St. Vincent's Home Reunion Brings Back Memories of Special Care
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the diocesan community page 3 Davenport, Iowa The Catholic Messenger Volume 108, Number 35 July 12, 1990 Former residents gather and share stories St. Vincent's Home reunion brings back memories of special care By KATHY WEISS thwest Davenport before being plac ed at St. Vincent's. They traveled long distances, some Father Lawrence Vogel from North Carolina, one from "I CAN REMEMBER a lot of California, others from Texas, things," said Drohan, a youthful 45, Virginia, Pennsylvania and who appeared eager to tell his story. Father Vogel dies throughout the Midwest. They came "I share these memories with my to piece together vague childhood sisters," he said. memories and share what they at 82; was priest remembered. Others hoped to rekin He recalled the influence of one dle long-lost friendships. particular man, a former priest who served as a chaplain at St. Vincent's. They said they wouldn't have here for 54 years missed it for the world. "He was my father image," Drohan said of Art Perry, who later Father Lawrence Vogel, a retired It was the first-ever reunion of left the priesthood and married. "We priest of the Davenport diocese, died former students and residents of St. used to swim together." last week at his home in Brooklyn. Vincent Home and School, operated He was 82 years old. by the Sisters of Humility of Mary Drohan was 15 when he and his Fr. Vogel's funeral Mass was until the mid-1960s at what today is sisters left St. Vincent's and moved celebrated this Tuesday at St. the diocesan chancery headquarters Patrick's Church in Brooklyn, with in Davenport. 'At Easter time there Bishop Gerald O'Keefe presiding. Over 200 alumni attended a reu were lamb cakes Burial was in St. Patrick's Cemetery, nion gathering last Friday night at St. Brooklyn. on every table.' Mossongor Photo Ambrose University's South Hall. Fr. Vogel served the diocese as a On Saturday, they had the chance to Enjoying a moment during the reunion, are, from left: Frank Drohan, Margaret Drohan, priest for 54 years. He was ordained once again wander the halls of their with their mother to Chicago's Art Perry, Charlotte (Drohan) Powers, and Rosie (Drohan) Holt The Drohans once lived in April, 1936, at Sacred Heart alma mater, which had served as at St. Vincent's. Cathedral in Davenport by Bishop home for many of the returnees. Cabrini Green housing project. She died a year later and the children Drohan beamed as he boasted of her childhood at St. Vincent's. time—the whole building was William Adrian, a native of the For more than one former resident were turned over to an uncle who, diocese who had just been named his 23-year marriage to his wife, Lin Pat Gaydos of East Moline, 111., decorated," she said, citing her of the orphanage, the event was tru although single, moved to Clinton bishop of Nashville, Tenn. da, and their two children. In (formerly Pat O'Neill of Keokuk) liv favorite memories. "At Easter time, ly a homecoming. and purchased a home for them. retrospect, he said, he credits his pre ed at the home with her four brothers there were lamb cakes on every From his ordination to his retire "I get goosepimples just thinking Drohan soon left there and return sent happiness and success to the ex in the early 1930s after her father table." ment in 1981, Fr. Vogel served the about this," said Frank Drohan, ed to Chicago. Homeless, he recalls periences of his early childhood. died. She recalled the "star-shaped tulip parishes of St. Joseph in Fort who brought his family from North sleeping in laundromats until he join Madison, St. Paul's in Davenport, "We owe it all to the roots and "I was five or six," she recalled, bed" on the grounds and that "laun Carolina to attend the festivities. ed the Marine Corps. St Mary in Nichols and St. Mary in foundation the orphanage gave to "when my Mom brought my brother dry was the boys job, while the girls Drohan left St. Vincent's 30 years Today the owner of a successful us," Drohan said sincerely. "They did the ironing." Two nuns came to Wapello, St. Patrick in Burlington, Henry and I. "My Dad died and St. Alphonsus in Mount Pleasant, ago, but still vividly remembers the business, Drohan remembers people really taught us to make something Mom had to go to work." mind in her recollection: Sister An eight years he lived there. telling him: "There ain't no way of our lives." He added that he feels thony for her "great cooking" and and St. Francis in Keokuk. Gaydos said she relishes her you're going to make it in life." Yet, "these sisters and priests really need Sister Agatha, who