Catliolic Educational Endeavors
Texas, in 1866, by the Most Reverend Claude M. Dubuis, second bishop of the diocese of Galveston, which then included the entire State of Texas. At the close of the Civil War there was an urgent need in Texas for Sisters who would devote themselves to the various works of mercy. After applying without success to several convents, Bishop Dubuis had recourse to Mother A. Angelique, Superior of the Convent of the Incarnate Word at Lyons, France, who agreed to train three young women for service in the Texas mission field. The three candidates received the Religious Habit on September 23, 1866, and shortly afterwards embarked for Galveston, where they were to establish a new Congregation to be known as the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Soon after their arrival, they opened a hospital and began their missionary labors by caring for the victims of yellow fever, then raging in the South. The institution which they founded was the first Catholic hospital to be established in Texas. In 1869 Bishop Dubuis sent three Sisters from the Galveston commu- nity to make a foundation in San Antonio. The Santa Rosa Infirmary, the second Catholic hospital in Texas, was opened in October, 1869, with Mother M. Madeleine Chollet as Superior. In 1870, because of the difficul- ties of travel, Bishop Dubuis made the San Antonio community inde- pendent of that of Galveston. Thus was established the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of San Antonio, Texas, with Bishop Dubuis as their founder and Mother al. Madeleine as the first Mother General. At the suggestion of Bishop Pellicer, the first ordinary of the new diocese of San Antonio, a parochial school was opened in 1875 in con- nection with St. Joseph's Orphanage. This foundation marks the beginning of the educational activities of the Congregation, which had originally been intended to be a hospital order. 62 In the same year a public school conducted by the Sisters was opened at Greytown, a few miles from San Antonio. In July, 1881, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word was incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas. By the provisions of the charter, the Congregation was authorized to estab- lish and conduct charitable institutions and schools for girls on all levels cf education. In 1909 the powers of conferring degrees under this charter in accordance with the curriculum offered was officially confirmed by the 61 The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of San An- tonio has done outstanding work in both fields of education and the care of the sick. The latter is discussed in a subsequent chapter.
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