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Dramatic photographs
of wind-whipped flames swallowing up the huge sixty-eight year
old motherhouse buildings tell the story better than any words
can portray. Headlines of national and local newspapers shouted
various aspects of the tragedy: “Marywood’s Motherhouse
Destroyed by flames”; “Nine Nuns Injured in Marywood
Fire”; “About 140 Removed By Police, Firemen in
General Alarmer”; “Pope Paul’s Sorrow Passed
to Marywood.” These, and many, many more columns announced
the news of the devastating fire at the Marywood Motherhouse
in the early morning hours of February 22, 1971.
In addition to housing sisters on the faculty at Marywood College
located on the same campus, the huge motherhouse building was
the site of Marywood Seminary, an outstanding high school for
girls. This building also housed the junior professed Sisters
of IHM who were pursuing their higher education and spiritual
formation program.
While no one died in the fire, it was this latter group, housed
on the fourth floor of the seminary wing, who suffered the greatest
trauma and injury. Forced to jump from the fourth floor to a
roof below, after being trapped by flames, two junior professed
sisters were listed in critical condition. Sister Lisa Barnes
suffered a broken leg and Sister Sharon Kelly first-degree burns
of the legs and back. Multiple burns and smoke inhalation caused
the hospitalization of Sisters Rosemary Ludwick and Mary Violet
Sloat. Five others were also taken to the hospital for treatment:
Sisters Jean Coughlin, Sheila Cashera, Bernadette Thomas, Immaculate
Severino, Maureen Schrimpe and Camille Lacosto. At least five
firemen also suffered in fighting the blaze, receiving a range
of injuries from facial and body burns to broken and sprained
backs from falls out the windows and smoke inhalation. (419)
With the destruction of the west wing of the motherhouse, some
120 sisters, chiefly faculty of Marywood College and Seminary,
were in need of immediate housing. Mother Beata arranged for
many of them to stay in the newly completed wing of the Marian
Convent, and others to live at the novitiate building. Eventually,
dormitories in the novitiate would be converted into private
rooms for the permanent housing of these sisters.
Housing was, of course, a major item, but myriads of minor losses
were immediately obvious as sisters had lost clothing, eyeglasses
and other personal effects, in addition to books, research materials,
and other academic work. Addressing some of these personal needs,
donations from every diocese where our sisters were located
poured in, ranging from five dollars to nine thousand dollar
gifts. The Marywood College faculty donated nine thousand dollars
to the sisters; the Globe Store in Scranton donated five thousand
dollars in gift certificates to be used by the sisters for new
clothing. Mother Claudia, superior general of the Philadelphia
IHMs sent five thousand dollars, as did the Daughters of Charity
of Emittsburg, Maryland. Among the donors were organizations
and people of every faith. Alumnae of the college and seminary,
Knights of Columbus, members of Temple Israel in Scranton, the
faculty and administration of the University of Scranton, and
many more. Sisters from nearby and far distant missions, IHMs
and other religious congregations, provided funds, clothing,
and prayerful moral support.
References:
419. The Scranton Times, February 23, 1971
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