Oral History: Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
Dublin Core
Title
Oral History: Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
Subject
Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
Description
An oral history of Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell, a Sister of Charity of Seton Hill from 1933 until 2006. The interview was conducted by Sister Marie Corona Miller on December 1, 1987.
Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell - born Abigail Irene O'Donnell on December 16, 1915 - entered the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in September of 1933. She received a bachelor's degree in education from Duquesne University in 1947 and a master's degree in Spanish from the University of Notre Dame in 1955. Sister Jude Thaddeus taught in the Pittsburgh-area schools during the fifties and sixties, notably at St. James Elementary School in West End from 1953-1959 and at St. Luke High School from 1959-1962. She then began teaching Spanish at Seton Hill College from 1962-1984, serving as an assistant professor of Spanish. Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell died on January 16, 2006.
Creator
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Publisher
Archives of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Date
1987/12/01
Rights
All rights belong to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Format
Audio cassette tape
Type
Oral history
Identifier
OH-79
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Interviewer
Sister Marie Corona Miller
Interviewee
Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
Transcription
OH 79 - 1 Sr.Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
This interview is being conducted as part of the Oral History Program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sr. Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell. It is being conducted by Sr. Marie Corona Miller at Seton Hill College. The date is December First, Nineteen Eighty-Seven.
SMCM: Good evening Sr. Jude Thaddeus. I'm happy to be with you this evening to have you share some of your personal history.
SJTO: I was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania on December Sixteenth, Nineteen Fifteen. I was Baptized in St. Peter' s Church in McKeesport on January Ninth, Nineteen Sixteen. The priest who Baptized me was Father Danny Shields. My sponsors were my Aunt and Uncle, my mother' s brother and sister, John Conroy and Irene Conroy. My mother's name was Margaret Conroy
O' Donnell. She died June Twentieth, Nineteen Twenty-Nine at the age of thirty-six. My father, Leo Francis O' Donnell, died November Fifteenth, Nineteen Sixty-Nine. My mother was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, and my father was born in McKeesport. There were seven children in my family. My name was Abigail Margaret, My sisters...Mary Agnes, now deceased, Peggy, deceased, Leocadia Catherine, deceased, my brother Leo is still living, and I have a twin brother and sister, Joe and Joanne, and they are both still living. They were almost six years old when I entered the Community fifty-four years ago, so that makes them sixty as of November eleventh. My Grandparents were Abagail McElroy O'Donnell. She died in Nineteen Thirty-Four. She was born in Ireland. My Grandfather, Michael O' Donnell was also born in Ireland. I don't remember the exact age that he was when he died. I think that I was nine or ten years old when he passed away. My mother's father was Michael Conroy. He died when my mother was a very young girl.
He was born in Ireland. He was killed by a streetcar. My mother's mother was born in this country, but she was of German descent. Her name was Mary Ann Bear. She died in October of Nineteen Thirty-Six. It was the first family funeral that I attended after entering the Community. I attended (couldn't make out the name of the grade school) in Clairton, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Clairton High School. I went to Seton Hill College. At that time, it was required that we have a year's residence and study Bible. Father Reeves directed the program. It was far too many credits for a degree. I went into Duquesne University to complete my B.A. degree.
However, when I got to Duquesne, I realized that it was going to take me too long to obtain a degree in Spanish there. We decided that I would finish in Education with an English Minor.
SMCM: Sister, had you always liked the Languages?
SJTO: Not particularly. My main interest has been Music, although I enjoyed French. SMCM: How did you get into Spanish?
SJTO: Well, I was studying French in the College. One morning I went to a class in the Summer. Sister Martina Abbot was teaching the class at that time. She was waiting at the door and informed me that Mother M. Eveline Fisher, the Mother Superior asked her for the name or names of the Sisters who were doing well in French. She mentioned my name and another Sister's. The other Sister was meek and mild. Mother Eveline wanted someone to learn Spanish in order to teach it at the high school level. So, I became the victim. That's how I got into teaching the Languages. I went to Mother Eveline's office, and I thought that perhaps I was going to be sent on for further study in French. The thing that had me excited was that Sister Joseph Mary, who is no longer in the Community and Sister Paulina Glenn had just returned from France the previous May. So, I thought, well maybe I'm going to do something like that. However, she said: "I understand that you do well in French, Sister."
