the "isters of her Institute $ould continue to engage in the active a'ostolate% +oth Communities $ould retain their o$n religious identity and $ould follo$ their res'ective Rule and Constitutions% In her &Chronicle of Events of Our Holy Order#& Mother Maddalena +entivoglio $rote? &The names of several religious $hose monasteries are de'endent on the Minister General $ere 'resented (ut only three names $ere selected# one from the monastery of "an Cosimato and t$o from "an 4oren8o (ecause the other nuns had great o''osition from their relatives# confessors# friends# %%%& F"isters ,rances Ann and M% Ellen O%"%C% &Mother Maddalena +entivoglio# ,oundress of the Poor Glares in the !nited "tates%& The Cord. May 1980, pp. 142-147). The Minister General a''ointed a ,ranciscan 'riest to accom'any them as cha'lain and to attend to their s'iritual needs $hen the Poor Clare monastery $ould (e esta(lished in +elle Prairie% At this 'oint# historical 'ers'ective (ecomes (lurred and con>ecture re'laces irrefuta(le fact% *ho made the final decision as to $hich Poor Clare nuns $ould accom'any Mother IgnatiusC *as it the +entivoglio "isters $ho offered themselves for this missionC *as it Mother Ignatius $ho sho$ed a 'reference for themC *as it the Po'e $ho chose themC According to the article from The Cord already referred to# "isters ,rances Ann and M% Ellen $rote? &His Holiness se 5 lected the +entivoglio "isters to acce't the challenge%& Yet in her &Chronicle#& Mother

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Maddalena says that it $as the Minister General# her ecclesiastical su'e rior# $ho desired that she should go% &*hen I sa$ him# he 'ut some 2uestions a(out it and u'on my ans$ers he said to me? GI $ould say to you to leave this very night@ I am so sure that He is calling you%&D One further 2uestion teases the imagination? *hat (ecame of Mother PasiuttaC Criticism# o(stacles# charges# counter5charges did not 'revent Mother Ignatius from accom'lishing her 'ur'ose% Her ho'e of a strong# s'iritually sta(le Institute de'ended on her dream of esta(lishing a Poor Clare monastery $ith strict enclo sure as an ad>unct to her already esta(lished Institute $ithout enclosure% "he continued to 'etition the Holy ,ather# im'lore the Minister General# (eseech the Cardinal =icar# and enlist the aid of clerics and (isho's on the American side of the Atlantic% A 'oignant 'assage in her &3iary& dated A'ril 21 (est descri(es her distress and determination? &A day of anguishE Huite u'setE *ill no one ta)e the res'onsi(ilityC "o little faithE "aint ,rancis# "aint Clare# did they act soC In my anguish at all this uncertainty# 'rayed for a solution%& Her im'ortunities and 'erseverance finally convinced the ecclesiastical authorities of the via(ility of her 'lan# and one (y one the 'arts fell into 'lace# including the a''ointment of ,ather Paolino da Castellaro as the ,ranciscan cha'lain $ho $as to accom'any the "isters to +elle Prairie% Reluctance on his 'art did little to mitigate the >oy of Mother Ignatius as she set a(out ma)ing 're'arations for the tri' to America% All $as officially settled# and the Right Reverend Ru'ert "eiden(ush# =icar A'ostolic of orthern Minnesota# $as notified (y means of a 'a'al rescri't that Mother IgnatiusD 'etition had (een granted and that Mother Mary Maddalena and Constance +entivoglio# accom'anied (y ,ather Paolino da Castellaro as their director# $ere coming to ma)e a Poor Clare foundation in Minnesota% The rescri't closes $ith the commending of the &a(ove5mentioned 'ersons& to +isho' "eiden(ush# that &through the $or) of these "isters $ho have received the s'ecial (lessing of His Holiness# a ne$ s'lendor $ill accrue to the Catholic faith& in his vicariate% ot much is )no$n of the fifteen5day voyage across the Atlantic# for Mother IgnatiusD &3iary& is mute on this 'oint% Ho$ever# Mother Maddalena $rote glo$ingly in her >ournal of the $onders of the tri'# including the clemency of the $eather and the )indness of the ca'tain% One can only surmise a(out the discussions $hich too) 'lace during the voyage (et$een the Poor Clares and ,ather Paolino and 'assengers# $ho surely must have 2ueried them a(out their destination% It seems no$ that even (efore disem(ar)ing in e$ Yor)# ,ather Paolino had made u' his mind not to accom'any Mother Ignatius to +elle Prairie% He longed for his native country# and he did not need much 'rom'ting from the ,ranciscan ,athers in e$ Yor) to $rite to the Minister General re2uesting 'ermission to return to Rome% *ithin t$enty5four hours of their landing# ,ather Paolino had to notify the +entivoglio "isters of his decision not to go to +elle Prairie% Mother Maddalena $rote in her &Chronicle&? &% % % He told us that he had made u' his mind not to continue his >ourney $ith Mother Ignatius (ut to remain in e$ Yor) until he should hear from ,ather General %%% that if $e $ished to continue our >ourney to +elle Prairie $e might do so# he $ould not o''ose us# (ut that if $e too) his advice# $e should do $hat he $as doing%& Ho$ to descri(e their feelingsC Consternation# dismay# distress5and finally the decision to $rite to the Minister General# eA'lain their 'redicament# and a$ait his ans$er% The follo$ing day (rought a re'etition of these feelings $hen Mother Maddalena and her sister $ere faced $ith the un'leasant tas) of (rea)ing this ne$s to Mother Ignatius% *hat does one say to a 'erson $ho surmounted the o(>ections of a Po'e# the Minister General of a great Order# the Cardinal =icar of Rome# and other ecclesial authorities to achieve $hat $as considered a $ell5nigh im'ossi(le goalC o one $ill ever )no$# (ecause Mother Ignatius committed none of her thoughts to 'a'er% Her &3iary& ma)es no mention of this heart5

