Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

My title is a cliché to be sure. However, if a bronze statue in Washington, D.C.’s National Statuary Hall Collection could talk, it would beg to differ. Kneeling prayer, Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, S.P., (1823-1902) is an image of the strength and determination of countless other religious sisters who dedicated their lives in active ministry in our nation. 

The honor is a high one as each state is only allowed two statues. Recognition for this honor must begin in the legislature of each state with the drafting of a resolution which includes the creation of a committee to select a sculptor and a method of finding money to fund the project. By the way, some people wanted the statue to include a hammer and nails because Mother Joseph was a builder, both as visionary founder and as a skilled carpenter.
Now, a short history lesson of some of the notable religious women whose commitment helped shape both our country and the American church.

The Mayo Clinic: The three Mayo brothers partnered with the Sisters of St. Francis to open the now internationally famous Mayo Clinic in 1883.

Helped start AA: Sister Ignatia Gavin, S.C. (1889-1966) helped Dr. Robert A. Smith who was the co-founder of AA.

Civil War Nurses: Approximately 640 sisters from 20 religious communities were involved during the war and some who had trained with Florence Nightingale. By 1860 religious communities were in charge of 28 hospitals. Thanks to these sisters, not only did many soldiers live, but they also helped to end much of the anti-Catholic feeling in our country.

Helped St. Damien of Molokai with his lepers: Sister Marianne Cope (1838-1918) of the Sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse, New York. She founded two hospitals and was appointed by her superior to be the administrator of the first public hospital in Syracuse—St. Joseph. She, along with six other sisters traveled to Molokai to help Father Damien. She was canonized in 2012.

First Ph.D. in computer science: Sister Mary Kenneth Keller (1913-1985) was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha: (1650-1680) First American indigenous person to be canonized. (2012) After her conversion, her life became so difficult, she fled her village during the night and walked 200 hundred miles to a Christian one.

Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini: (1850-1917) She was born in Italy and came to America to help the Italian immigrants. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as well as 67 missionary institutions in the United States, South America and Europe. Pope Benedict XVI canonized her in 2012.
Even though the following two women religious are well-known, I will still include them.

Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton: (1774-1821) She was the first American citizen to be declared a saint in 1975. She converted at a time when anti-Catholic feeling in the young nation of American was high. St. Elizabeth is considered the founder of the Catholic parochial school system in the United States.

St. Katherine Drexel: (1858-1955) She was born into a very wealthy family. As an adult, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored. She also founded Xavier University—the first Catholic University for African-Americans in New Orleans. Before she suffered a heart attack at 77, she had invested millions of dollars of her trust fund also to help build some fifty missions. She was canonized in 2000.

If you or someone you know is considering religious life, this short list could be part of the discernment process. While each religious community has its own historical and spiritual legacy, each one belongs to a much larger group of women— the visionary risk-takers. These women still speak to us today of faith, of prayer and above all, of commitment. Now more than ever, we need to listen.