SJTO: I said: "Yes, Mother, with all the pride of a young Novice." She said: "Well, dear, I want you to stop French and go into Spanish." My answer was: "But I don't know a word of Spanish." Then she said: "Then you'll have nothing to unlearn." That was the beginning of my career in Spanish.
SMCM: Sister, how did you come about entering the Community of the Sisters of Charity? SJTO: Well, I really don't know. I knew that I didn't want-to become a Sister of Mercy because my Grandmother's sister had been the Mother Superior in the Sisters of Mercy. I was very much attracted to the Sisters of St. Joseph, because I loved their habit and their headdress. My Grandmother Conroy lived in Duquesne and I used to see them at Holy Name, the Parish Church. They were always so nice and friendly. So, I made up my mind that I would become a Sister of St. Joseph, even though I didn't have any other contact with them.
SMCM: Were you still in high school at this time?
SJTO: Perhaps it was my last year in high school. Then I went to see our wonderful Pastor, Father Joseph Lonergan, with this decision. He looked at me and said: "No, you want to be a Sister of Charity." I had never heard of the Sisters of Charity. However, Father said he would arrange for me to meet the Sisters of Charity. Sister Marie Stephen and Sister Pancratius Jablonski's sister was Father Lonergan's housekeeper, so he had her arrange for me to meet the
Sisters of Charity. They decided that we would go to St. James in the West End to see Sister Pancratius. They were having a Play that afternoon in the high school. A very pretty lady, I thought, dressed ready to be part of the Play, answered the door. It happened to be Sister Sara Marie O' Hara. I thought that Sister was dressed to be part of the Play, and that she was one of the high school students. Noone said anything. I had never seen a Sister of Charity, and I was surprised when I saw these little bonnets with the bows under the chin. We went into the parlor, and then the thing for me to do was to meet the Mother Superior. It happened to be Mother M. Ignatia Flinn. Mother Ignatia came down, and she was dressed the same way. I thought now, there's something funny here, but I didn't say anything. It seems strange that an older woman is dressed in this manner. Sister Pancratius came dashing into the room, and it really dawned on me that these were Sisters of Charity. I thought: "This is not for me! I like the habit of the Sisters of St. Joseph." From there, we went to Roselia Foundling after the Play was over to visit with Sister Marie Stephen Jablonski. I met some of the other Sisters there also. I came back to see Father Lonergan, and told him that they were very nice ladies, but that it wasn't for me. He said he still felt that I should be a Sister of Charity. He wanted me to visit Seton Hill. Father went to Seton Hill too, but he drove his own car, because he didn't travel with the ladies. My uncle drove the car I rode in. Anyway, I don't know whether it was me or the Sisters, but something happened.
This is probably where I am meant to be. Maybe I fell in love more with the place than I did the Sisters. Then I was introduced to Sister Theodosia Murtha, who was the Mistress of Novices. We talked for a while. I hadn't made any commitment, but you could possibly call it petitioning. Something terrible really did happen to me. They decided to take me to the Oratory to see a Sister who was laid out there. It was Sister Gaffney. The place was dark. There were no flowers, and everyone was chanting the rosary in a monotone. I think I was frightened to death, and was glad to get out of there! That was my first introduction to Seton Hill. In late June, I was talking to Sister Theodosia, who said how nice it would be ifl entered a day early September seventh
instead of the eighth. There were only three of us, out of the twenty-two in the group who got this message. They were Ruth Dailey, Sister William Ann, Stella Weaver, Sister Miriam Weaver, and Abagail O' Donnell, Sister Jude Thaddeus. When the Novices heard that there was an Abigail entering, they couldn't wait to see what kind of a creature that would be! They still tease me about it to this day. The rest of my group said that I was carrying a stepladder when they arrived, and that I was bossing everyone around. That's about all I can remember about the entrance.
SMCM: Sister, who all entered with you?
SJTO: Sister Mary Aidan Geary was our senior, Sister Paul Gabriel Wilhere, Sister Sara Louise Reilly, Sister Agnes Joseph Hines, Sister Mary Donald Cusick, and Sister Rose Elizabeth Breen. I don't have it written down, but there were twenty-two of us I'll say entered on the same day, although three ofus came early. Out of the twenty-two, only four people left the Community.
Sister Mary Alphonse. Sister Rose Bernadette, and Sister Mary Raymond all left as white caps. Then Sister Audrey, who was from Clarksdale, and a graduate of Seton Hill, left the Community several years later. We've had no deaths in our group. We are still eighteen.
