Carmel of Eldridge (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Regina Coeli Monastery is an historic building located in Bettendorf, Iowa
, United States
and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1984. The building currently houses an addictions rehabilitation facility called The Abbey Center.
The Discalced Carmelite nuns who built the building relocated to a new monastery in Eldridge, Iowa
in 1975. The monastery was originally established in Davenport, Iowa
by the Rt. Rev. James Davis
of the Catholic Diocese of Davenport
.
and Mother Aloysius of Our Lady of Good Counsel, from Deerfield, Minnesota
. Mother Clare's brother, Joseph Nagle, was instrumental in bringing the Carmelites to Davenport. The Archbishop of Dubuque
had initially indicated that he would accept the order into his diocese, but withdrew the offer in 1905, and no other bishops in the upper Midwest were able to accept the nuns. Joseph Nagle was persistent and convinced Bishop Davis to bring the community to his diocese.
The Carmel was officially established on the feast of St. John of the Cross on November 24, 1911 with a Mass celebrated by another of Mother Clare's brothers, the Rev. Garrett Nagle, in the small cottage that was the nun's new home at 15th and Brady Streets. The Carmel was adjacent to the bishop's residence, and he would celebrate Mass for the nuns as often as possible. The Archbishop of Baltimore
, James Cardinal Gibbons, appointed Mother Clare as the prioress of the new Carmel and Mother Aloysius sub-prioress before they had left Baltimore.
The cottage was a bit small and an addition was built on property donated by Bishop Davis. The addition included a chapel in the Late Gothic Revival
style, nun's choir, sacristy and six bedrooms. A covered walk was also built between the chapel and the bishop's residence. The first Mass in the new chapel was Midnight Mass on December 25, 1912. The dedication took place on February 11, 1913. The chapel was dedicated as Pater Noster
Chapel, and the monastery was dedicated to the prophet Elijah.
. However, the property on Brady Street was not a sufficient location to expand the building. Mother Clare indicated that Bettendorf could be a potential location. Pius Mohr located land on the bluffs above Bettendorf, and Bishop Davis purchased the land on April 3, 1915. The property was surrounded by woods and farmland, which was more appropriate for contemplative life than the city location.
Arthur Ebeling, who had designed the chapel addition, was chosen as the architect for the new Carmel. He used the Baltimore Carmel as his inspiration. The structure is a double cruciform
building of gold mottled brick trimmed with Bedford limestone
. There is a small dome topped with a cross in the middle of the center wing of the monastery. The architectural style is Romanesque Revival
. The town provided a water hydrant for water, and the building did not have electricity when it was built. A telephone was installed when priests requested it to ease the process of ordering altar breads. A professional landscaper designed the garden and grounds. The chapel was not a part of the building as yet, and the monastery itself was not fully completed when the nuns moved into to their new home on June 29, 1916. The monastery's name was changed to Regina Coeli
.
On Friday, November 24, 1916, the fifth anniversary of the Carmelite's arrival in Davenport, Bishop Davis consecrated the monastery bells. The large bell was christened Vox Domini (the voice of the Lord), and the small bell, St. Joseph.
The chapel of the Davenport Carmel was taken down and rebuilt at the new Carmel in Bettendorf. It was re-dedicated on Pentecost Sunday, 1919, and it kept its original name from when it was in Davenport, Pater Noster. The room that had been used for the chapel was divided in two and became the library and the chapter room. The rest of the monastery was finished in 1921, and the enclosure wall was finished in 1937.
While life in a Carmel is mostly quiet there are events that break into that silence. The Ku Klux Klan
had chosen the Carmelites as the focus of their hostility toward the Catholic Church. They erected fiery crosses and created a commotion in a farmer's field opposite the monastery. Instead of driving the nuns out they provoked the townspeople who came to the nun's defense. The police restored quiet to the area and protection to the neighborhood.
