As these headlines suggest, no brief history can recount the amazing stories of the intrepid pioneer Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati who arrived in the Territory of New Mexico in 1865 at the request of Bishop Lamy. The
first Sisters befriended the poor and outcasts and learned how to help the powerful recognize their Christian
responsibility to share their bounty. This meant going to the Legislature or the City Council, as Sister Blandina
and others did in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. In Albuquerque, Sr. Blandina opened the first public
school in the Territory. Her fascinating account in At the End of the Santa Fe Trail and letters to her blood
sister Sister Justina, trace this in vivid outline. Years later she was involved in bargaining with the City Council
for St. Joseph Hospital, Albuquerque. The Sisters would take care of all the sick in the jails if the well prisoners
would dig a trench to carry water from the main lines to the Hospital. Sr. Catherine Mallon's earlier journal
describes hair-raising begging trips to railroad and mining camps as far away as California.
Sr. Mary de Sales operated so successfully when doctors where unavailable that they gave her a certificate to
practice medicine. Another Sister, wealthy widow Doña Chávez de Gutierrez, had to learn to work before she
was accepted into the Community.
At one time Sisters of Charity were running hospitals with nursing schools in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and
also staffing an orphanage, many elementary schools, and three high schools.
The selfless work of the Sisters has been recognized recently with Sister Marianella Domenici, principal of St.
Mary School, honored as the 2008 Archdiocesan Teacher of the Year. And Sr. Linda Chávez, the only sister in
the Albuquerque Senior Hall of Fame, taught 20 years at St. Pius X High School and founded S.E.T.for Health
New Mexico, which provides health clinics and health education for young families and seniors.
With hundreds of Associate members, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati continue to build and strengthen the
People of God in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
More information at www.srcharitycinti.org/
For a DVD, email: janetsc@juno.com or call 513-535-1624. |