SMCM: Sister, what about your Novitiate days? Can you recall anything from them?
SJTO: That would fill two books and five tapes, I think. Well, I can tell you, one of my first impressions was our first choir practice. Saturday evening, we were all sent down to choir practice. I didn't realize that we didn't have a choice, so I went down the first time to try it out. I had been very well trained in Gregorian Chant by Father Lonergan, and Professor Ottman, and Bishop Carroll at St. Pius Church where Father Lonergan was the Pastor. I used to sit holding the large Liber, the official chant book of the church when I was about five years old. They tell me that at that age I was holding it upside down. All the adult members of the choir nearly killed themselves laughing. We didn't know the names of the notes, but I could sing and conduct Chant. Thank goodness, Sister Ann Regina Sweeney was very humble. She was teaching the Dies Irae.
She admitted to me and the Mistress of Novices that she was just starting this work herself. We started the Dies Irae, and it was not done the way I thought it should be done. We went up to the Novitiate, and of course I knew that Sister Theodosia was ready for me. We sat down, and she said: "Well, Miss O'Donnell, how did you like choir practice?" I said: "Well, if you call that choir practice, excuse me, but I'm not going back." You know how naive I was! I didn't know anything about Sisters. We didn't have any Catholic schools. I didn't really also understand the Mistress of Novices, and why she was hanging around the young people all the time. Fortunately though, Sr. Theodosia didn't say anything to me that night. She did explain it to me later. Sr. Theodosia went to Sr. Ann Regina and she said: "I have this postulant up there, and I just don't know how to handle this." She told Sr. Ann Regina exactly what happened. Sr. Ann Regina said: "Well, I'm sure you'll correct her in your own inimitable way when the time comes, but don't do anything to thwart her, because we'll be able to use her talent in the Community." A few years later, I believe in Nineteen Thirty-Five, when Bishop Guifoyle was coming to the Altoona Diocese, word came that we were to send someone who was well versed in Chant. I was selected to be that person, but I hadn't any formal training. It was decided that I would go to Pius Tenth School of Music in New York for Chant. Sr. Theodosia, knowing me, felt it was better for me not to have all this attention. She really opposed it strenuously. However, after her talking to me many times, numerous threats and warnings, it was finally decided that I would go to Pius Tenth. They could then tell this new Bishop that this Sister had been trained at Pius Tenth in Gregorian Chant. It was a very profitable Summer, enjoyed the experience. I didn't have to learn the technical names of the different notes and things like that. I was having fun, because I really knew the hard part.
SMCM: Do you have any other stories to share
SJTO: I tell this story to my students in Spanish up here at Seton Hill. I have to use the nominative case after the verb to be. Sr. Theodosia was always telling us that if we're not able to perform a duty, we must have someone else do it. That was a sign of a good Sister of Charity. No matter what came up, you were to take care of your duties. Sister Agnes Joseph and I did not go out on mission. I was kept home to study Latin, and Sister Agnes Joseph Hines and I believe Sister Alice Patricia Harvey were kept to obtain some college credits. Well, Sister Mary Fabian Rodgers was sent out to substitute at Sacred Heart in Pittsburgh. Before she left, she asked me to be sure to take care of her laundry, because in those days the clothes had to be categorized in separate bins. She also asked Sister Agnes Joseph. It just happened that some kind Novices brought my clothes with Sr. Agnes Joseph's clothes and put them on the bed. Neither one ofus
thought about Sr. Mary Fabian's laundry. I came sailing into the Novitiate, which is now the Third Administration Community Room and Sister Theodosia was at her desk. It was characteristic of her to throw her cape over her shoulder when you were going to be repremanded, advised, etc. She said: "Just look at that." (Couldn't make out exactly what she was saying, but it sounded like Sr. Mary Fabian's laundry was all piled up at Sr. Theodosia's place in the Novitiate). Right away, I knew what was wrong, but before I could say anything, she said: ''Now, there's that Sister Fabian off to Sacred Heart. She didn't have very much time before she was sent on mission, but she took care of her duties." I said to her: "Oh, Sister, don't blame Sr. Mary Fabian. She asked Sr. Agnes Joseph and I to take care of it." Sister looked at me rather sternly and said: "She asked me." I was too stupid to know that she was correcting my grammar. So I said: "Glory be to God! Did she ask you too?" Even she had to laugh at that. That's the kind of thing that I did.
