Subscriber Joe deBenedictis draws our attention to two books which feature Sisters of Charity (New York) and Daughters of Charity respectively.”I recently came across two books that would be of interest to members of the Vincentian Family. They both are about the Religious Women in New York City and Chicago. Both books are published by the University of Illinois Press.
The first is HABITS OF COMPASSION: Irish Catholic Nuns and the Origins of New York’s
Welfare System, 1830-1920, written by Maureen Fitzgerald. The title of the book, is a good
description of what the book is about. The Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of New York City mentioned numerous times. The cover has a picture of Sr. Mary Irene Fitzgibbon,
SC, and her story is briefly presented in the Introduction to the book.
The 2nd book is similar but the setting is Chicago, instead of New York. The second book
is GOOD HEARTS: Catholic Sisters in Chicago’s Past, written by Suellen Hoy. The book begins with a quotation: “It was certainly done with a good heart and a sincere intention,” by
Sr. Mary William Sullivan, DC. who spent the mid 1960’s at Marillac Center in Chicago.
The are pictures on the Back Cover, and in the book of Sr. Mary William taken during 1964
with Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. Sister Mary William is mentioned about 20-25 times throughout the book.
What touched me deeply was from 1971-81 I was a Marianist Brother & had been stationed in Old Town, Chicago about 10 years later. I knew the Daughters of Charity there, & their work among the poor at Marillac Center & DePaul Center. After our SM School closed in
Chicago, I was transferred to St. Louis where I ministered with the Senior Citizens at Guardian Angel Settlement House.
Guardian Angel was begun by the Daughters of Charity 125 years before the year (1979-80) when I ministered there. Guardian Angel Settlemen. I remember that well as we celebrated GAS’s 125th anniversary during the year. The original GAS was bought by the
City of St. Louis for the Darst-Webbe Housing Project–a group of several 13 story buildings.
In return the City allowed the Daughters of Charity to continue the ministry of the Settlement House using all the basement apartments. Several Daughters of Charity lived in a couple of the Apartments in one building. We were neighbors to St. Vincent de Paul Parish, and some
activities were shared between GAS and the Parish.
I worked with 4 Daughters of Charity, and the Director of Guardian Angel Settlement House was none other than Sr. Mary William Sullivan, DC. She was a real go getter, and very
concerned with the poor in the area. I feel priviledged to have worked with her.
As far as I know Sister Mary William is now down in Austin, TX.
