By Sr. Helen Jacobson, OSF, Archivist for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Appointed fourth bishop of Philadelphia in 1852, Bishop John Neumann’s top priority was to establish a diocesan parochial school system. To bring this to fruition, he invited new congregations of men and women into the diocese to augment those already staffing schools. While on his ad limina visit to Rome, his request to return with German Dominican sisters was met by Pope Pius IX’s recommendation to found a congregation of Franciscan sisters instead. When a letter from Rev. John Hespelein, CSsR, arrived to inform the bishop of three women desirous of becoming Franciscans, the path forward was set for Maria Anna Bachmann, Barbara Boll, and Anna Dorn. Offering guidance and friendship, Bishop Neumann assisted these women in establishing the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1855.
Once, at the end of a routine visit with the sisters in 1857, the bishop handed them a package of books. When it was opened later at their home, a stack of elementary school textbooks was revealed…a subtle hint that directed the sisters into a totally new ministry. Their first venture into the world of education began in 1858 with staffing St. Alphonsus School.
During the two years that followed, the fledgling congregation responded in faith to wherever there was a need. Caring for orphans and establishing a hospital provided proof of their ongoing trust in Divine Providence. In a letter to the sisters in Syracuse dated December 31, 1860, Mother Francis Bachmann penned, “He who does not attempt something gains nothing”—popularized for posterity as “No risk…no gain.” So “risking” has been a hallmark of the congregation from its beginning.
Due to the overcrowded conditions of the novitiate on Reed Street, the property that had been used as a temporary seminary in Glen Riddle was purchased and occupied in 1871. Over time, all the original buildings were replaced to become Our Lady of Angels Convent.
Of prime importance was the education of the sisters, so a Normal School was quickly established under the direction of Mrs. Anna Byrne. In 1892, a well-qualified Sister Eberharda Jones took charge and, knowing the sisters would need to pursue baccalaureate degrees, was probably the first to envision a college on the motherhouse grounds.
Summer school programs that started in 1917 were followed by earning undergraduate degrees at a handful of Catholic colleges until 1922 when an official affiliation with Villanova elevated Our Lady of Angels “Normal School” to “Institute.” Although conversations about building a college occurred in the 1940s and 1950s, it was the 1960s before the dream began to be realized. Bazaars, record album sales, selling chances, and other fundraising activities paved the way for groundbreaking on May 17, 1964. Excerpts from the address delivered by the Right Reverend Edward T. Hughes on the occasion are worth quoting here:
“The timid, the fearful, the over-cautious, have never been at home in Christ’s Church… May I suggest that the timid and the fearful do not belong here today… Rather this is the time for a sense of hope, and a sense of history….there will be wonder about how it began; who had the vision and the courage; who were the pioneers. No one knows better than the courageous Sisters of St. Francis that ‘unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it.’”
Originally intended to educate just the sisters, changes in society and the post-Vatican II Church resulted in diminished numbers of entrants into the congregation, so laywomen were admitted one year after the college’s opening. During a casual conversation with Sister Corda Marie Bergbauer, Superior General of the congregation from 1970-1978, she mentioned that the College had been in danger of becoming a retirement facility for the sisters at one point. This was shocking news and was not common knowledge among the sisters.
Hints of struggle are recorded in the General Council Minutes beginning in October 1970, noting that a bazaar must be held because “…the Community should do all possible to save and improve the standing of the College.” When inquiry was made regarding certification from Middle States, the response from the Executive Secretary of the Commission on Higher Education was as follows: “Is Our Lady of Angels College viable? [either] (1) increase the enrollment or (2) merge with another college… If the College is not viable, close it.”
By 1971, the congregation’s supporting the College was competing with financing retirement needs. The proceeds of any fundraising projects were now split between the College and the Retirement Fund, and the investigation of erecting a central retirement facility at Glen Riddle was approved. Although the oral report from the State Evaluation Committee’s College visit in November was generally favorable, December minutes record that “The possibility of a combination of facilities as an interim answer to the immediate retirement needs included consideration of the buildings now on Glen Riddle property, Our Lady of Angels College, Bryn Mawr, and [hospitals]. …that the College should be considered in the light of the report of the State.”
With the goal of making the College financially independent of the congregation by 1976, a five-year subsidy plan was approved by the General Council in 1972. Researching retirement facility possibilities turned temporarily toward our hospitals and away from Glen Riddle. A combination of expanding academic programs, growing awareness of the local population about the College’s offerings, and an encouraging annual report in 1973 contributed to an optimistic outlook. Finally, when the decision was made to erect a new building for retirement, the future of Our Lady of Angels College was secured.
Looking back, would Mother Francis have ever imagined that her small band of sisters would attract over four thousand followers? Looking back, would Sr. Eberharda and several General Councils of the congregation ever have imagined that the vision of sponsoring a college would evolve into what is now the sprawling campus of Neumann University?
Looking back, it is most appropriate to again quote Mother Francis Bachmann with words that are deeply rooted in the lived experience of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia:
“Trusting in the providence of God, we move forward.”