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rending end to $hat $as to have (een a glorious (eginning% Only the $ords of Mother Mad5 dalena in her &Chronicle& give an in)ling of $hat she truly felt% &*e (egged her not to (ear us any ill since it $as not our fault% Poor Mother Ignatius felt the refusal very much# yet having no (inding claim u'on us# she resigned herself to the inevita(le and de'arted from us $ith grief and sorro$ in her heart%& These fe$ $ords record the climaA of a uni2ue venture# (ut they are $ords that un$ittingly contain the seeds of greatness and 'erseverance? &she resigned herself to the inevita(le and de'arted from us%& "he $asted neither time nor energy in recriminations and lamentations# (ut returned immediately to +elle Prairie% "oon after# she left for Canada to recruit (oth alms and 'ostulants% One can gauge the success of this underta)ing (y an article that a''eared the follo$5 ing year in the Little all! Co"rier $hich (egan? &On last *ednesday morning the Ind inst% FAugustJ# ,east of Our 4ady of the Angels# commemorated in the ,ranciscan Order (y the cele(rated indulgence of the Portiuncula# five young ladies received the religious ha(it of the Third Order Regular of "aint ,rancis of Assisi# in the Convent of the Immaculate Conce'tion at +elle Prairie%& *hen Mother Mary Ignatius returned to +elle Prairie# Mother Maria Maddalena +entivoglio and her sister# "ister Constance# remained in e$ Yor) $aiting to hear from their su'eriors in Italy as to $hat they $ere to do% They $aited for months for a letter from home# and $hen one did arrive# they $ere sim'ly told to find a diocese $illing to acce't them and then to $rite to Rome for official documentation to ma)e a foundation% Their first visit $as to Cardinal McClos)y of e$ Yor)# $ho told them their form of life $as &against the s'irit of the country%& The res'onse $as similar from church authorities in Philadel'hia# even though the Arch(isho' initially received them $ith )indness and gave them the use of one of his o$n houses for the foundation% They too) 'ossession of the house on Octo(er 7# ./70# (ut $ere informed (y the Arch(isho' on Octo(er I7 of the same year that he could not retain them in his archdiocese% He did allo$ them to stay in the house until they could determine $hat to do% Then# uneA'ectedly# (ut certainly due to 3ivine Providence# they received an invitation from Arch(isho' Perche of e$ Orleans% A foundation $as made there on March .6# ./77% The Arch(isho' assured them of his good $ill and 'rotection and encouraged them in every $ay% Their trou(les $ere not over% On 3ecem(er .6# ./77# they received a visit from a ,ather Gregory and ,r% Kilian# $ho informed them that they $ere authori8ed to tell them that a num(er of German Poor Clares $ere on their $ay to Cleveland# that they $ere to (e >oined to them# ma)ing a fusion of the t$o communities% And so it ha''ened% Ho$ever# they could not accustom themselves to the German language and customs# age (eing a factor in this% +esides this# there $ere certain rights $hich had (een directly conferred u'on them (y their "u'eriors in Rome# rights they $ere not o(liged to renounce until they $ere ta)en from them (y those $ho had granted them% Therefore# they $rote to the Arch(isho' of e$ Orleans# as)ing him to receive them (ac) into his diocese% They got an immediate re'ly telling them to return (y all means% +efore doing so# they decided to attem't to collect tunds to 'urchase a 'ro'er site and to (uild a regular monastery% *hile engaged in this $or) they met a $ealthy Catholic cou'le# Mr and Mrs% -ohn Creighton of Omaha# e(ras)a# $ho $ere $illing to hel' them% Right Rev% -ames ODConnor# =icar A'ostolic of e(ras)a# although he could 'ersonally offer them no financial assistance# $as only too $ell 'leased to retain them# 'rovided that a )ind (enefactor $ould (uild a monastery for them and esta(lish them on a firm footing% And so it $as that Mother Maria Maddalena and "ister Constance# $ith the hel' of Mr% and Mrs% Creighton# founded the first 'ermanent monastery of Poor Clares in America% On -uly 1# .//I# the canonical enclosure $as esta(lished# and the "isters (egan to o(serve fully the strict Rule of their holy Mother# "aint Clare% To com'lete this story# Mother Maddelena# accom'anied (y t$o other "isters# returned to e$ Orleans on -une .0# .//1% The ne$ monastery there $as com'leted in ./B.# and the "isters gladly too) 'ossession of it%

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