Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word facts for kids
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word is the name for two groups of Roman Catholic sisters. These groups are based in Texas, USA. They use the short name C.C.V.I. This comes from their Latin name, which means "Congregation of Charity of the Incarnate Word."
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History of the Sisters
The Houston Sisters
The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston, started in 1866. A French Catholic bishop named Claude Marie Dubuis asked for their help. He was the bishop of the Diocese of Galveston, which covered all of Texas back then.
Texas was facing big problems after the American Civil War. There was also a fast-spreading sickness called cholera. Bishop Dubuis asked a group of sisters in France for help. But they could not come because their work was focused on teaching.
So, Bishop Dubuis found three young women who wanted to help. They went to the monastery in France to learn how to be sisters. The plan was to start a new group of sisters in Texas. The French community helped and guided these new Sisters for many years.
Three sisters named Mary Blandine, Mary Joseph, and Mary Ange came to Galveston, Texas. They opened Charity Hospital, which was the first Catholic hospital in Texas. This hospital later became St. Mary's Hospital.
Later, a yellow fever epidemic hit Galveston. The sisters started St. Mary's Orphanage to care for children. It was first in the hospital, then moved outside town to be safer from the sickness.
Sadly, the yellow fever also affected two of the sisters. Mary Blandine died on August 18, 1867. Mary Ange got sick but got better and went back to France. In 1867 and 1868, more sisters came from France to help.
Mary Joseph became the leader and continued their work in Galveston. In the early 1900s, Houston grew very fast. So, the sisters moved their main office from Galveston to Houston.
Today, these Sisters work in many places around the world. They have missions in Ireland, Guatemala, El Salvador, Kenya, and the United States.
They help people with health care, education, and social justice. They also work to fight illiteracy (not being able to read or write) and AIDS.
The San Antonio Sisters
The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, are the largest group of Catholic sisters in Texas.
This group started in San Antonio in 1869. Bishop Dubuis chose three sisters from the Galveston group to start a new house there. Their names were St. Madeleine Chollet, St. Pierre Cinquin, and Agnes Buisson. He wanted them to open the first hospital in the area. St. Madeleine was chosen as the first leader.
In 1870, Bishop Dubuis made this new group independent. This meant they could make their own decisions.
Madeleine Chollet, Pierre Cinquin, and Agnes Buisson came to San Antonio to help. The city was suffering from a bad cholera epidemic. It was just after the Civil War, and San Antonio had no public hospitals.
When the three Sisters arrived, they started their group. They also opened San Antonio's first public hospital. Today, this hospital is known as Christus Santa Rosa Hospital.
Before 1874, the sisters mainly cared for the sick, the elderly, and orphans. But a bishop named Anthony Dominic Pellicer suggested they also start teaching. So, in 1881, the Sisters founded the Incarnate Word Academy. This school later grew into Incarnate Word High School and the University of the Incarnate Word.
In 1885, the Sisters opened a school in Saltillo, Mexico. By 1891, they had also started St. Joseph's Infirmary in Fort Worth, Texas. They also managed seven hospitals for railroad workers in Texas, Missouri, Iowa, and New Mexico.
Today, these sisters work in health care (as part of Christus Health), education, and care for the elderly. They also work for social justice.
The Village at Incarnate Word is a retirement community. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of San Antonio started it in 1988. It is for people of all faiths.
The sisters work in the United States, Mexico, Peru, and Zambia.
Saint Mary's Orphanage and the Galveston Hurricane
The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the United States. More than 6,000 people died in Galveston, Texas. This was about one-sixth of the city's population.
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At that time, Saint Mary's Orphan Asylum had 93 children, aged 2 to 13. There were also 10 sisters living there. The hurricane arrived quietly on September 7, 1900. The full force of the storm hit the next day, September 8.
The strong winds and waves began to wash away the sand dunes around St. Mary's Orphanage. The sisters decided to move the children into the girls' dormitory. This building was newer and stronger, so they hoped it would be safer.
The sisters led the children in singing an old French hymn called Queen of the Waves. Soon, the boys' dormitory broke apart and fell into the sea. When the water started to fill the first floor of the girls' dormitory, the sisters moved everyone to the second floor. They sang Queen of the Waves again.
To try and save the children, the sisters tied clothes line around their own waists. They connected themselves to six to eight children each. Three older teenage boys were not tied.
Finally, the girls' dormitory also collapsed. All ten sisters and ninety children died in the storm. Only the three teenage boys survived: William Murney, Frank Madera, and Albert Campbell.
Because of this sad event, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word around the world sing Queen of the Waves every year. They sing it on September 8 to remember the sisters and children who died in Galveston.
On September 8, 1994, a Texas historical marker was placed at 69th Street and Seawall Boulevard. This marker shows where the orphanage used to be.
See also
In Spanish: Hermanas de la Caridad del Verbo Encarnado para niños
- Catholic sisters and nuns in the United States
- History of nursing in the United States
Images for kids
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Logo of the now-defunct St. Mary's Hospital, Galveston.
