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Home , Mary Elizabeth Lange

During Black catholic history Month We salute… The Oblate Sisters of Providence and Fannie Montpensier

When Sr. , OSP , Sr. Mary Frances Balas, Sr. Mary Rose Boegue and Sr. Mary Theresa Duchemin (Oblate Sisters of Providence) took vows in a row home at 610 George Street on July 2, 1829 that area would be in what we now call the boundaries of . They were touched by God and today, many of us have benefited from the ministry and the lives of the Oblate Sisters of Providence. Even before the establishment of the order, these women with Mother Lange and Fr. Joubert, SSS at the helm, started a school for girls (some who were orphans) in 1828. That school, St. Frances Academy is the first and oldest Black Catholic high school in the United States Ask some of your fellow parishioners if they were once students there. And… the Oblates once lived with the Daughters of Charity near Immaculate when the Convent at St. Frances Academy experienced a fire. The Oblates were educators at St. Cecilia from 1961 until the school closed in the 1990’s.

History says that the Oblates were assistants in the Underground Railroad, served as nurses in the worse cholera epidemic in in 1832 and helped to settle the west by establishing an orphanage. Ask Ralph E. Moore the Director of the St. Frances Community Center to see his episode of “Gunsmoke” to view the nuns in action. , Mother Mary Lange is up for as a .

A dear friend to the Oblates was Fanny Montpensier, cousin of Juliette Noel Toussaint who was married to another saint in waiting- Venerable of New York. Fanny Montpensier, was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Oblate Sisters of Providence. She was tireless and staunch,

[1] quickly becoming a pillar for whatever cause they chose to support. She was not at all hesitant to beg help for the nuns and often asked her cousin Juliette to lend a hand. Fanny wrote to Juliette in June, 1832, “Yesterday I received from Fr. Deluol, the eighteen gourds you sent. I gave them to the Sisters. They won’t fail to think of you in their prayers . In her zeal to provide the Oblate Sisters and the orphans in their charges, Fanny secured clothing material, shoes and food from the connections Juliette had in New York City. In May, 1852 Fannie wrote to Pierre Toussaint this letter of concern for the failing health of Juliette, noting also her thanks to the both of them for their assistance. “ Let us hope that this will be for us a month of grace and also of perfect happiness for your dear Juliette. Father Director of the Oblate Sisters will say a Mass on Wednesday the twelfth for her, and the Sisters will offer up their Communions as well for her on this particular day. I would have had Mass said for her on the eleventh, but it could not be said in the chapel of St. Frances… and since I desired that it be said there, I was obliged to wait until Wednesday…

She has a fascinating story in regards to her fund-raising efforts for the Oblates. This support was from 1829-1852 and beyond. I think Ms. Montpensier lived in the St. Mary’s, Paca Street area - another location in the Immaculate Conception parish boundaries as it was close to the Oblates home on George Street and while the Oblates served at St. Mary’s.

On November 12, 2011 the St. Cecilia Mass Choir performed at the Oblate Sisters of Providence: Festival of Sacred Song which financially assisted the Oblates and secured funds to promote the cause of Mother Mary Lange. I am so very proud of the support rendered by parishioners at both Parishes to the Oblate Sisters of Providence. Some of our parishioners are related by blood to Oblates, some are Associates and some serve on the National Board of Directors to promote the cause of canonization of Mother Lange. Throughout this month let us inquirer who these people are in our Parishes (as a quiz is coming up soon-smile) as they are making some Black Catholic History of their own. And... let us always support these wonderful women of faith by any means necessary.

(written by Therese Wilson Favors)

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