In a serene site, sisters keep busy

From Route 378, a simple sign at one end of a long driveway is the only indication that nearby, 65 women religious live, work and govern the northeast province of the Daughters of Charity religious order.

But a multitude of tasks are being accomplished inside the complex that includes an administration building, the provincial house itself, St. Louise House for retired sisters and a house for two priest-chaplains, all surrounded by rolling green lawns.

Inside look

"We came here in 1971," explained Sister Louise Gallahue, provincial superior for the Daughters of Charity, gesturing at the huge brick complex. "The building belonged to the Canonists of St. Augustine. They were moving out of this area and looking for a buyer."

The Daughters of Charity, whose northeast province covers an area from New Jersey to Canada, had found a home in the Albany Diocese. Today, they are involved in ministries as diverse as serving at St. Catherine's Center for Children and Bishop Maginn High School in Albany, and staffing the Roarke Center in Troy, a drop-in center for the needy. Sisters from the province work as far away as in Haiti, Taiwan, Madagascar and Bolivia.

Team spirit

On a recent weekday, the chapel on the main floor was quiet. Sunlight touching the stained-glass windows threw colored shadows on the floor of the huge, open space. Sister Louise explained that older sisters who have trouble leaving their rooms at DePaul can see the chapel on television through closed-circuit cameras.

One time, a retired sister was heard protesting in her room during Mass. Sister Patricia Collins investigated, only to find that she was watching a baseball game instead of the liturgy. "They're losing!" the retiree moaned of her favorite team.

Busy spots

Next door, Sister Catherine Cotter reviewed menus being prepared for sisters on special diets. Since a "community day" was being planned for the weekend, she rolled her eyes as she described trying to also find enough bed linens for dozens of expected guests.

The lower floor of the house also includes conference and laundry rooms, and a library watched over by Sister Mary Charles Dever, who spends her free time surfing the internet to do research for her order.

Retired?

Laughter floated out of one community room, where seven retired sisters had gathered for a quilting circle. "This is the best meeting in the whole house!" declared Sister Collette Braudis, adding conspiratorially, "It's all free. We don't have to come. But we love to come!"

Showing off pieces of quilting material, the feisty senior remarked that "it'll take two years" for her to finish a quilt, but time seemed of less importance than fun.

"It's a very gregarious group," a fellow sister noted wryly.

Not all the sisters are retired. Struggling with a walker, Sister DeSales McNamee told The Evangelist that she was staying there while recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, which causes temporary paralysis and entails a long recovery period.

"I'm going to break the record," she said firmly.

History

A massive room next to the office houses the archives themselves, from files on deceased sisters to memorabilia as rare as a 1753 deed for a piece of property.

"Come back and I'll give you the hundred-dollar tour," Sister Elaine urged.

In fact, visitors had already arrived: A trip to a sewing room revealed Sisters Francoise Grenier and Elisabeth Fliche of Montreal, who had come for the upcoming community day despite limited knowledge of English. Both said they were enjoying their visit to DePaul.

Beehive

Up the hill from the provincial house is a house for the order's two priest-chaplains, members of the Vincentian order associated with the Daughters of Charity. The chaplains celebrate liturgies, hold Bible-study groups and are available whenever the sisters need them, said Sister Louise.

DePaul's administration building is a cluster of offices for Sister Louise, a lay human resources director, the provincial treasurer and four sisters who are "councillors." Each is responsible for supervising a different area of the province; one councillor specializes in health care.

In touch

She also serves on several boards of directors. A fan of theater, she noted with a laugh that she was also planning some fun with costumes for the order's community day.

"It's not only what's here every day," Sister Louise said of DePaul; "it's what it is for a larger group periodically for gatherings of the sisters."

For new resident Sister Jean Marie Wheeler, describing DePaul Provincial House was simpler: "I feel right at home."

(08-17-00) [[In-content Ad]]