“Subversive Habits” is a clever title, but the subtitle that scholar Shannen Dee Williams chooses for her superb book states her theme much more cogently: ‘Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle.”
The inspiration for this article came from a recent delve into the history of one of the most inquired about teachers in the community, Sister Marie Clotilde Douglas.
Sister Ellen Stephen entered the Sisters of Charity, Halifax in 1944 and began her ministry as a teacher at Saint Joseph School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Moving to New York, she served as a skilled mathematics teacher at Saint Sabastian School, Woodside, NY; Saint Nicholas of Tolentine School, Jamaica, NY; Seton Hall High School, Patchogue, NY; Saint Francis Prep School, Fresh Meadows, NY; Monsignor Ryan Memorial High School, Dorchester, MA; Keith Hall High School, Lowell, MA; Saint Mary's Girls High School, Manhasset, NY; Dominican Commercial High School, Jamaica, NY; Saint John's University, Queens, NY; Archbishop Molloy High School, Briarwood, NY. In between teaching positions she served briefly at the Catholic Medical Center, Jamaica, NY. Upon her retirement to Marillac Residence, Wellesley in 2006, Sister Ellen Stephen welcomed several volunteer ministries as Eucharistic Minister, Assistant Librarian, account assistant for special needs as well as visiting sisters at Elizabeth Seton Residence.
Sister Winifred entered the Sisters of Charity, Halifax in 1957 and was missioned to New York where she began her ministry as an elementary school teacher at Saint Sylvester School in Brooklyn. Following this assignment, she served as teacher and vice principal at Seton Hall High School in Patchogue, NY. Sister Winifred subsequently moved into parish ministry, in Saint Barnabas Parish, Bellmore, NY; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Forest Hills, NY; Saint Mary Magdalene Parish, Springfield Gardens, NY; Saint Laurence Parish, Brooklyn, NY; Saint Gabriel Parish, East Elmhurst, NY and Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Hempstead, NY serving at different times, as the Director of Religious Education, Pastoral Associate and Retreat Director.
Sisters of Charity Halifax 2015 – Current Day
S. Joan Butler resigned as a member of the Sisters of Charity Halifax congregational leadership team due to health concerns. Joan’s resignation reminds us [...]
There was excitement in the air. The preparations were done. The cloud technology held the livestreaming capacity ready. The sending off of the Halifax bus, carpools from Wellesley, various New York Toyotas wending their way up Route 95 to Boston, short trips, long air flights, all culminating in hugs and cheers, and a sigh of relief. We were finally together again.
It was, simply put, a blessing to be together. This was our third meeting and most would agree, our best.
As the cover of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents states: this book is a beautifully written, original, revealing story of people and history, in which Isabelle Wilkerson examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America. She links the caste systems of America, India and Nazi Germany. The book was an eye-opener.
I’m always fascinated by the early Sisters and their lives in community before 1900. How did women find out about the Sisters of Charity, a relatively new and growing congregation? As I looked more into the history of Sister Maria Felicitas, I was surprised to find the touching story of how two Anglican British-born women ended up as Sisters of Charity-Halifax.