The Adrian Dominican Sisters is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
religious institute
A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrate ...
of
Dominican sisters
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
in the United States. Their
motherhouse
A motherhouse is the principal house or community for a religious institute. It would normally be where the residence and offices of the religious superior
In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at ...
is in
Adrian
Adrian is a form of the Latin language, Latin given name Adrianus (given name), Adrianus or Hadrianus (disambiguation), Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria (river), Adria from the Venetic language, Venetic and ...
, Michigan.
Current Mission
The Congregation serves in ministries education, health care, pastoral and retreat ministry, the arts, social work, ecology, and peace and justice advocacy. Adrian Dominicans serve in these ministries in 22 U.S. states and three countries: Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and Norway.
The Adrian Dominican Sisters have a
Associate Life programconsisting of women and men who make a non-vowed commitment to the Congregation, sharing in the mission and vision of the vowed members and in the Dominican spirituality. The Congregation sponsors two universities, two hospitals in the Dignity Health system, an elementary school, a high school, and seven literacy centers.
History
The Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan trace their origin to
Holy Cross Convent in
Regensburg (Ratisbon), Bavaria, a convent established in 1233.
In 1853 four Sisters from this convent were sent to New York in response to a request for Sisters to provide religious education for German immigrant children. These Sisters settled on Montrose Avenue in the
Williamsburg section of New York City. Another convent was later established on Second Street in Manhattan. From this congregation Sisters were sent to St. Mary Parish (1879) and St. Joseph Parish (1880) in Adrian, Michigan. In 1899, the Second Street convent moved to Newburgh, New York.
In 1884 additional Sisters were sent to Adrian to establish a hospital for injured railroad workers. Adrian became a province of the Newburgh Congregation, with Camilla Madden as the
Provincial. As the need for the hospital diminished, Mother Camilla turned to education and opened St. Joseph Academy in 1896. Students came in large numbers to this boarding school and the province grew rapidly with new members. At the same time the Congregation was called upon to staff other schools in Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and New Mexico.
In 1923, through the efforts of Mother Emmanuel Phelan of Newburgh and Mother Camilla Madden, canonical separation of the Adrian province from Newburgh was achieved. Bishop
Michael Gallagher of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
and Archbishop (later Cardinal)
Patrick Hayes of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
agreed to the separation. Mother Camilla Madden became the first
Mother General of the new independent congregation in Adrian, a position she held for only six months prior to her death in 1924. At this time the Congregation numbered 440 members.
The Congregation and its ministries grew during this time. Education continued to be a major endeavor during these years.
The Congregation also developed ministries in social service, particularly in parish visitation, and opened three hospitals, two in
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz (Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a pop ...
(now consolidated at Dominican Santa Cruz Hospital) and one in
Henderson, Nevada
Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Vall ...
:
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Rose de Lima Campus
ST, St, or St. may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Stanza, in poetry
* Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band
* Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise
* Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...
. Today there are two additional campuses in Southern Nevada — the
Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
(2000) and the
San Martín (2006) campuses. Mother Camilla opened St. Joseph College in Adrian (now
Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University (SHU) is a private Roman Catholic university in Adrian, Michigan. It was founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 1919.
History
The institution was founded for women in 1919 as St. Joseph's College by the Adrian Domini ...
) during her time as provincial. Mother Gerald Barry expanded the Congregation’s ministry in higher education by opening
Barry University
Barry University is a private Catholic university in Miami Shores, Florida. Founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, it is one of the largest Catholic universities in the Southeast and is within the territory of the Archdiocese of Miami ...
in 1940. She also built a House of Studies at
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private university, private Catholic church, Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution ...
to accommodate sisters studying for advanced degrees. The Congregation grew to over 2,000 members.
Under the leadership of Mother Gerald, the Congregation achieved pontifical status in 1944 and extended its ministries overseas — to the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, and
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
. In 1959, as the Congregation grew in numbers, it was divided into five provinces with headquarters in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
(2),
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
,
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
, and Santa Cruz, California. In addition there was an Overseas Vicariate and a Motherhouse Vicariate. Over the years of leadership of Mother Gerald and her successor, Mother Genevieve Weber, the Congregation served in the formation of two new Congregations: the
Glenmary Sisters
Glenmary Home Missioners, also known as The Home Missioners of America Inc.; Latin: ''Societas Missionariorum Domesticorum Americæ''), is a Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christi ...
(originally located in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
) and the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of Remedies (
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
).
Since Vatican II
The Adrian Dominican Congregation entered into its General Chapter of Renewal in 1968 after the
Second Vatican Council
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
. This was a time of transition as it was for all United States congregations of women
religious
Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...
