Our Catholic Heritage i11. T e:xas
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Bethany where Our Lord found solace in the company of the two sisters Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. The administration was taken over formally in 1934. Due to its popularity, two large additions have been made since. 67 Four years later, in 1937, the Sisters agreed to take over the adminis- tration of the hospital in the City of Tyler, which was named Mother Frances Hospital, in honor of their saintly foundress Mother Mary Fran- ces. It was dedicated to the care of the sick and poor by Bishop J. P. Lynch on March 19, 1937. Actually the first patients were admitted on the eve of the dedication ceremony, which ,vas saddened by a great tragedy. The New London School disastrous explosions on March 18 took the lives of more than 450 school children. When news reached Tyler, Mother M. Regina immediately dispatched ten Sisters to the scene of the tragedy to give first aid, while the hospital was readied to receive the victims. Twenty- four critically injured little bodies were brought to Mother Mary Frances Hospital that awful day; four died, the others were discharged much improved. 68 With the consent of their parents, three of those who died were baptized by Father S. A. Samperi, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church. In 1947 the Sisters bought the hospital from the city outright and an addition was made the next year, which doubled the original capacity. The fourth hospital of the Sisters of the Holy Family was Christ the King Hospital in Vernon, Texas, which was built at their expense in 1937 and has been operated by the Congregation ever since. Mother Provincial M. Aloysius has truthfully said, "Obviously, hos- pital work is the principal activity of this Order in Texas, including administration, professional nursing, surgical supervision, anesthesia, lab- oratory and X-ray technology, as well as various clerical services inherent in the organization." But the Sisters have found time to do many other deeds of Christian charity. They conduct Communion classes for public school pupils and give religious instructions to adults who desire them. 69 Holy Cross Hospital, A,,sti.n., I940. This modern, up-to-date hospital, with a fifty bed capacity, originally designed for Negroes in particular, 67According to data furnished by Mother Provincial, the property was purchased in 1933, hut Sister Cetulia and Sister Climacus say 1934. 68 Shelly, op. cit., 140-r 4 I. "Letter of Mother M. Aloysius, Provincial, to the Author, Chicago, July 6, 19 St.
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