POOR CLARE FEDERATION OF MARY IMMACULATE - PCC AND OSC

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On November 21, 1950, Pope Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic Constitution Sponsa Christi which recommended federations of monasteries.

Responding to this challenge, the Cleveland Poor Clares investigated the possibility of a federation being formed among the communities of the Colettine tradition in the United States.

Father Pius Barth, OFM, provincial of the Sacred Heart Province, appointed Father Leo Ohleyer to visit all the Colettine Poor Clare communities in the United States in order to explain the concept of federation to them and to assure them that such alliance would not constitute the loss of autonomy.  He carried out the visitation in the fall of 1957.

The Cleveland community played a vital role in fostering the idea of federation.  The Abbesses and sister-delegate from the communities of Chicago, Illinois; Rockford, Illinois; Aptos, California; Newport News, Virginia; and Roswell, New Mexico, assembled in the Cleveland Monastery in March of 1958.  Father Leo and Father Marcia Mathis, a canonist, drew up the statutes for the Colletine Poor Clare Federation of Mary Immaculate in the United States of America.  This was approved by Rome on June 8, 1959.  The Kokomo Monastery in Indiana founded that year was included as charter member.  The seven charter members were later joined by the communities of Los Altos Hills, California, and Santa Barbara, California.

The purpose of the federation is to preserve, protect, and increase the regular observance in accordance with the seraphic spirit, to promote mutual aid among the monasteries, and to obviate the difficulties that are apt to arise from a too complete separation of the independent monasteries.

The initial voting for the officers of the federation was done by mail, and on October 21, 1959, Mother Mary Francis King, who had been elected abbess of the Cleveland community in 1957, was elected first federal abbess by the other abbesses and delegates.  With her wise direction and untiring devotion, the newly formed federation secured a firm foundation.  She was re-elected for a second term in 1962 by the federal chapter held in the Cleveland monastery and was succeed in 1965 by Mother Mary Francis Aschmann of Roswell, New Mexico.

In October 1971, Mother Amata Rose Granata of the Cleveland community was elected federal abbess, after having served as first councilor of the federation.  She was elected to a second term in 1974.  Subsequently, Mother Amata Rose again held the office of first councilor, having been elected to the position in October 1977 when her term as federal abbess expired.

The vitality of the federation expressed itself instances of rendering personnel assistance, sending sisters to the Newport News monastery in 1959 and to the newly founded Maria Regina Mater Monastery in Kokomo, Indiana, in the sixties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Abbesses and Delegates at First Federation Chapter Meeting in 1961

Mother Abbesses:

Mother Mary Veronica Zelinksi - Rockford, Illinois

Mother Mary Agnes Major = Newport News, Virginia

Mother Mary Loretto Aceves = Aptos, California

Mother Mary Francis King = Cleveland, Ohio

Mother Mary Immaculata Beck = Roswell, New Mexico

Mother Mary Josephine Wagner = Kokomo, Indiana

Mother Mary Philomena Horkavi = Chicago, Illinois

 

Sister Delegates:

Sister Mary Francis Aschman = Roswell, New Mexico

Sister Mary Veronica Gilles = Newport News, Virginia

Sister Mary Amata Rose Granata = Cleveland, Ohio

Sister Mary Clare Trame = Aptos, California

Sister Mary Helen Kempf - Rockford, Illinois

Sister Mary Rose Wroblewski = Kokomo, Indiana

Sister Caritas Tepper = Chicago, Illinois

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When Pope Pius XII proclaimed 1950 as the Holy Year, it was a period of special grace for the Poor Clare Extern Sisters.  Prior to 1888 extern sisters had taken simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Third Order Rule of St. Francis approved by Pope Leo in 1521.  From 1888 to 1927 the sisters pronounced their vows according to the Rule adapted by Pope Leo in 1888.

In 1927 the Sacred Congregation for Religious, desiring uniformity among the statutes for extern sisters in various religious orders, drew up special statutes applicable to all extern sisters.  Pope Pius XI confirmed these statutes in 1931.  They directed that extern sisters profess the same rule as the choir nuns since together with the choir nuns these sisters constitute one religious family.

Much ambiguity, which led to various interpretations, surrounded these statutes.   Some Poor Clare communities allowed their extern sisters to make simple vows according to the Rule of St. Clare.  Many others (the Cleveland Poor Clares among them) were advised to continue the practice of having extern sisters make vows as members of the Third Order of St. Francis.  The latter communities experienced uncertainties about the extent of the new obligations incurred, if any, with the change of the status to the Second Order although the directive was generally recognized to be commendable advance in this phase of canonical legislation.  The extern sisters had always been an integral part of the Cleveland community, holding a responsible position within it and representing the community whenever necessity required it.  Their devotedness contributed vitally and was in great measure responsible for the charity and esteem bestowed on the community since its origin.  The Cleveland Poor Clares rejoiced when, after much consultation and appeals to the ecclesiastical authority, ambiguity and difficulties were eliminated and the extern sisters renewed their vows as Second Order members on May 18, 1950.

