Adrian Dominican Sisters
Encyclopedia
The Adrian Dominican Sisters are a Catholic religious order of Dominican
sisters in the United States. Their motherhouse
is in Adrian
, Michigan. Their official title is the Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary.
, Canada
, Dominican Republic
, Italy
, and Swaziland
.
The Adrian Dominican Sisters have an associate program consisting of women and men who associate with the vowed members for their own spiritual growth and support in their own ministerial lives under the inspiration of the Dominican tradition. The congregation sponsors two universities, a healthcare system (Catholic Healthcare West
) to which its two hospitals belong, and one long term healthcare facility.
In 1853 four sisters from this convent were sent to New York in response to a request for sisters to provide religious education for German immigrant children. These sisters settled on Second Street in the Williamsburg section of New York City
. This original foundation eventually became known as the Amityville Dominicans
. In 1869, however, a separate and independent foundation was established at Newburgh, New York. From this congregation sisters were sent to St. Mary Parish (1879) and St. Joseph Parish (1880) in Adrian, Michigan.
In 1884 additional sisters were sent to Adrian to establish a hospital for injured railroad workers. Adrian became a province of the Newburgh congregation with Camilla Madden as the Mother Provincial
. As the need for the hospital diminished, Mother Camilla turned to education and opened St. Joseph Academy in 1896. Students came in large numbers to this boarding school and the province grew rapidly with new members. At the same time the congregation was called upon to staff other schools in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico.
In 1923, through the efforts of Mother Emmanuel Phelan of Newburgh and Mother Camilla Madden, canonical separation of the Adrian province from Newburgh was achieved. Bishop Michael Gallagher
of Detroit
and Archbishop (later Cardinal) Patrick Hayes of New York
negotiated the separation. Mother Camilla Madden became the first Mother General
of the new independent congregation in Adrian, a position she held for only six months prior to her death in 1924. At this time the congregation numbered 440 members.
The congregation and its ministries grew during this time. Education continued to be a major endeavor of the congregation during these years. The congregation also developed ministries in social service, particularly in parish visitation, and opened three hospitals, two in Santa Cruz, California
(now consolidated at Dominican Santa Cruz Hospital) and one in Henderson, Nevada
: St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Rose de Lima Campus
. Today there are two additional campuses in Southern Nevada — the Siena (2000) and the San Martín (2006) campuses. Mother Camilla opened St. Joseph College in Adrian (now Siena Heights University
) during her time as provincial. Mother Gerald Barry expanded the congregation’s ministry in higher education by opening Barry College
in 1940. She also built a House of Studies at The Catholic University of America
to accommodate sisters studying for advanced degrees. The congregation grew to over 2000 members.
Under the leadership of Mother Gerald, the congregation achieved pontifical status in 1944 and extended its ministries overseas — to the Dominican Republic
, Puerto Rico
, and Peru
. In 1959, as the congregation grew in numbers, it was divided into five provinces with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan
(2), Chicago, Illinois, West Palm Beach, Florida
, and Santa Cruz, California. In addition there was an Overseas Vicariate and a Motherhouse Vicariate. Over the years of leadership of Mother Gerald and her successor, Mother Genevieve Weber, the congregation served in the formation of two new congregations: the Glenmary Sisters (originally located in Cincinnati, Ohio
) and the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of Remedies (Pampanga
, Philippines
).
. This was a time of transition as it was for all United States congregations of women religious
. General Councilors became full time participants with the Prioresses in directing the life in mission of the congregation. Sisters Nadine Foley and Donna Markham (a Councilor at the time) were elected president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
in the United States. Sisters Nadine Foley and Patricia Walter have represented United States religious women on the Council of the International Union of Superiors General.
Acting upon the directives sent from Rome after Vatican Council II, the congregation developed new Constitutions that received approval on April 29, 1989. This Constitution and Statutes replaced earlier ones approved in 1937 and 1944. The Constitution incorporated a new governance organization based on Mission Chapters (equivalent to provinces) headed by Chapter Prioresses (provincials). The latter, with the General Council, constitute a Leadership Council which directs the mission of the congregation.