Here is another story. This is the last one. I had charge of the fifth floor bathroom in fifth administration. At that time, there was a very fine, green, linoleum floor up there. The Sisters' clothes room was also up there opposite the bathroom. There was a large cupboard out in the hall where we kept supplies. We used to go down to the tunnel to get scouring powder. We filled a large can with the scouring powder, and we had smaller cans with holes punched in the top, and you put them on top of the larger cans ( I think that's what she is saying). However, if you spilled some, and you used a wet cloth to pick up the scouring powder, you had a large, white spot in the hall. We used to have to ask for permission to wax, and it wasn't too freely given for the fifth floor at that particular place because the Sisters were coming up and down there often going to the clothes room. Also, Sister Ignatius Loyola, who was quite elderly, had charge of the clothes room. I was upset about having to ask for permission all the time to wax this floor. One day, I went to clean the bathroom, and I saw this little white cap Novice down on the floor filling her little can out ofmy large can. She turned around and I said: "Well, you're the one who comes up and takes my scouring powder. You take it because you don't want to go to the tunnel to get
some. You spill it on the floor, and then you don't seem to realize that when you wipe it up with a wet cloth, you leave a large white spot, and I have to go through Purgatory to get permission to wax it." She was very frightened. Well, I thought, she is impressed and probably won't do this again. All of sudden I heard over my shoulder: "Sister Alphonse, go to your charge, dear. Sister Jude Thaddeus, come with me." Of course it was Sister Theodosia, and so I had another long sess10n.
SMCM: Before we leave the Novitiate, did any funny things happen? What did you do for recreation?
SJTO: The older Sisters Community Room was directly under the Novitiate. Some of the older Sisters invited Sister Theodosia to recreate with them because she was spending all her life with the Novices. Anyhow, we decided that we were going to have recreation. It was like a simplicity night. We made sure that we were being noisier than we would have been with Sister Theodosia there. I can' t remember for sure, but I think it was Sister Agnes Teresa McLane who decided that she was going to teach us Little Peter Rabbit.
SMCM: During your Novitiate time, do you remember the names of any older Sisters who were
here?
SJTO: Sister Aloysius Blakely, I believe was here, and Sister M. Claire Blakely. I can remember that they were two Sisters who were here for some time. At that time, they were part of the Infirmary, and I was serving trays on third admin. I remember little Sister M. Irene Taylor. She died when we were Novices. I remember being so disappointed because we had been taking turns sitting up with her at night and during the day. I knew that she was very low. I decided that I would spend the rest of the night with her because I had charge of serving her tray and feeding her. She was my Sister. Nevertheless, some Sister said to me: "Why don't you go, take your clothes off, get your bath, and you can come back." I went and took my bath in that little room which is right next to what is now the Community Room. I no sooner got in the tub when a Sister came and told me to take my time because Sister Irene had just died. She would have been the frrst person that I had seen die.
Side Two of Tape I for Sr. Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell
SMCM: Sister can you tell me about your experience when you received the habit?
SJTO: We didn't have much of a ceremony in those days. The night before, we went to the Oratory. I believe that is was an Order priest there, possibly giving a retreat. The habits were all folded and placed on a table there. The priest picked up the habit, read the name (Baptismal name), and said what the Sister would be known as in Religious Life. I didn't know what to expect, because when we entered, you were to make three suggestions for the name you would like to be known as in the Community. I had a difficult time with my father at the time I wanted to enter. My mother was dead, and my father did not want me to enter the convent. In fact, I never went home or had relationships with my father until he became ill in nineteen sixty-one and wanted to see me. I never visited home except at the time of my sister's death. Noone except my grandmother, and some aunts, uncles, and cousins, came to visit me because my father did not want me to enter the convent. His remark was: "I was always welcome to come home, but he would never come to see me." So, I prayed to Saint Jude that there wouldn't be any trouble, because I was not twenty-one (couldn't get what else she said here). I promised St. Jude that if
everything went alright, I would ask for his name. Sister Mary Thaddeus McManama was a
Novice at the time. She said: "What name are you going to ask for?" I said: "Sister Jude Thaddeus, and I'll be in your family." She said: "Oh, there's no point in your asking for that, because I asked for that name, and it was thought to be entirely too masculine and so it wouldn't be given to me." I said: "I don't care. I'm going to ask for it. That's it!" We were always interviewed by the Mother Superior, who at that time was Mother Eveline Fisher. She asked me what name I would like to be known as in the Community, and I said Sr. Jude Thaddeus. Mother Eveline said: "Dear, that's a very hard name." I said: "I don't care. I promised St. Jude I would ask for it. If you don't want to give it to me, that's alright." She said: "Now, your name is O'Donnell, and you're Irish, what would you think about Sister Mary Sheila?" I just looked at her and said: "Would I remind you of a Sheila?" She just smiled. I said: "Let's just let it go. I'11 take whatever you give me." When we went back upstairs, Sr. Theodosia asked us about our interviews. She asked me what name I asked for and I told her what happened. She said to me: "You might be surprised if you get Cunegundus." I was very much surprised. Somehow, Sister Mary Thaddeus learned that I was going to get the name...Sr. Jude Thaddeus. She had a lovely
medal of St. Jude, which she prized very much. She had the St. Jude medal pinned on the habit when I got it. The next morning we went to the Chapel where everything was done as usual. In the afternoon your family came. We had what were called visiting hours.
