In preparation for our 175th Anniversary Gala in Boston, Massachusetts, we're posting a three-part story from our summer magazine, Sowing Goodness, detailing the history and impact the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur have contributed to the New England region. Read part one of An Enduring Legacy of Goodness.
175 Years in New England: Part Two
Emmanuel College
1919 to Today
Recognizing the need to provide women with educational opportunities beyond high school, in 1919 the Sisters opened Emmanuel College in Boston, the first Catholic College for women in Massachusetts, to 27 passionate students, gaining its charter in 1921. In 1952, the College began to transform from a commuter school to a residential college. For over 80 years, Emmanuel served proudly as a Catholic liberal arts and sciences college for women and enjoyed a reputation for academic rigor and a commitment to social justice. In 2001, the College officially became a coeducational institution. Today, Emmanuel College boasts over 70 majors, nurturing the aspirations of over 2,000 co-ed students.
Did you Know?There were 32 Notre Dame schools in New England by the end of the 19th century. Over the next 50 years, another 15 schools opened in Massachusetts and 24 were staffed by Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Connecticut and Rhode Island. |
The Changing Novitiate Over 175 Years
1849 to Today
When the Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in Boston in 1849, they numbered only three. Fifty years later, more than 1,600 women in Massachusetts had taken their vows as Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. The Sisters opened 33 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island throughout those years. In the next century, their numbers and influence would continue to grow.
During the early years, the Sisters educated and trained postulants and novices in Cincinnati. As entries into the congregation increased in the late 1800s, a novitiate was established in Waltham. A new novitiate was dedicated in Ipswich in 1962 in response to increased growth in religious life in the 1950s. The Ipswich Province Center now houses offices for the East-West Province, the Congregational Mission Office, the Notre Dame Spirituality Center and the Julie Billiart Residential Care Center, and the Cuvilly Arts and Earth Center also calls the property home. In 2013, the Sisters protected 71 acres of their property from development, and worked with the Essex County Greenbelt to set a $1.1 million conservation on land that is home to large breeding populations of water birds and a shellfish nursery.
Vision for HealthcareWith the labor of teaching hundreds of children, many Sisters needed rest and medical care. In 1900, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur opened Notre Dame du Lac in Worcester, Massachusetts, as a peaceful sanctuary of caring, renewal and healthy living. In recognition of growing community needs, Notre Dame Health Care (NDHC) was created in 1990 and began serving the general community in 1993 through the opening of the award-winning skilled nursing facility. ndhc is a place of welcome that delivers high-quality care for the whole person—mind, body and spirit—with dignity and respect. |
Connecticut and Farther Afield
Mid-20th Century to Today
The Connecticut Province was officially established in 1959, and the convent was in Fairfield. Over the next five decades, they taught in 24 Connecticut and Rhode Island schools. In 1951, they opened a parish school in Exeter, New Hampshire, followed by schools in Salem and Nashua. Despite the closures of many of these schools in the latter part of the 20th century, the Sisters maintained a presence in the communities, focusing on the needs of immigrants and the underserved, a mission they continue to uphold. Today, 28 Sisters still call Connecticut home.
The Holy Innocents House, Bloomfield, Connecticut
Responding to the AIDS health crisis in the 1980s, Sister Claire Pierz, SNDdeN saw the need to care for children suffering from the disease. Despite the complex and daunting licensing requirements, she founded Holy Innocents House in Bloomfield, Connecticut, in November 1989. She and her volunteers became foster parents to infants and children affected by HIV/AIDS. Initially fostering twins exposed to AIDS, Sister Claire expanded to care for more children similarly affected, earning a designation for ‘medically fragile’ children. She courageously challenged the prevailing misconceptions about AIDS, advocating for the inclusion of affected children in foster care. The home is now closed, but Sister Claire maintains contact with former foster children, comforted that they found loving families and understand their worth. Her pioneering efforts continue to inspire, impacting the perception and care of medically vulnerable children today.