Since Vatican Council II, the Adrian Dominican Sisters have continued their ministries in education and healthcare and expanded their ministries to include professional ministries as university presidents, hospital administrators, directors of theological programs, theologians and professors of theology, liturgical artists, diocesan directors of schools, parish directors of religious education. The congregation has developed funds for the support of ministries to the poor according to well defined criteria.
In 2002, with the goal of reaching women outside of their "usual constituencies" who might be considering taking vows, the congregation undertook a four-month-long marketing campaign that used the Internet and television advertisement
s and billboard
s in the Detroit area
; they spent about $200,000 on the effort. At the time of the campaign, 37 of the sisters had died in the previous twelve months, and the congregation's median age
was 70. During that year, the Congregation of Holy Cross and the Dominican Sisters of Edmonds, Washington
merged into the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
As of February 2010, the sisters number 841 members, down from their peaks of 2500 in 1970 and about 1000 in 2002.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
sisters in the United States. Their motherhouse
Motherhouse
The term motherhouse is used by religious Orders and religious congregations to designate the principal house or community for that group. It can be either for the entire institute or for a region....
is in Adrian
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, Michigan. Their official title is the Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary.
Current mission
The congregation serves in ministries of education, healthcare and social service and the other ministries that have developed from them. Adrian Dominicans serve in these ministries in 30 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
.
The Adrian Dominican Sisters have an associate program consisting of women and men who associate with the vowed members for their own spiritual growth and support in their own ministerial lives under the inspiration of the Dominican tradition. The congregation sponsors two universities, a healthcare system (Catholic Healthcare West
Catholic Healthcare West
Catholic Healthcare West is a California-based not-for-profit public benefit corporation that operates hospitals in California, Arizona, and Nevada. As such, it is exempt from federal and state income taxes...
) to which its two hospitals belong, and one long term healthcare facility.
History
The Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan trace their origin to Holy Cross Convent in Regensburg (Ratisbon), Bavaria, a convent established in 1233.In 1853 four sisters from this convent were sent to New York in response to a request for sisters to provide religious education for German immigrant children. These sisters settled on Second Street in the Williamsburg section of New York City
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
. This original foundation eventually became known as the Amityville Dominicans
Amityville, New York
Amityville is a village in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. The population was 9,441 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. In 1869, however, a separate and independent foundation was established at Newburgh, New York. From this congregation sisters were sent to St. Mary Parish (1879) and St. Joseph Parish (1880) in Adrian, Michigan.
In 1884 additional sisters were sent to Adrian to establish a hospital for injured railroad workers. Adrian became a province of the Newburgh congregation with Camilla Madden as the Mother Provincial
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
. As the need for the hospital diminished, Mother Camilla turned to education and opened St. Joseph Academy in 1896. Students came in large numbers to this boarding school and the province grew rapidly with new members. At the same time the congregation was called upon to staff other schools in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico.
In 1923, through the efforts of Mother Emmanuel Phelan of Newburgh and Mother Camilla Madden, canonical separation of the Adrian province from Newburgh was achieved. Bishop Michael Gallagher
Michael Gallagher (bishop)
Michael James Gallagher was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Detroit from 1918 to 1937. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan on March 19, 1893. On July 5, 1915, he was appointed titular archbishop of Tipasa in Mauritania...
of Detroit
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...
and Archbishop (later Cardinal) Patrick Hayes of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
negotiated the separation. Mother Camilla Madden became the first Mother General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the new independent congregation in Adrian, a position she held for only six months prior to her death in 1924. At this time the congregation numbered 440 members.
The congregation and its ministries grew during this time. Education continued to be a major endeavor of the congregation during these years. The congregation also developed ministries in social service, particularly in parish visitation, and opened three hospitals, two in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
(now consolidated at Dominican Santa Cruz Hospital) and one in Henderson, Nevada
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
: St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Rose de Lima Campus
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Rose de Lima Campus
St. Rose Dominican Hospitals - Rose de Lima Campus is a , 145 bed hospital owned and operated by Catholic Healthcare West that is located in Henderson, Nevada.-History:...