SMCM: Who was your sponsor, Sister?
SJTO: Sr. Pancratius Jablonski was my sponsor. As indicated earlier, Father Lonergan put me in contact with her.
SMCM: Sister, did you go out on mission after you made first vows?
SJTO: Yes, first of all I went down to St. Benedict's to teach some choir music. I was there for one school year and possibly part of a second year. Sister M. Juliana Trexler was the Principal. At that time, we had a little dining room on the ground floor of the school. Mr. Bear, who was the driver for the Sisters of Charity, used to bring a large basket down every day with our lunch in it. SMCM: Did you teach just Music? Also, do you remember the names of the other Sisters who were there at that time?
SJTO: No, Sister Mary Richard Clark had to leave due to sickness in the family. I believe she went to Altoona. She had third grade at St. Benedict's, so I had to help there. I was sent primarily to teach the choir music. Some of the Sisters who were there are the following: Sister Mary Eymard Fleming, who taught the first grade, Sister Anna David Gibson (no longer in the Community), taught second grade, Sister Teresa Clare Kernan and Sister Paulina Glenn taught eighth grade.
SMCM: What happened after St. Benedict's?
SJTO: Next, I went to Cathedral in Altoona to teach Gregorian Chant per Bishop Guilfoyle's request to the Community. I was there for four years. During my four years there, Bishop Guilfoyle missed just four choir practices. We had choir practice every day at eleven o'clock. Some of the Sisters were not too happy that they had to dismiss the choir boys every day for this practice. They knew that the Bishop would be there and we had to just accept it. When I first went to Altoona, Sister Hildegarde Eichenlaub was the Sister Servant. Then, my last year there, Sister Agnes Josephine Brice was Sister Servant.
SMCM: Did you have a large number of Sisters in Altoona when you were there?
SJTO: Oh, yes. We had twenty some Sisters. I think we had two of every grade. Sister Alberta Sweeney had charge of the Altar boys there. The Sisters who taught in the high school traveled back and forth each day. I can remember Sisters Miriam Joseph Murphy, Sara Louise Reilly, and Mary Eudes Clougherty were there in the high school. I can't remember who the fourth person was.
It seems to me that after being in Altoona, I went to Resurrection in Brookline for a year. Sister Maria James Cain was the Sister Servant. I taught Music in the school and also had charge of the choir. Father Quinn was the Pastor, and Father Carey, Sr. Mary Agnes Carey's brother was the Assistant. Then the next Summer I was called in by the Mother Superior and told that Father Lonergan had been made Pastor at St. Anselm's in Swissvale, so she was sending me there to teach Gregorian Chant for him. I said: "Oh, Mother, you don't know Father Lonergan. He would never want me." She said: "Father Lonergan was here yesterday and he requested that you be sent there." I still didn't really want to go there. I thought: "Oh my, the Pastor's pet, which may be
thought by some." It all worked out. There's a funny little story about what transpired at the meeting in Greensburg between Father Lonergan and Mother Claudia Glenn. The first time that Father Lonergan came over to the convent to see me at St. Anselm's he told me. He said: "What did Mother Claudia tell you about it?" I said: "Nothing, only that you had asked for me." He said: "Yeah, that's right." I went in and Mother Claudia very graciously greeted me. She congratulated me on being appointed Pastor at one of our parishes, where the Sisters of Charity taught. She also said that I had done so much for the Community. So, I picked her up on that. I said: "Yes, when I was Pastor at Sutersville, I encouraged Sisters Marie Stephen and Pancratius Jablonski to enter your Community. Some years later, I encouraged Sr. Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell to enter your Community. So, in a sense, I've been a benefactor to the Sisters of Charity. Now I'm here today to ask you for a loan." Mother Claudia looked at him and said: "Well Father, just a minute." She picked up the phone and asked if Sister Anne Elizabeth Regan would please come in. I think that was the name. She was the Treasurer at the time. Of course, Father was getting a big kick out of this. He didn't know. He thought Sr. Anne Elizabeth might have had something to do with where the Sisters were missioned. Sr. Anne Elizabeth came into Mother.' s o ffice.
