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Archiver > PAALLEGH > 2007-01 > 1168303599


From: Clare <>
Subject: Re: [ALL] Home of the Good Shephard
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:46:39 -0600
References: <001201c73373$5c0f7140$0901a8c0@sandralee>
In-Reply-To: <001201c73373$5c0f7140$0901a8c0@sandralee>


Jeannine,

My cousin was committed to the "Good Shepherd Home" about 1923. She was
mildly retarded and had other problems and her mother, an alcoholic drug
addict was, by this time, out of the picture so the grandparents took
her there. She remained for her life, which ended in cancer in 1986,
becoming a nun but not ever being able to take her final vows. We don't
know for sure why, whether it was her low IQ or if there were other
factors.

The order that ran the home was Sisters of Our Lady of Charity but most
people called them the "Good Shepherds" and thought that was the name of
the order. Susanne will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the records
are at the Diocese. The Motherhouse is in Greensburg, or was a few years
ago, but I was told there is no real information in the records there.

They were cloistered for a long time and they took in "wayward girls,"
some of whom were pregnant and gave up their babies at the Rosalia
Foundling Home, where my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hampton Peden, did
a lot of volunteer work. I remember going to the annual "Open Day" when
the grounds were opened to the families of the nuns (and the girls? I
was too young to know) and some of the girls were pretty hard-looking.
One had her name scratched in her arm and it was all scabbed over. I was
fascinated and repulsed by it :) In the later years they didn't take the
girls anymore, but took in elderly people who had no one to care for
them in their last days.

I'd love to hear from anyone who had a family member in the convent at
the same time as my cousin, who was called Sister Mary Seven Dolors.

Clare in MO

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