. Today there are two additional campuses in Southern Nevada — the Siena (2000) and the San Martín (2006) campuses. Mother Camilla opened St. Joseph College in Adrian (now Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University is a Roman Catholic postsecondary institution in Adrian, Michigan. It is affiliated with the St. Joseph Academy and Montessori Children’s House.-History:...
) during her time as provincial. Mother Gerald Barry expanded the congregation’s ministry in higher education by opening Barry College
Barry College
Barry College is a Further Education college in Barry, Wales which takes around 10000 students per year. It is partnered with the University of Glamorgan. Barry College offers many courses, including courses in: Languages; Hairdressing and Beauty; Electrical Engerneering; and Computing courses...
in 1940. She also built a House of Studies at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
to accommodate sisters studying for advanced degrees. The congregation grew to over 2000 members.
Under the leadership of Mother Gerald, the congregation achieved pontifical status in 1944 and extended its ministries overseas — to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. In 1959, as the congregation grew in numbers, it was divided into five provinces with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
(2), Chicago, Illinois, West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, and Santa Cruz, California. In addition there was an Overseas Vicariate and a Motherhouse Vicariate. Over the years of leadership of Mother Gerald and her successor, Mother Genevieve Weber, the congregation served in the formation of two new congregations: the Glenmary Sisters (originally located in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
) and the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of Remedies (Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
).
Since Vatican II
The Adrian Dominican congregation entered into its General Chapter of Renewal in 1968 after the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. This was a time of transition as it was for all United States congregations of women religious
Religious (Catholicism)
In the lexicon of certain branches of Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox branches, religious as a noun usually refers to a member of a religious order of monks, nuns, friars, clerics regular, or other individuals who take the three vows of poverty, chastity, and...
. General Councilors became full time participants with the Prioresses in directing the life in mission of the congregation. Sisters Nadine Foley and Donna Markham (a Councilor at the time) were elected president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is a canonically approved membership organization which exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes, or congregations, of women religious in the United States.The conference has more than 1500 members, whose congregations...
in the United States. Sisters Nadine Foley and Patricia Walter have represented United States religious women on the Council of the International Union of Superiors General.
Acting upon the directives sent from Rome after Vatican Council II, the congregation developed new Constitutions that received approval on April 29, 1989. This Constitution and Statutes replaced earlier ones approved in 1937 and 1944. The Constitution incorporated a new governance organization based on Mission Chapters (equivalent to provinces) headed by Chapter Prioresses (provincials). The latter, with the General Council, constitute a Leadership Council which directs the mission of the congregation.
Since Vatican Council II, the Adrian Dominican Sisters have continued their ministries in education and healthcare and expanded their ministries to include professional ministries as university presidents, hospital administrators, directors of theological programs, theologians and professors of theology, liturgical artists, diocesan directors of schools, parish directors of religious education. The congregation has developed funds for the support of ministries to the poor according to well defined criteria.
In 2002, with the goal of reaching women outside of their "usual constituencies" who might be considering taking vows, the congregation undertook a four-month-long marketing campaign that used the Internet and television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
s and billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s in the Detroit area
Metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
; they spent about $200,000 on the effort. At the time of the campaign, 37 of the sisters had died in the previous twelve months, and the congregation's median age
Population pyramid
A population pyramid, also called an age structure diagram, is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population , which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing...
was 70. During that year, the Congregation of Holy Cross and the Dominican Sisters of Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Edmonds has a view of Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. The third most populous city in Snohomish County after Everett and Marysville, the population was 39,709 according to the 2010 census...
merged into the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
As of February 2010, the sisters number 841 members, down from their peaks of 2500 in 1970 and about 1000 in 2002.
Mothers General/Prioresses
The following were either Mothers-General or Prioresses, of the Congregation:- Mother Camilla Madden 1923–1924 (Provincial, 1892–1923)
- Mother Augustine Walsh 1924–1933
- Mother Gerald Barry 1933–1963
- Mother Genevieve Weber 1964–1968
- Sister Rosemary Ferguson 1968–1978
- Sister Carol Johannes 1978–1986
- Sister Nadine Foley 1986–1992
- Sister Patricia Walter 1992–1998
- Sister Janet Capone 1998–2004
- Sister Donna Markham 2004–2010
- Sister Attracta Kelly 2010–present