Mother introduced them, and said: ''Now Father came to request a loan. This is rather unusual,
but don't you think we could do something for Father?" Father said: "I just laughed out loud and said: "Hey, what kind of a loan do you think I want?" Then he said that he told her that he just wanted to borrow you for a while to teach Gregorian Chant because I taught you and knew that you would teach it correctly. Then I went to St. James in Wilkinsburg during the year of nineteen forty-four through nineteen forty-five, I think. I was there for just one year because Monsignor Walsh, the Pastor wanted someone to start a Choir there. At this time, I had completed my work in Spanish, and was sent to Johnstown Catholic High School. I taught Spanish in Johnstown Catholic High, which is now Bishop McCourt I was there for ten years.
SMCM: Would you say that all of your experiences in Spanish were being especially valued and appreciated by you?
SJTO: Oh, yes. I got to the place where I really loved Spanish, although in the beginning I was upset as previously mentioned because I was taken out of French and put into Spanish.
SMCM: Sister, where did you live when you taught at Johnstown Catholic High?
SJTO: We opened Visitation Convent in Johnstown. They wanted Catechetical work done there. We lived there. When I first went there, Sister (I can't understand the name of the Sister that she is giving here). Anyhow, this Sister was the Sister Servant and taught in the High School. Sister
M. Eugenia Hileman taught History, Sister Paulina Glenn taught French, and I taught Spanish. We lived in the new house on Liberty Avenue (I think that's what she said). We taught CCD on Wednesdays evenings after school and on Saturdays. Once again, I had charge of the Choir.
SMCM: Sister would you backtrack and tell us where you got your education in Spanish?
SJTO: First of all, I had some credits from Seton Hill. When we discovered that my work was not complete, I went to Duquesne University. After that, I went to Seton Hill and Sister Serafina Mazza tutored me in Spanish. The College gave me credits for this until I had the equivalent of a major in Spanish. Sister Serafina had studied at Columbia University in New York, and she
wanted me to get my Master's Degree there. I went to Columbia University for two Summers and then I was supposed to stay there for a year to do seminar work on campus. I was living at Johnson Hall and Mother Claudia heard that there had been considerable trouble during the year at Johnson Hall. So she decided that I shouldn't stay in Johnson Hall at Columbia University for a year by myself. She told me that I was to discontinue my work at Columbia University, and that I could continue my work the next Summer at any University of my choice. She strongly recommended Notre Dame because she had studied there. I went to Notre Dame, I believe the Summers of Nineteen Fifty-Two and Nineteen Fifty-Three. I received my Master's Degree from Notre Dame in August of Nineteen Fifty-Four. I also went to Middlebury in Connecticut to study some conversational Spanish. The Community educated me well in Spanish.
SJTO: After I left Johnstown, I went to St. Luke's High School in Carnegie for two years. I taught Spanish and the Glee Club. Sister Mary Henry Hanse was the Principal at that time. Then I went to St. James in West End for five years. After that, I went back to St. Luke's. This time, Sister Mary Agnes Schildk:amp was the Principal. Sr. Mary Agnes went West, so Sister Mary Bernard O'Brien was then the Principal. In the meantime, while I was still at St. Luke's, the Mother Superior called and said that I was to come to Seton Hill to teach Spanish in the College, because Sister Mary Agnes Carey had volunteered to go to Korea. Then it was decided at the local level, at St. Luke's, by Father Kernan, who was the Pastor, and Sr. Mary Bernard that I should finish out the school year because St. James, West End was closing, and they were going to invite students from St. James to complete their education at St. Luke's. They felt that since I had taught at West End, that it would be an incentive. This was presented to Mother Claudia, who was Mother Superior at the time, and she gave permission for me to stay at St. Luke's and complete the school year. The school closed in nineteen sixty-two. I did then go to Seton Hill.
