Twin sisters are really -- well -- twin Sisters

The history of the Wheeler family in America predates the Albany Diocese, but their faith impact can still be felt today in the persons of identical twin sisters -- who are also twin Sisters.

In 1636, the Wheeler family came to the Catholic colony of Maryland from England in order to preserve their faith. And preserve it they did.

The family has a long tradition of members becoming priests and religious. Part of this tradition includes strong ties to Albany, according to Sisters Elaine and Madeleine Wheeler, the identical twins who are also members of the Daughters of Charity.

Religious life

According to Sister Madeleine, three generations of their family are represented in both religious communities.

"There were religious on both sides of the family," said Sister Elaine. "Mother's side were Sacred Heart and Dad's were Daughters of Charity."

On skates

Their childhood was filled with activity. From putting on plays in the dining room each summer to playing sports, the Wheeler sisters kept busy.

"We roller-skated everywhere," said Sister Madeleine. "We skated as a group to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from our home in the Bronx." During their youth, she notes, the Bronx was a quiet rural area; both remember seeing cows in their neighborhood.

Who's who?

"We did it frequently," said Sister Elaine. "It was one of the gifts from God so we used it. We enjoyed it."

While as children they intentionally misled people, in adulthood they found incidents of mistaken identity cropping up often. Sister Elaine has worked in the Diocese for 25 years, 17 of them spent teaching high school. When Sister Madeleine moved to the Diocese to become an outreach worker at St. Mary's Church in Albany, she received many friendly greetings on the street and eventually realized the smiles were from Sister Elaine's former students.

Sister Madeleine also found the mistaken identity could be helpful. Wanting to better understand food stamps, she went with one of her clients to apply. A man came out of an office, pulled her and her client out of line, and processed the paper work. Only after it was completed did Sister Madeleine realize the gentleman was one of Sister Elaine's former students.

Differences

Sister Madeleine, now a parish outreach worker at St. Mary's, was a high school teacher, but she also was a college professor with expertise in family economics.

Although they work in separate ministries, they have a fierce interest in what the other is doing and are available to pitch in whenever needed. For example, Sister Madeleine has assisted in the archives, and Sister Elaine helps out at St. Mary's.

Twin network

"I pick up the phone to call her and her line is busy," said Sister Elaine. "It's busy because she's calling me."

"It's mental telepathy," said Sister Madeleine. "There were many times I was on the road coming home and I would call and she would say `I was hoping you would call.' We do it all of the time."

Vocations

Both sisters enjoy telling the story of Sister Madeleine's vocation. "She prayed for her own vocation," said Sister Elaine. "I asked her to pray for a special intention. That intention was that she'd become a nun." After graduating from college, Sister Madeleine entered her order.

Sister Elaine added, "We were fortunate. We were educated by parents who were good Catholic people."

Childhood service

The "crazy Wheelers," as they were known by their neighbors, assembled the other neighborhood children to put on plays to raise money for the missions. The neighborhood fathers made the scenery. Admission was 35 cents for an adult and 15 cents for children.

Other money for the missions was raised by collecting the leaves on the street and lighting a bonfire where the girls would roast marshmallows and potatoes, and then sell them to the neighbors.

Family tree

"The stories were passed on," said Sister Elaine. "We have a strong family history."

The sisters find it interesting that their family was among the first Catholics to come to the New World, that their religious order was the first to be established in the Albany Diocese, and that Sister Madeleine works at St. Mary's in Albany, the oldest church between New York City and Montreal.

(03-20-97)

[[In-content Ad]]