she described as In late 1943 he was chaplain at the He was seven when he and his memories of her seven years at St. he says, he was continually "pulled to have some recognition." "so elegant," but a tough Sisters of Humility Ottumwa Heights three younger sisters were taken Vincent's in spite of the hardships back to the good feelings that the disciplinarian College and the Naval Air Base in away from their parents by the state. her family endured those years. They spent six months in what was nuns and priests at St. Vincent's in ANOTHER FORMER home resi Gaydos feels fortunate to have Ottumwa. then called the Juvenile Home in nor stilled in us." dent cherishes fond remembrances of "I can remember Christmas known the sisters, and commends Fr. Vogel was born in Malcom, them for doing a "beautiful job" of la., where he attended public raising she and the other children. schools. After receiving his "They taught us everything we had bachelor's degree from St. Ambrose St. Vincent's was so good there was a waiting list to know, everything we should College in 1932 he attended St. Paul know," she said. "1 thought at times Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. St. Vincent School was con "It was difficult to get a child ding neighborhoods to drum up "Such a unique spirit existed that the discipline was tough, but in sidered the place to educate your in that school," Hauser com students for the school. among the students and their the long run 1 think it helped." children in Davenport during the mented, adding that people fre "By the next year," she said, parents." 1960s, according to parents of quently went to great lengths to Gaydos said she frequently reflects $200,000 to SAU "that wasn't necessary. Then the Hauser, who served on the on her years at St. Vincent's. former students. have their children enrolled. question was where to limit enroll committee that organized the "In fact, when our first-born ment." school's first-ever reunion last "I don't dwell on sad memories," for Lewis Hall Wilma Hauser, who today was just a few months old, David weekend, said many participants she remarked thoughtfully "I think serves as spokesperson for the used to push him up there to get Eventually, there were waiting expressed interest in a future reu about the good ones—with a lot of St. Ambrose University in Daven religious community that acquainted," she said, illustrating lists. nion and several have proposed love." port has received a $200,000 ' 'A lot of prominent families in that a directory be published of challenge grant from the Kresge operated the school, the Sisters of her husband's efforts THE FOUNDATION or St. Vin Humility, said the school's town sent their kids to school former students and children who Foundation to help in the renovation there," Hauser recalls. "It was lived at the home. cent's goes back to 1895 when Bishop of Lewis Memorial Science Hall. popularity grew when it first ac Hauser noted that a former Henry Cosgrove and sisters from a such a good school. Those The grant requires that St. Am cepted outside students in 1939. superior and principal of the She welcomes inquiries regar French community looking for a teachers were great." brose raise the additional $516,000 Hauser's two oldest children at school, Sister Mildred Hamilton, ding the directory at her office at mission in the United States agreed needed for frill funding of the pro tended the school before it was CHM, and another sister initial "1 was so sad when they closed the Humility of Mary Center, that they would start an orphanage ject by April 1, 1991. closed in 1967. ly knocked on doors in surroun that school," Hauser continued. (319)323-9466. in Davenport. The first home was at 15th and Dr. Edward Rogalski, St. Am Don and Pat Gaydos of East Moline, III., relax during the Grand streets in a three-story brose president, said the school could accept the Kresge challenge "with reunion. In the photo at left, Pat is in the front at right, with building. It opened with four children but was said to accom confidence because we already have her four brothers and her mother when the children lived at received $959,000 in commitments." St. Vincent's Home. modate approximately 40 boys in a third-floor dormitory and 45 girls in The full project for renovation of three rooms on the second floor. It the science building and establish was named Sacred Heart Asylum. ment of an endowment for its maint enance is $3,175 million. The univer In less than a year, the French sity's fund-raising has been sup sisters were forced to return to plemented by a $1.5 million low in France because of difficulties with terest loan from the U.S.