Carmels are limited to 21 nuns, and when the community became too large it would establish a new Carmel. The Bettendorf Carmel established three new foundations. The Carmel at New Albany, Indiana
, which later moved to Indianapolis
, was established in 1922. The mission was led by Mother Teresa Seelbach and Sister Hilda Ammann. A Carmel was established in 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, which later moved to Pewaukee, Wisconsin
. It was led by Mother Paula Doersching, Mother Grace Meade, Sister Joan Meyer, Sister Elizabeth Kinsella, and Sister Ann Mezer. The Sioux City
Carmel was established in 1961, and was led by Mother Agnes Dwight, Sister Michael Skelley, Sister Magdalen Heun, Sister Raphael Baker, Sister Marie Schuman, and Sister Clare Lafferty.
Social
and Ecclesiastical changes ensued in the 1960s. The vacancies that were created by the establishment of the Sioux City Carmel were not filled. The nuns who remained were unable to care for the large Carmel in Bettendorf. It was decided that a more modest facility was needed and so 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of farmland were purchased north of Davenport near the town of Eldridge
. The bodies of the deceased nuns were transferred from the crypt to Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport. The Bettendorf Carmel was sold to an Evangelical Christian Church
. In 1978 the Franciscan Brothers of Christ the King bought the building and re-named it St. Francis Monastery. They used it for a retreat house and hosted banquets. The brothers sold the building and the new owners remodeled it became a four star Abbey Hotel in 1993. In 2009 the hotel was closed and it became an addictions rehabilitation center called The Abbey Center
.
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1984. The building currently houses an addictions rehabilitation facility called The Abbey Center.
The Discalced Carmelite nuns who built the building relocated to a new monastery in Eldridge, Iowa
Eldridge, Iowa
Eldridge is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,651 at the 2010 census; Eldridge is a part of the Quad Cities metropolitan area and is considered a suburb.-History:...
in 1975. The monastery was originally established in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
by the Rt. Rev. James Davis
James J. Davis (Catholic bishop)
James J. Davis was a 20th-century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1906 to 1926.-Early life and ministry:...
of the Catholic Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
.
Davenport Carmel
The first Discalced Carmelite nuns arrived in Davenport, Iowa from the Carmel at Baltimore, Maryland on November 23, 1911. The community included Mother Clare of the Blessed Sacrament, who was a native of Dubuque, IowaDubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
and Mother Aloysius of Our Lady of Good Counsel, from Deerfield, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Mother Clare's brother, Joseph Nagle, was instrumental in bringing the Carmelites to Davenport. The Archbishop of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
had initially indicated that he would accept the order into his diocese, but withdrew the offer in 1905, and no other bishops in the upper Midwest were able to accept the nuns. Joseph Nagle was persistent and convinced Bishop Davis to bring the community to his diocese.
The Carmel was officially established on the feast of St. John of the Cross on November 24, 1911 with a Mass celebrated by another of Mother Clare's brothers, the Rev. Garrett Nagle, in the small cottage that was the nun's new home at 15th and Brady Streets. The Carmel was adjacent to the bishop's residence, and he would celebrate Mass for the nuns as often as possible. The Archbishop of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
, James Cardinal Gibbons, appointed Mother Clare as the prioress of the new Carmel and Mother Aloysius sub-prioress before they had left Baltimore.
The cottage was a bit small and an addition was built on property donated by Bishop Davis. The addition included a chapel in the Late Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style, nun's choir, sacristy and six bedrooms. A covered walk was also built between the chapel and the bishop's residence. The first Mass in the new chapel was Midnight Mass on December 25, 1912. The dedication took place on February 11, 1913. The chapel was dedicated as Pater Noster
Pater Noster
Pater Noster is probably the best-known prayer in Christianity.Pater Noster or Paternoster may also refer to:* Paternoster, a passenger elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments that move slowly in a loop up and down inside a building* Paternoster, Western Cape, South Africa* Pierres...
Chapel, and the monastery was dedicated to the prophet Elijah.
Bettendorf Carmel
When the new addition was completed plans were begun to expand the monastery itself so that 21 nuns could have their own room as was stipulated in the Carmelite RuleMonasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
. However, the property on Brady Street was not a sufficient location to expand the building. Mother Clare indicated that Bettendorf could be a potential location. Pius Mohr located land on the bluffs above Bettendorf, and Bishop Davis purchased the land on April 3, 1915. The property was surrounded by woods and farmland, which was more appropriate for contemplative life than the city location.