. General Councilors became full-time participants with the Prioresses in directing the life in mission of the Congregation. Over the years, Sisters Nadine Foley and Donna Markham were elected president of the
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) is one of two associations of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States (the other being the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious). LCWR includes ov ...
in the United States during their terms as Prioress. Sisters Nadine Foley and Patricia Walter have represented United States women religious on the Council of the International Union of Superiors General. Sister Nadine Foley also wrote chapter 15 of ''Transforming the Faiths of our Fathers: Women who Changed American Religion'' (2004), edited by Ann Braude.
Acting upon the directives sent from Rome after Vatican Council II, the Congregation developed new Constitutions that received approval on April 29, 1989. This Constitution and Statutes replaced earlier ones approved in 1937 and 1944. The Constitution incorporated a new governance organization based on Mission Chapters (equivalent to provinces) headed by Chapter Prioresses (provincials). The latter, with the General Council, constitute a Leadership Council which directs the mission of the Congregation.
Since
Vatican Council II
The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...
, the Adrian Dominican Sisters have continued their ministries in education and healthcare and expanded to include professional ministries such as university presidents, hospital administrators, directors of literacy centers, directors of theological programs, theologians and professors of theology, liturgical artists, diocesan directors of schools, parish directors of religious education, and retreat directors. The Congregation's Ministry Trust fund helps to support projects and ministries of Adrian Dominican Sisters that aid economically poor people, and offer spiritual renewal.
Mergers
In 2003, the 55 sisters of the Congregation of Holy Cross in
Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located in the southwest corner of the county, facing Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west. The city is part of the Seattle metropolitan area and is located ...
merged with the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
The Edmonds Dominicans share a common heritage with the Adrian Dominicans as they too were founded in 1923 by sisters from Holy Cross Convent in Regensburg.
In 2011, the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of Remedies of
San Fernando, Pampanga
San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Sampernandu; fil, Lungsod ng San Fernando), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
also merged with the Adrian Dominican Sisters, forming the eighth "Mission Chapter" or unit of governance of the Congregation. In a coming around full circle, the community in the Philippines that got its start in partnership with the Adrian Dominican Sisters decided to merge with the Congregation. The Sisters became a Mission Chapter of the Congregation in November 2011: the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter.
Leadership
In 2016, the Congregation's General Chapter elected Sister Patricia Siemen, OP, as Prioress; Sister Mary Margaret Pachucki, OP, as Vicaress; Sister Frances Nadolny, OP, as Administrator; and Sisters Patricia Harvat, OP, and Elise D. Garcia, OP, as General Councilors. The Chapter delegates also approved four Enactments that they will focus on through General Chapter 2022: deepening their spirituality and engaging with others in prayer and presence; sacrificing to mitigate their impact on climate change and ecological devastation; facilitating and participating in resilient communities with people who are relegated to the margins; and deepening their relationships with one another, inviting others to vowed and Associate life, and expanding collaboration.
Membership and geographic scope
In December 2020, nine retired sisters died from
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, six within a 48-hour period. While this made national news, it was not untypical of rest homes elsewhere in the United States.
As of January 2021, the Congregation has 507 Sisters and 215 lay Associates, who minister throughout the United States as well as in the Dominican Republic, Norway, and the Philippines.
Shareholder activism
The Adrian Dominican Sisters led
shareholder activism
A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal owner ...
efforts, including in the areas of
executive compensation
Executive compensation is composed of both the financial compensation (executive pay) and other non-financial benefits received by an executive from their employing firm in return for their service. It is typically a mixture of fixed salary, varia ...
,
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
, the rights of
indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
, and
gun control
Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians.
Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with on ...
. Sister Judith Byron, OP is a member with the Adrian Dominican Sisters and the
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) is an association advocating for corporate social responsibility. Its 300 member organizations comprise faith communities, asset managers, unions, pensions, NGOs and other investors. ICCR memb ...
, and serves as a consultant to the Adrian Dominican Sisters' Portfolio Advisory Board and as director of The Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, a coalition of religious communities and health care systems. The Adrian Dominican Sisters introduced shareholder resolutions asking firearms manufacturers
American Outdoor Brands Corporation
American Outdoor Brands, Inc., formerly known as Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation until 2016, is an American manufacturer of outdoor sports and recreation products, with a current 18 brands of outdoor equipment. Until 2020, it owned Smith & Wess ...
(the parent company of
Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (S&W) is an American firearm manufacturer headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States.
Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the "Smith & Wesson Revolver Company" in 1856 ...
) and
Sturm, Ruger & Co. and retailer
Dick's Sporting Goods to report to investors regarding the steps they are taking to reduce
gun violence
Gun-related violence is violence committed with the use of a firearm. Gun-related violence may or may not be considered criminal. Criminal violence includes homicide (except when and where ruled justifiable), assault with a deadly weapon, and ...
.
The Adrian Dominican Sisters purchased 200 shares of
American Outdoor Brands Corporation
American Outdoor Brands, Inc., formerly known as Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation until 2016, is an American manufacturer of outdoor sports and recreation products, with a current 18 brands of outdoor equipment. Until 2020, it owned Smith & Wess ...
