Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne
Encyclopedia
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne are a Roman Catholic congregation of Religious Sisters, who are a part of the Third Order of St. Dominic. They specialize in caring for those suffering from terminal
cancer
and have no financial resources.
, a daughter of the famed novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne
. Early in life, Rose Hawthorne married George Parsons Lathrop
, both of whom converted to Roman Catholicism in 1891. Rose had seemingly married well as a young woman, and they moved from her native Massachusetts
to New York City
after their marriage. Unfortunately her husband soon turned out to be unreliable and unfaithful. Eventually she was driven to seek a divorce
in 1895, a highly shameful step for a woman of her social standing in that period.
Finding herself alone and with few financial resources, she began to seek some meaning to her life. In this journey, she found her answer in her Catholic faith. By circumstance she started to care for an elderly neighbor who wad dying of cancer. At the time, this disease was believed by many to be highly contagious, so there was a deep fear of contact with those suffering from this affliction. Lathrop soon found a special vocation to this work.
In the fall of 1896, after having taken a three-month nursing course at New York's Cancer Hospital, Lathrop moved into a three-room cold-water flat on New York City's impoverished Lower East Side
and began to nurse the poor with incurable cancer. In March 1898 Alice Huber, having responded to an article Lathrop had written about her work, joined her in this service. As others came to join them, Lathrop was inspired to found a religious congregation by The New Colossus, a poem penned by her close friend Emma Lazarus
.
By chance, one of the many patients who came to Lathrop for care, when dying of cancer, was her own husband, George Lathrop. Rose nursed him till his death in 1898.
. They termed themselves "the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer", and their purpose was to provide for the well-being of incurably ill and destitute cancer patients. At that time, Lathrop was elected as Prioress of the community, becoming known as Mother Mary Alphonsa.
Their first home was founded in that same neighborhood of Manhattan. It was named St. Rose Home for Incurable Cancer. The Sisters took only the most destitute, and provided them with all the care they needed, doing so without any form of compensation. Until the 21st century, they refused to accept government funds from either Social Security
or Medicare
. Mother Alphonsa wanted a better environment for her charges than the bleak dirty streets of that part of Manhattan. She then established a second nursing home, Rosary Hill, in a small hamlet
of Westchester County, some twenty miles north of New York City. The community came to be called Hawthorne, New York
, in her honor.
.
Terminal illness
Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as...
cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and have no financial resources.
History
The Congregation was founded on December 8, 1900, by Rose Hawthorne LathropRose Hawthorne Lathrop
Rose Hawthorne Lathrop was an American Roman Catholic religious sister and social worker.-Biography:Born in Lenox, Massachusetts, to Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife Sophia Peabody, she was educated in London, Paris, Rome and Florence. She married author George Parsons Lathrop in 1871; both...
, a daughter of the famed novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
. Early in life, Rose Hawthorne married George Parsons Lathrop
George Parsons Lathrop
George Parsons Lathrop was an American poet and novelist.-Life:George Parsons Lathrop was born August 25, 1851 in Honolulu, Hawaii....
, both of whom converted to Roman Catholicism in 1891. Rose had seemingly married well as a young woman, and they moved from her native Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
after their marriage. Unfortunately her husband soon turned out to be unreliable and unfaithful. Eventually she was driven to seek a divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
in 1895, a highly shameful step for a woman of her social standing in that period.
Finding herself alone and with few financial resources, she began to seek some meaning to her life. In this journey, she found her answer in her Catholic faith. By circumstance she started to care for an elderly neighbor who wad dying of cancer. At the time, this disease was believed by many to be highly contagious, so there was a deep fear of contact with those suffering from this affliction. Lathrop soon found a special vocation to this work.
In the fall of 1896, after having taken a three-month nursing course at New York's Cancer Hospital, Lathrop moved into a three-room cold-water flat on New York City's impoverished Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
and began to nurse the poor with incurable cancer. In March 1898 Alice Huber, having responded to an article Lathrop had written about her work, joined her in this service. As others came to join them, Lathrop was inspired to found a religious congregation by The New Colossus, a poem penned by her close friend Emma Lazarus
Emma Lazarus
Lazarus began to be more interested in her Jewish ancestry after reading the George Eliot novel, Daniel Deronda, and as she heard of the Russian pogroms in the early 1880s. This led Lazarus to write articles on the subject. She also began translating the works of Jewish poets into English...
.
By chance, one of the many patients who came to Lathrop for care, when dying of cancer, was her own husband, George Lathrop. Rose nursed him till his death in 1898.
A new congregation
The community became established as a congregation of Religious Sisters in 1900 and were given the Dominican habitReligious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
. They termed themselves "the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer", and their purpose was to provide for the well-being of incurably ill and destitute cancer patients. At that time, Lathrop was elected as Prioress of the community, becoming known as Mother Mary Alphonsa.
Their first home was founded in that same neighborhood of Manhattan. It was named St. Rose Home for Incurable Cancer. The Sisters took only the most destitute, and provided them with all the care they needed, doing so without any form of compensation. Until the 21st century, they refused to accept government funds from either Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
or Medicare
Medicare
Medicare may refer to any of several publicly funded health insurance programs:*Medicare *Medicare *Medicare - See also :*Medicaid*Medicare Australia*Medicare Resources - China*Medicare Rights Center - United States...
. Mother Alphonsa wanted a better environment for her charges than the bleak dirty streets of that part of Manhattan. She then established a second nursing home, Rosary Hill, in a small hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Westchester County, some twenty miles north of New York City. The community came to be called Hawthorne, New York
Hawthorne, New York
Hawthorne is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The population was 4,586 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in her honor.
Present situation
While greatly reduced in numbers, like most other religious communities in the late 20th century, the Sisters continue to serve at Rosary Hill and at homes in Philadelphia, Atlanta and a new overseas mission in KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.