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Sacred Heart of Mary parish school began with the groundbreaking
ceremony on March 17, 1930. The John Gibbons Company was general
contractor for the building of the school, an eight-classroom
brick building. Bishop Thomas C. O’Reilly dedicated the
school on August 25, 1930. The following week the first community
of sisters arrived and was welcomed to their new convent home
by a committee of ladies from the parish who had furnished the
convent and who had prepared a delicious meal for the sisters.
This first community included Sister Hyacinth Tierney, superior
and principal, Sister Inez Farrell, Sister Euphrasia Kelly,
Sister Anselmo Murray, Sister Maria Catherine Walsh, and Sister
Florita Waters.
The school opened formally on September 15, 1930, with 250 students
registered in five grades. In a letter to the Bishop, Reverend
Thomas M. Jordan, pastor, wrote that all but one Catholic family
in the parish were sending their children to the parochial school.
Father Jordan was an outstanding scholar and educator, hence
made the school and the progress of the students his special
concern. Each morning he visited the classes for religious instructions.
One of his favorite questions, to the delight of the youngsters,
was, "What question would you like to ask the professor?”
He accomplished much for the parish and the school in his seven-year
pastorate, but because of poor health was transferred to St.
Dominic's Parish, Parsons, Pennsylvania, where he died February
9, 1942. (26)
Another zealous pastor, Reverend John A. O’Neil, succeeded
Father Jordan in January 1938. Under his leadership the large
debt was significantly reduced. He continued as pastor until
1971 when he became pastor emeritus, being succeeded by Reverend
William J. Egan, who was followed by Reverend William P. Ward
in 1974. (27)
During the school year 1961-1962 all eyes were focused on the
progress of the beautiful new cinderblock and brick convent
which was taking shape from August 1961 through March 1962.
Hopes had initially been raised that the completion would come
at Thanksgiving time, then for December 8, then for Christmas.
But, as with most construction projects, there were delays.
These delays only heightened the atmosphere of joyful anticipation
that culminated on March 17.
The record states,
Finally, the long line of trunks being moved across an improvised
plank from the back door of the old house to the new one gave
sure proof that the long awaited day had arrived. March 17
found the Sisters in corps pushing, carrying, dragging, and
balancing anything that had to be moved from the old house.
Mr. Pidgeon, our sexton, and his crew managed the heavier
articles.
Late that night this congregation of movers could be found
nestled snug in their new beds,in roomy new cells, in a beautiful
new convent complete excepting the chapel and many little
odds and ends left by the workmen.
Within a matter of days, the old house which was now in
our front yard, was demolished and removed. (28)
Sunday, March 25, was the open house for the parishioners;
so one can imagine the activity in the new convent as the five
sisters prepared for this event scheduled for eight days from
their moving in. This, and the open house on May 27 for the
IHM Sisters in the area, were successful in every way. Some
115 sisters attended a catered buffet supper that was provided
in the church auditorium. The new split-level convent, which
according to the architect, Mr. George Murray, was to be "monastic,
sufficient and convenient," (29) was also beautiful in
its simplicity. The enrollment of Sacred Heart of Mary School,
Jermyn, hovered around the 200 mark for the twenty-year period
1955-1975, with a low of 185 in 1960 and a high of 219 students
in 1956. By 1975-1976 when a decision had to be made about the
continuance of the IHM Sisters in the school, the enrollment
was eighty students in six grades. Partly because of this, and
partly because of the personnel shortage in the Congregation,
the announcement of the sisters' withdrawal from Sacred Heart
of Mary in June 1976 was made by Father Ward on October 25-26,
1975.
Father Ward, realizing the needs in his parish for religious
education for the children after the sisters would leave, wrote
to Sister Anne Fulwiler, superior general, requesting the assignment
of two sisters to continue to live in the convent in Jermyn
and to serve the parish as CCD coordinator and visitor to the
elderly and sick, as well as to take the census and provide
some of the liturgical music. (30) While it was not possible
for the Congregation to respond with two sisters, the request
was looked upon favorably as a way to continue the forty-five
year presence of IHM Sisters in the parish. Plans were for a
sister to be appointed as CCD coordinator and to reside with
our sisters in nearby St. Thomas Convent, Archbald, Pennsylvania.
(31) This was confirmed by Sister Anne Fulwiler in April 1976,
(32) but as it turned out, the Congregation was unable to provide
a sister as CCD coordinator for Sacred Heart of Mary Parish.
(33)
Father Ward's remarks regarding the closing of the school reflect
his gratitude for the work of the IHM Sisters in the parish:
This parish owes a great debt of gratitude to the Sisters
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who are now in their 45th
year of service to this parish and its children . . . The
closing of a parish school is a difficult and painful decision.
We must prize the graces we have received in its forty-five
years of service. We are all challenged to face the future
with courage and dedication in the religious education of
our children. Our faith tells us that God will provide. (34)
References:
26. Notes of Sister Immaculata Gillespie. Archives, IHM Generalate.
27 Bulletin of Sacred Heart of Mary Church, October 26, 1975.
28. Annals of Sacred Heart of Mary Convent, Jermyn, Pa., 1961-1962.
Archives, IHM Generalate.
29. Ibid.
30. Rev. William P. Ward, Pastor, Sacred Heart of Mary Church,
Jermyn, Pa. Letter to Sister Anne Fulwiler, Superior General,
July 31, 1975. Archives, IHM Generalate.
31. Sister Mary Martin O'Dea, Sector Superior, Letter to Reverend
William P. Ward, February 11, 1976. Archives, IHM Generalate.
32. Sister Anne Fulwiler, IHM. Letter to Reverend William P.
Ward, April 14, 1976. Archives, IHM Generalate.
33. Annals of Sacred Heart of Mary Convent, Jermyn, Pa., 1975-1976.
Archives, IHM Generalate.
34. Bulletin of Sacred Heart of Mary Church, Jermyn, Pa., October
26, 1975. Archives, IHM Generalate.
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