Arthur Ebeling, who had designed the chapel addition, was chosen as the architect for the new Carmel. He used the Baltimore Carmel as his inspiration. The structure is a double cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
building of gold mottled brick trimmed with Bedford limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
. There is a small dome topped with a cross in the middle of the center wing of the monastery. The architectural style is Romanesque Revival
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
. The town provided a water hydrant for water, and the building did not have electricity when it was built. A telephone was installed when priests requested it to ease the process of ordering altar breads. A professional landscaper designed the garden and grounds. The chapel was not a part of the building as yet, and the monastery itself was not fully completed when the nuns moved into to their new home on June 29, 1916. The monastery's name was changed to Regina Coeli
Regina Coeli
The Regina Caeli or Regina Coeli , an ancient Latin Marian Hymn of the Christian Church, is one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, prescribed to be sung or recited in the Liturgy of the Hours at the conclusion of the last of the hours to be prayed in common that day,...
.
On Friday, November 24, 1916, the fifth anniversary of the Carmelite's arrival in Davenport, Bishop Davis consecrated the monastery bells. The large bell was christened Vox Domini (the voice of the Lord), and the small bell, St. Joseph.
The chapel of the Davenport Carmel was taken down and rebuilt at the new Carmel in Bettendorf. It was re-dedicated on Pentecost Sunday, 1919, and it kept its original name from when it was in Davenport, Pater Noster. The room that had been used for the chapel was divided in two and became the library and the chapter room. The rest of the monastery was finished in 1921, and the enclosure wall was finished in 1937.
While life in a Carmel is mostly quiet there are events that break into that silence. The Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
had chosen the Carmelites as the focus of their hostility toward the Catholic Church. They erected fiery crosses and created a commotion in a farmer's field opposite the monastery. Instead of driving the nuns out they provoked the townspeople who came to the nun's defense. The police restored quiet to the area and protection to the neighborhood.
Carmels are limited to 21 nuns, and when the community became too large it would establish a new Carmel. The Bettendorf Carmel established three new foundations. The Carmel at New Albany, Indiana
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
, which later moved to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, was established in 1922. The mission was led by Mother Teresa Seelbach and Sister Hilda Ammann. A Carmel was established in 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, which later moved to Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Pewaukee is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The population was 11,783 at the 2000 census. The city was incorporated from what was formerly the Town of Pewaukee. The Village of Pewaukee, which was incorporated out of the town before it incorporated as a city, is surrounded by the city...
. It was led by Mother Paula Doersching, Mother Grace Meade, Sister Joan Meyer, Sister Elizabeth Kinsella, and Sister Ann Mezer. The Sioux City
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
Carmel was established in 1961, and was led by Mother Agnes Dwight, Sister Michael Skelley, Sister Magdalen Heun, Sister Raphael Baker, Sister Marie Schuman, and Sister Clare Lafferty.
Social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
and Ecclesiastical changes ensued in the 1960s. The vacancies that were created by the establishment of the Sioux City Carmel were not filled. The nuns who remained were unable to care for the large Carmel in Bettendorf. It was decided that a more modest facility was needed and so 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of farmland were purchased north of Davenport near the town of Eldridge
Eldridge, Iowa
Eldridge is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,651 at the 2010 census; Eldridge is a part of the Quad Cities metropolitan area and is considered a suburb.-History:...
. The bodies of the deceased nuns were transferred from the crypt to Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport. The Bettendorf Carmel was sold to an Evangelical Christian Church
American Evangelical Christian Churches
The American Evangelical Christian Churches is a denomination founded in 1944, with the aim of 'Security with Liberty', enabling orthodox Christian evangelical ministers the opportunity to minister without particular decrees about non-essential Christian doctrines. The denomination is unique in...
. In 1978 the Franciscan Brothers of Christ the King bought the building and re-named it St. Francis Monastery. They used it for a retreat house and hosted banquets. The brothers sold the building and the new owners remodeled it became a four star Abbey Hotel in 1993. In 2009 the hotel was closed and it became an addictions rehabilitation center called The Abbey Center
The Abbey Center
The Abbey Center is an addiction treatment facility located in Bettendorf, Iowa. It provides residential, in-patient treatment for both men and women, but it is also licensed to run out-patient programs. The Center was created in 2008 and is one of the few treatment centers located in the Midwest...
.