(AOBC), the minimum holding needed to qualify to formally submit shareholder resolutions. American Outdoor Brands Corporation opposed the resolution. Investors approved the resolution. On February 8, 2019 American Outdoor Brands Corporation released a 20-page report, which said, in summary, "AOBC’s reputation among firearm buyers and Second Amendment supporters is more critical to the success of the Company and the enhancement of shareholder value than its reputation among industry detractors and special interest groups with a political agenda."
The Adrian Dominican Sisters purchased $2000 worth of shares of
Sturm, Ruger & Co. in order to qualify to formally submit shareholder resolutions. The resolution was co-filed by the Adrian Dominican Sisters and
Catholic Health Initiatives
Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) is a national Catholic healthcare system, with headquarters in Englewood, Colorado. CHI is a nonprofit, faith-based health system formed, in 1996, through the consolidation of three Catholic health systems. It is ...
. Ruger opposed the resolution.
BlackRock
BlackRock, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multi-national investment company based in New York City. Founded in 1988, initially as a Enterprise risk management, risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackR ...
, the world's largest asset manager and Ruger's largest investor, and
Institutional Shareholder Services
Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) is a proxy advisory firm. Hedge funds, mutual funds and similar organizations that own shares of multiple companies pay ISS to advise (and often vote their shares) regarding share holder votes. It i ...
and
Glass Lewis
Glass, Lewis & Co. (Glass Lewis) is a major American proxy advisory services company. As of spring 2019, Glass Lewis controlled 28% of the proxy advisory market for mutual funds; this makes it the second-largest company in the market behind Inst ...
, the two most important shareholder advisory firms in the United States, supported the resolution. At Ruger's annual meeting on May 9, 2018 69% of shareholders voted in favor and Ruger said they would heed the resolution. The
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence called the vote a "first-of-its-kind victory."
The Adrian Dominican Sisters were among shareholders that helped influence retailer Dick's Sporting Goods to stop selling AR-15 style rifle
An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation d ...
s at its Field & Stream
''Field & Stream'' (''F&S'' for short) is an American online magazine focusing on hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. The magazine was a print publication between 1895 and 2015 and became an online-only publication from 2020.
History ...
stores.[
]
Sponsored Institutions
Educational Institutions
*Regina Dominican High School
Regina Dominican is a college preparatory Catholic school for girls grades 9-12, located in Wilmette, Illinois.
History
Regina Dominican was founded in 1958 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, at the request of Cardinal Samuel Stritch. The sc ...
(Wilmette
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Bordering Lake Michigan and Evanston, Illinois, it is located north of Chicago's downtown district. Wilmette had a population of 27,087 at the 2010 census. The ...
, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
)
* Rosarian Academy (West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
)
*Barry University
Barry University is a private Catholic university in Miami Shores, Florida. Founded in 1940 by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, it is one of the largest Catholic universities in the Southeast and is within the territory of the Archdiocese of Miami ...
(Miami Shores, Florida
Miami Shores is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.
History
By the early 1900s, the area encompassing today's Miami Shores Village was occupied by a starch (coontie) mill, a tomato packing plant, a ...
)
*Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University (SHU) is a private Roman Catholic university in Adrian, Michigan. It was founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 1919.
History
The institution was founded for women in 1919 as St. Joseph's College by the Adrian Domini ...
( Adrian, Michigan)
Hospitals
Dominican Hospital
(Santa Cruz, California)
St. Rose Dominican Hospitals
(Henderson-Las Vegas, Nevada)
Literacy Centers
Adrian Rea Literacy Center
(Adrian, Michigan)
All Saints Literacy Center
(Detroit, Michigan)
Aquinas Literacy Center
(Chicago, Illinois)
DePorres Place
(West Palm Beach, Florida)
Dominican Literacy Center
(Detroit, Michigan)
N.E.W. Life Literacy Center
(Flint, Michigan)
Siena Literacy Center
(Detroit, Michigan)
Mothers General/Prioresses
The following Sisters have served as either Mother General or Prioress of the Congregation:
# Mother Camilla Madden 1923–1924 (Provincial, 1892–1923)
# Mother Augustine Walsh 1924–1933
# Mother Gerald Barry 1933–1961
# Mother Genevieve Weber 1962-1968
# Sister Rosemary Ferguson 1968–1978
# Sister Carol Johannes 1978–1986
# Sister Nadine Foley 1986–1992
# Sister Patricia Walter 1992–1998
# Sister Janet Capone 1998–2004
# Sister Donna Markham 2004–2010
# Sister Attracta Kelly 2010–2016
# Sister Patricia Siemen 2016–2022
References
{{Authority control
Congregations of Dominican Sisters
Religious organizations established in the 1230s
Adrian, Michigan
Barry University
Siena Heights University
Christian religious orders established in the 13th century
Catholic religious institutes established in the 20th century
Catholic organizations established in the 20th century