Mary Cleophas Foley
Encyclopedia
Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, S.P., (February 18, 1845–1928) was the Superior General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...

 of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

, Indiana from 1890-1926. During her time in office, she completed the building of the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...

 and built numerous other buildings at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, including a new Providence Convent, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...

, and an infirmary.

Foley inaugurated Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a Roman Catholic, four-year liberal arts women's college located northwest of Terre Haute, Indiana, between the Wabash River and the Illinois state line. There is also a small village of the same name located nearby...

 in 1909 and served as president of the college from 1890-1926. She introduced the cause for canonization
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...

 for Mother Theodore Guerin, the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

, who was canonized a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in 2006. Foley also inaugurated the Sisters of Providence
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

 mission to China in 1920, making hers the first congregation of American religious women to set up a mission there.

Early life

Mary Cleophas was born Margaret Teresa Foley in Scipio, Indiana
Scipio, Indiana
Scipio is an unincorporated town in Geneva Township, Jennings County, Indiana....

 to Irish immigrants James Byrne Foley and Mary O'Connor. She was raised with nine siblings in a household that practiced daily evening devotions including night prayers, the rosary and spiritual reading. Her older sister Mary Ann, born in 1843, entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

 around 1860 at the suggestion of the parish priest, Father Daniel Moloney. Mary Ann took the religious name Sister Aloysia.

Two years later, at the age of seventeen, Margaret too entered the congregation. She was brought by her father to Providence Convent on the evening of September 13, 1862, and was greeting by her sister, Sister Aloysia. She officially entered religious life the next day. In 1863 she received her religious name of Sister Mary Cleophas, after Mary of Cleophas, one of the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus.

Sister Mary Cleophas taught in Washington, Indiana
Washington, Indiana
Washington is a city in Daviess County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,509 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Daviess County.-History:...

 from 1863–1864 and then at St. Patrick in North Madison, Indiana
Madison, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,004 people, 5,092 households, and 3,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,402.9 people per square mile . There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 654.1 per square mile...

 until 1867.

Congregation administration

In 1868 Sister Mary Cleophas was elected novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...

 mistress of the Sisters of Providence
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

. She served in this capacity until 1886, in charge of the spiritual and professional development of the novices of the community. During this time, Sister Mary Cleophas worked closely with Bishop Francis Silas Chatard
Silas Chatard
Silas Francis Marean Chatard was a Roman Catholic Bishop of Indianapolis in the United States.He was born Francis Chatard in Baltimore, Maryland on December 13, 1834...

, Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of the Diocese of Vincennes (now the Diocese of Indianapolis). Chatard created numerous changes in the formation process of new Sisters of Providence, including extending the education period prior to going on mission to two years instead of one.

In 1886 Sister Mary Cleophas became first assistant to superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...

 Mother Euphrasie Hinkle. At this time a main goal of the congregation was to receive papal approbation, or official recognition by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

 as a religious community. This was finally received in 1887.

On February 7, 1889, tragedy struck the community when Providence Convent, a three-story brick convent built by the congregation's foundress Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Theodore Guerin
Saint Mother Théodore Guérin , designated by the Vatican as Saint Theodora, is the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, a congregation of Catholic nuns...

, was destroyed by fire. Around this time, Mother Euphrasie Hinkle's health began to deteriorate as well, and Sister Mary Cleophas stepped in to replace her.

As Superior General

In July of 1890, Sister Mary Cleophas was elected Superior General of the Sisters of Providence
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...

 and was honored with the title of "Mother." From there on she was known as Mother Mary Cleophas Foley.

Constructing new buildings

Mother Mary Cleophas's first priority was completing the new Providence Convent to provide a home for her sisters. This building, a sturdy four-story brick structure, was completed and blessed in 1890. She also completed a new novitiate for sisters in 1904 and an infirmary for sisters with contagious diseases that same year.

She oversaw the completion of the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...

, a large cathedral-like structure to serve as the primary worship space for the congregation. In 1902, Mother Mary Cleophas and Sister Mary Alma traveled to Europe to visit churches and gather inspiration for the interior of their church. The structure was completed in 1907.

In addition, Mother Mary Cleophas completed several buildings for the Academy, the women's college on the motherhouse grounds now known as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a Roman Catholic, four-year liberal arts women's college located northwest of Terre Haute, Indiana, between the Wabash River and the Illinois state line. There is also a small village of the same name located nearby...

. These buildings include Guerin Hall, the Conservatory of Music, and LeFer Hall.

Near the end of her life, Mother Mary Cleophas spent much of her time working on the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...

, a chapel for Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic Church, and in a few Anglican and Lutheran churches, in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to and adored by the faithful....

. The structure was consecrated in 1924.
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