Clare Emma Whitty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mother Superior Mother Mary Clare, CSP |
|
|---|---|
| Mother Superior of the Society of the Holy Cross | |
| Church | Church of Ireland |
| Enthroned | 1925 Rt Revd Mark Trollope, 3rd Bishop of Korea |
| Predecessor | newly created position |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 May 1883 Fenloe, County Clare, Ireland |
| Died | 6 November 1950 (aged 67) Chunggangjin, North Korea |
Mother Mary Clare (born Clare Emma Whitty) was an Irish Anglican nun and missionary. She was also a botanist, someone who studies plants. She is known for her work in Korea and for her death during the Korean War. She was born on May 30, 1883, and passed away on November 6, 1950.
She first arrived in Korea in 1923. She was one of many missionaries sent there by her nursing group, the Community of St Peter. In 1925, she became the first Mother Superior of a new group called the Society of the Holy Cross.
Early Life and Education
Clare Emma Whitty was born in Fenloe, County Clare, Ireland, on May 30, 1883. Her father, Richard Laurence Whitty, was a doctor. Her mother was Jane Alicia Whitty.
Her family later moved to Loughton, England. Before becoming a teacher, Clare studied art in Paris. She became very good at speaking French. In 1911, she was working as an elementary teacher in Birmingham, England.
Becoming a Sister
In 1912, Clare Whitty joined an Anglican religious group called the Community of St Peter. This group was based in London. In 1915, she made her vows and became a sister. At this time, she chose her new name, Mary Clare.
A few years earlier, in 1911, a bishop named Mark Trollope became the Anglican Bishop of Korea. He asked Sister Mary Clare to come to Korea. He wanted her help to start a new group of Korean sisters in Seoul.
After some delays due to the war, Sister Mary Clare finally arrived in Korea in 1923. She spent time learning the Korean language. In 1925, with Bishop Trollope's help, she founded the Society of the Holy Cross in Seoul. She was first in charge of new members and later became the very first Mother Superior of this new order.
Her Final Days
When the Korean War began, the British embassy offered Mother Mary Clare a chance to leave Seoul for safety. However, she chose to stay with the other sisters in her group.
Sadly, on November 6, 1950, Mother Mary Clare died. This happened near Chunggangjin in what is now North Korea. She was captured by North Korean soldiers who were retreating. She died during a difficult nine-day journey on foot, which had started on October 30. She is thought to be the first Irish-born woman to have lived in Korea.
See also
- Community of St Peter
- Society of the Holy Cross (Korea)