SMCM: Sister, can you tell me anything about your experience teaching at Seton Hill?
SJTO: Well, since Sister Thomas Aquinas (Sr. Mary Agnes Carey), hadn't been here for two years, the Spanish department itself was not functioning as a department. They did hire someone to teach Spanish at the elementary level, and the intermediate level, which would take care of the College requirement. We really didn't have any Spanish majors. When I came however, there were a couple of students who had planned to become Spanish majors, and had taken the intermediate courses. Anyhow, I began working with theses two or three students and eventually the Spanish department did flourish. It was a slow beginning. One of the first things I had to do was to strongly pursue getting a Language Lab as we didn't have one as such. Mark Hoffman, the electrician at Seton Hill had set up what was a very primitive Language Lab in what had been an Oratory on Third Maura. It made it possible to communicate from one tape to another, but certainly did not meet College requirements. So, I went to see Monsignor Ryan. He was very receptive to the idea. He said to me: "You're the one who is going to have to fight for the space." I then had a meeting with Mother Claudia about it, who said she would think about it. At that time, Sister Ann Michaele Reilly was the Treasurer, and I talked to her regarding it. She was very open to the idea, and we talked about what I might use for space. Monsignor Ryan offered money from a small Grant....about Seven Hundred Dollars. At least we had something to start with. He also indicated that we would need furniture.....chairs, etc. He said: "I have a friend in the
furniture business. I'll make sure that the furniture is donated." We started in what was a very narrow passageway. The people who published the "Setonian" used to use this space for storage. Then we were give what had been the "History" classroom. We always referred to it as Sister Stanislaus's classroom. This room was large enough for thirty booths for students. They also converted a bathroom and a kitchenette on third Maura into Language Lab space.
Tape II Side 1
SMCM: This is a continuation of the interview which is being conducted as part of the Oral History program of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewee is Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell. The interviewer is Sister Marie Corona Miller. It is taking place at Seton Hill. The date is December First, Nineteen Hundred Eighty-Seven.
SMCM: Sister, you were telling us about putting in the Spanish Language Lab.
SJTO: Well, it's really for all the languages. At that time, we had four modem languages in the College. We had Spanish, French, German and Russian. We no longer have the Russian and the German on campus. Any student who wishes to take Russian or German takes the courses at St. Vincent's. We had Gray (sounded like) Communications come from Pittsburgh and install the Lab. There were thirty booths, which gave the possibility of recording, listening, The communicating between the console and the instructor. They were reel to reel tapes. Years later, I would say in nineteen eighty-three, we decided we had to modernize the Lab. Gray Communications was going out of the Language Lab business, and we were having considerable difficulty having costly repair work done. We applied for a Grant, which we did receive. We installed a modem Language Lab, a computerized console with thirty student booths. One big advantage is that we now have cassettes. Now, the student can record the tape and take it home to practice there. They can't do comparative work at home because in the Lab we set up the recording on two tracks. The Lab we now have was installed by "The Education Media Incorporated" in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma. We're fortunate to have on the faculty, B.J. Burma, a gentleman who is able to make any minor repairs which are needed.
SMCM: What about the percentage of students today who are studying Spanish? Has it increased or decreased?
SJTO: We had a period when it increased greatly. Then, it fell off as far as majors is conceme but we discovered that it was due to the job market. Spanish or French is an asset for going into any occupation that someone is pursuing. However, they sometimes have to take a second major. For example, we have several who are in business, and they will take either a French or Spanish rmnor.
SMCM: Sister, what else can you tell me about the College since you've been here? How many years has it been now?
SJTO: Well, this August, I will have been here for twenty-five years. I came to the College in August of Nineteen Hundred Sixty-Two.
SMCM: And, are you head of the department?
SJTO: No, I was Chair of the department, I believe, for nineteen or twenty years. We are really supposed to rotate every four years, but it didn't work out that way. The other teacher working
with me felt that she didn't want that responsibility while she was working for her Master's Degree. She also had responsibilities to her family. Finally, the Dean decided that she would have to take it on because of the policy we had. So, she was the Chair person for four years. Then, she went on for her PIID, so I became the Chairman until she received her PIID. This year, I went on part time. I'm teaching two full courses, helping to supervise the Language Lab, and tutoring three students.
SMCM: Now Sister, in your work with teaching Spanish, have you had any occasion of having any experience with the Spanish people?
