Margaret Dowling facts for kids

Margaret Dowling (1853 – 14 July 1900), also known as Mother Mary Dominic, was an Irish-American nun. She was important for starting and leading a new religious community called the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill.

Early Life and Becoming a Nun

Margaret Dowling was born in 1853 in Ballyconra, County Kilkenny, Ireland. Her parents were Edward and Elizabeth Dowling. She went to school in her local area.

In 1869, Margaret moved to New York in the United States. She decided to join a religious group called the Dominican Congregation of the Holy Rosary. This group had just started in May 1876. Margaret joined them on June 23, 1876.

Later that year, on December 8, 1876, she officially became a nun. She received her special nun's clothing, called a habit, and took a new religious name: Sister Mary Dominic. Two years later, on December 8, 1878, she made her final promises to the order. This is called professing.

Leading a New Community

In 1879, the nun who had started the Dominican Congregation of the Holy Rosary passed away. Her sister took over, but she wasn't very good at managing the group. Because of this, she was removed from her leadership role after only a year.

The nuns tried to choose a new leader, but they couldn't agree. So, in April 1880, a church leader named Monsignor William Quinn chose Sister Mary Dominic to be the new leader. This role was called prioress. At that time, she was a lay sister, which meant she mostly did practical jobs like cooking for the convent.

Her appointment was a big surprise, and 14 of the 22 nuns decided to leave the group. Sister Mary Dominic was left with only 8 nuns, all of whom had Irish family names. She became like a second founder for the community.

Building the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill

The group had very little money. The church leaders would not let new nuns join until the community was financially stable. The remaining nuns could choose to join another group or go back to their regular lives.

On June 13, 1880, Margaret Dowling became an American citizen. Soon after, on August 11, 1880, she officially registered the group as the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary. This group later became known as the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill.

By 1882, the ban on new members was lifted. The community began to grow quickly. By 1895, there were 71 professed nuns and many new members training to join.

Mother Mary Dominic led the congregation from 1880 to 1892, and again from 1897 to 1900. During her time as leader, the nuns raised money to build important places:

• A new convent (where the nuns lived)
• An orphanage (a home for children without parents)
• A refuge for women (a safe place for women in need)

All these places opened in November 1881.

Expanding Their Work

The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill continued to help many people. In 1892, they opened a home for children of color in Rye, New York. In 1897, they opened a home for babies in the Bronx.

The order also started new convents and schools in many different areas. They opened 52 schools in New York City and State. They also opened 21 schools in Missouri. To help their nuns become better teachers, they opened a teacher training college in Sparkill and Troy. They also started a business school in the Bronx.

Later Life and Legacy

Mother Mary Dominic passed away on July 14, 1900, at St Agnes Convent in Sparkill. She is buried in the convent cemetery.

In 1995, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill opened a special place called Dowling Gardens. This is a community where older people can live independently. It was named in her memory to honor her important work.