The 33 Pioneer Sisters of Charity of New York storytelling series brings to life the stories of the courageous women who paved the way-each one read by a Sister of Charity.

This video features the story of Sister Mary Jerome Ely (1810-1885), read by Sister Terese A. McElroy, SC.

Source: https://scny.org/

Transcript:

Hello, my name is Sister Therese McElroy, and I entered the Sisters of Charity of New York on September 8, 1960. I have the pleasure of reading the seventh Pioneer Sister story, featuring Sister Mary Jerome Ely (1810–1885): A Builder of Faith, A Mother of the Congregation.

Mary Ely was born in Baltimore on September 19, 1810, into a household marked by deep resilience and quiet courage. Her mother, Margaret Meyers, had famously eloped at 18 with John Ely, a Revolutionary War mail runner. That spirit of determination and devotion was clearly passed down to Mary.

Her father’s early death and her mother’s long illness gave young Mary responsibilities well beyond her years. It was during this time, while attending Mass and recounting homilies to her ailing mother, that Mary’s Catholic faith deepened. Her mother ultimately asked to be received into the Church and died shortly afterward. That moment confirmed Mary’s sense of Divine Providence and fortified her religious resolve.

At 17, Mary applied to St. Joseph’s in Emmitsburg. She was granted entrance in 1827. Her $25 fee was waived in light of her orphan status. She entered with a companion, Miss Eliza Landry, and quickly absorbed the spirit of the valley, developing a special devotion to St. Vincent de Paul.

On March 25, 1830, she professed her vows and remained at St. Joseph’s until her mission to New York in 1831. There, she joined Sister Lucy Ignatius Gwyn at St. Peter’s on Barclay Street, a school with a long Catholic history and a swelling Irish immigrant population.

In just three years, Sister Mary Jerome was appointed Sister Servant. She was only 24. She flourished in administration, creating catechetical programs not only for children but also for parents, many of whom, having come from Ireland under British oppression, had received little or no formal religious instruction.

She tied her Sunday afternoon religion classes to the liturgical calendar, bringing the rhythm of the Church into the heart of family life. She also saw the dangers posed to young boys by city gangs and lobbied for a boys’ school as early as 1839, though it wasn’t approved until 1840.

Under her leadership, the St. Peter’s mission grew steadily. When the church’s crumbling structure was condemned, she witnessed Bishop Hughes’s strategic effort to preserve it through a clever financial rescue—an experience that taught her how faith and prudence could work hand in hand.

Her own encounter with Providence came one morning at the convent. After taking in a dying mother’s orphaned child, she found herself without the $7 needed for the funeral. That very morning, a mysterious man appeared at the door with an envelope containing exactly $7. Sister Jerome always believed it was St. Joseph himself.

As the 1840s advanced, Sister Jerome’s world expanded. Under her, the Sisters at St. Peter’s grew in both number and spirit. Yet tensions were building. The conflict between Bishop Hughes and Emmitsburg’s leadership over control and vision, particularly surrounding orphan care, reached a boiling point when Emmitsburg issued a letter in December 1846 instructing Sisters to either return or be released from their vows.

Sister Jerome informed her mission. All but one chose to stay. She was immediately elected Procuratrix in the new community and oversaw the renovation and relocation to McGowan’s Pass, which became Mount St. Vincent.

Throughout 1847, she personally visited the site each day by carriage, supervising the construction of the new Motherhouse and Academy. In 1849, she accompanied Sister Angela Hughes to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to launch the first foreign mission.

Later that year, she became Mistress of Novices and, in December, was elected Mother, a role she would hold on and off until 1885.

Mother Jerome’s leadership was defined by balance. She was firm but fair, deeply spiritual yet immensely practical. Her letters reveal a woman who could counsel, challenge, and console with equal clarity.

“Don’t fail to tell your Sisters their faults,” she once wrote, “but afterward, be just the same to them as if nothing had happened.”

She expected willing obedience and prudent independence, advising Sister Servants to visit classrooms, encourage struggling teachers, and face difficult pastors with tact—but also backbone.

She oversaw the expansion of Catholic education throughout the city and was instrumental in establishing equitable stipends for the Sisters. She learned hospital administration firsthand during her years at St. Vincent’s, managed community finances, and took up her pen to advocate for what would become the Sisters of Charity of New Brunswick.

Though disappointed when only one candidate arrived, she recognized the Providence in setbacks. “I really think it is all for the best.”

Her devotion to St. Vincent de Paul was unwavering. When finally granted access to his Conferences, she had them printed and read aloud in every house. She promoted devotions like novenas, feast day observances, and catechism recitations, embedding them in the life of the community.

She strongly discouraged home visits, viewing them as contrary to the spirit of religious life. Yet she retained a joyful and communal spirit, delighting in feast day celebrations and jubilee gatherings.

During her first term, the Congregation had just 47 sisters. By her death in 1885, there were over 900 serving in 80 houses, 47 of which she had opened.

She had lived and led under the guidance of Church giants Dubois, Hughes, McCloskey, and Corrigan. Through all, she remained always young at heart, as one obituary noted.

A custom she initiated endured for decades. As evening recreation ended, a Sister Servant would softly say, “Live Jesus,” and the others would respond, “Forever in our hearts.”

In that echo, one hears the legacy of Mother Jerome Ely: a voice of steadfast love, strategic vision, and enduring faith.

Thank you for joining me. I hope you’ll come back to our YouTube channel to learn more about our other Pioneer Sisters.