 

On 3/7/2025 at 11:19 AM, graciandelamadrededios said:

The Abbesses and Delegates at First Federation Chapter Meeting in 1961

Mother Abbesses:

Mother Mary Veronica Zelinksi - Rockford, Illinois

Mother Mary Agnes Major = Newport News, Virginia

Mother Mary Loretto Aceves = Aptos, California

Mother Mary Francis King = Cleveland, Ohio

Mother Mary Immaculata Beck = Roswell, New Mexico

Mother Mary Josephine Wagner = Kokomo, Indiana

Mother Mary Philomena Horkavi = Chicago, Illinois

 

Sister Delegates:

Sister Mary Francis Aschman = Roswell, New Mexico

Sister Mary Veronica Gilles = Newport News, Virginia

Sister Mary Amata Rose Granata = Cleveland, Ohio

Sister Mary Clare Trame = Aptos, California

Sister Mary Helen Kempf - Rockford, Illinois

Sister Mary Rose Wroblewski = Kokomo, Indiana

Sister Caritas Tepper = Chicago, Illinois

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Correction: Sister Amata Rose Granata = Cleveland, Ohio

 

[graciandelamadrededios]

17 minutes ago, graciandelamadrededios said:

When Pope Pius XII proclaimed 1950 as the Holy Year, it was a period of special grace for the Poor Clare Extern Sisters.  Prior to 1888 extern sisters had taken simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Third Order Rule of St. Francis approved by Pope Leo in 1521.  From 1888 to 1927 the sisters pronounced their vows according to the Rule adapted by Pope Leo in 1888.

In 1927 the Sacred Congregation for Religious, desiring uniformity among the statutes for extern sisters in various religious orders, drew up special statutes applicable to all extern sisters.  Pope Pius XI confirmed these statutes in 1931.  They directed that extern sisters profess the same rule as the choir nuns since together with the choir nuns these sisters constitute one religious family.

Much ambiguity, which led to various interpretations, surrounded these statutes.   Some Poor Clare communities allowed their extern sisters to make simple vows according to the Rule of St. Clare.  Many others (the Cleveland Poor Clares among them) were advised to continue the practice of having extern sisters make vows as members of the Third Order of St. Francis.  The latter communities experienced uncertainties about the extent of the new obligations incurred, if any, with the change of the status to the Second Order although the directive was generally recognized to be commendable advance in this phase of canonical legislation.  The extern sisters had always been an integral part of the Cleveland community, holding a responsible position within it and representing the community whenever necessity required it.  Their devotedness contributed vitally and was in great measure responsible for the charity and esteem bestowed on the community since its origin.  The Cleveland Poor Clares rejoiced when, after much consultation and appeals to the ecclesiastical authority, ambiguity and difficulties were eliminated and the extern sisters renewed their vows as Second Order members on May 18, 1950.

 

 

Correction: Sister Amata Rose Granata = Cleveland, Ohio

 

Author

Posted 16 minutes ago

When Pope Pius XII proclaimed 1950 as the Holy Year, it was a period of special grace for the Poor Clare Extern Sisters.  Prior to 1888 extern sisters had taken simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Third Order Rule of St. Francis approved by Pope Leo in 1521.  From 1888 to 1927 the sisters pronounced their vows according to the Rule adapted by Pope Leo in 1888.

In 1927 the Sacred Congregation for Religious, desiring uniformity among the statutes for extern sisters in various religious orders, drew up special statutes applicable to all extern sisters.  Pope Pius XI confirmed these statutes in 1931.  They directed that extern sisters profess the same rule as the choir nuns since together with the choir nuns these sisters constitute one religious family.

Much ambiguity, which led to various interpretations, surrounded these statutes.   Some Poor Clare communities allowed their extern sisters to make simple vows according to the Rule of St. Clare.  Many others (the Cleveland Poor Clares among them) were advised to continue the practice of having extern sisters make vows as members of the Third Order of St. Francis.  The latter communities experienced uncertainties about the extent of the new obligations incurred, if any, with the change of the status to the Second Order although the directive was generally recognized to be commendable advance in this phase of canonical legislation.  The extern sisters had always been an integral part of the Cleveland community, holding a responsible position within it and representing the community whenever necessity required it.  Their devotedness contributed vitally and was in great measure responsible for the charity and esteem bestowed on the community since its origin.  The Cleveland Poor Clares rejoiced when, after much consultation and appeals to the ecclesiastical authority, ambiguity and difficulties were eliminated and the extern sisters renewed their vows as Second Order members on May 18, 1950.

 

  On 3/7/2025 at 11:19 AM, graciandelamadrededios said:

The Abbesses and Delegates at First Federation Chapter Meeting in 1961

Mother Abbesses:

Mother Mary Veronica Zelinksi - Rockford, Illinois

Mother Mary Agnes Major = Newport News, Virginia

Mother Mary Loretto Aceves = Aptos, California

Mother Mary Francis King = Cleveland, Ohio

Mother Mary Immaculata Beck = Roswell, New Mexico

Mother Mary Josephine Wagner = Kokomo, Indiana

Mother Mary Philomena Horkavi = Chicago, Illinois

 

Sister Delegates:

Sister Mary Francis Aschman = Roswell, New Mexico

Sister Mary Veronica Gilles = Newport News, Virginia

Sister Mary Amata Rose Granata = Cleveland, Ohio

Sister Mary Clare Trame = Aptos, California

Sister Mary Helen Kempf - Rockford, Illinois

Sister Mary Rose Wroblewski = Kokomo, Indiana

Sister Caritas Tepper = Chicago, Illinois

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Correction:  = Sister Mary Caritas Tepper = Chicago, Illinois