SJTO: My first experience, oddly enough, was when I was studying at Notre Dame. We worked with the Legion of Mary. Father Borestrau (if that's how it's spelled), one of the professors at Notre Dame, took on that responsibility. He used to ask the Sisters who were in the Spanish department if they would volunteer their services. For the three Summers that I was at Notre Dame, I worked with the Migrating Farmers. I worked at a place called "Gunsbob" (again if the Spelling is correct, and it sounds like that is what Sister said). It was an orchard where peaches are grown. The migrants came to that area to work. They lived in wooden shacks with no windows. A square piece of wood was cut of the building and a screen was put over the opening. They had petroleum hot plates for their meals which I suppose they placed over the heat of the stove. If it rained, we had to go into their houses to teach Catechism, which we taught in the morning as well as in the afternoon, and again on Saturdays. Then on Saturday afternoon, we would go out to take the census and visit with the people. While I was at "Gunsbob", there were five families who stayed throughout the year. They all worked on the farm. I know there was one family who also had a store. Very often the children you had one particular Summer did not return the following Summer. There was a Polish church which permitted Father Borestrau to come from Notre Dame and say Mass for the people occasionally. Once in a while other people
, would come to this Mass, but it was mostly the migrant farmers. We celebrated receiving your First Holy Communion every Summer, and Confirmation every other Summer. You never saw children so well dressed for anything in your life. I was the only Sister of Charity there. One Summer, there were two Sisters of St. Joseph from Baden, a Franciscan Sister from Iowa, who was a native Spanish speaking person and was there one year, and there were two Dominicans. I believe there were seven of us. We usually tried to keep it at about seven or eight.
SMCM: Did you all go to the same place?
SJTO: No, the Franciscan Sister and I went to "Gunsbob", and then there were two other farms. The first farm that I went to, I tried, but couldn't stay there because different farms specialize in different things. The first Saturday I went, I was very sick because they had a mint and onion farm. The odor from the ground was beyond my endurance. Then Father gave me a choice of going to a peach or potato farm, either of which was acceptable, so to the peach farm I went. I did this for three Summers. One other thing, on Wednesday evenings, when we were preparing them for their First Communion or Confirmation, The Legion of Mary would transport them to the Grotto at Notre Dame, so that they didn't have to stand in the back of the truck. The Legion of Mary also provided a box lunch for them.
I have a cute story that occurred when I was teaching those in the First Communion class. I also
taught singing, so for First Communion, taught a Spanish hymn to Mary. Well, they would sing the first verse with gusto, but no matter what I did or said, there was no way they would sing the second verse. Finally, one Wednesday evening when we were practicing there was a woman beside me who also sang the first verse with gusto, but didn't sing the second. I proceeded to tell her ofmy dilemma, and she said: "That's not the second verse." I said: "Well, I'm reading it from the bilingual catechism we were given." She said in Spanish: "Permit me." She started what was the second verse, and you could have heard it three blocks away. They sang what they knew as the second verse, and they were not going to sing what I thought was the second verse. The Mexican women were very kind and receptive. The Mexican men are somewhat antiĀ clerical. They didn't bother too much. One day, Father Borestrau said to me: "They will listen to a Sister, but not a priest." When Father wanted the men to receive a message, he would ask the children to bring their Father, and then I would convey the message.
SJTO: I think it was in Nineteen Sixty-Nine, that the College gave me the opportunity of going to Spain. I wasn't going there to study, but wanted to travel, to try to get some conversation and learn some first hand information about their customs, their language, and their country in general as I was teaching Spanish. I left Greensburg at the end of May, and returned at the end of August. I covered all of Spain, with the exception of the northwestern comer.
While in Spain, I was traveling in a car to a Bookstore to purchase some books to mail back to Greensburg, as I was told it would be less expensive and also possible to find these books. As we were going to the Bookstore along the Main Avenues (portion of this I couldn't get because Sister was speaking too fast), we had an accident. The traffic light was green on both sides. I have never seen this happen. There was a Sister in the car telling me about a statue of the Medici Family (think that's what she said). Luckily, the men coming the other direction were going very slowly, or we would have been killed. Our car was a Fiat. My head went through the windshield. I had a large and small cut on the forehead, and a cut on my nose. All I could see was this blood gushing. The traffic cops in Spain stand on a little pedestal, and they wear white gloves. The traffic cops, of course, came down. The men in the other car were babbling on and on. I kept saying in Spanish that I wanted some help. Finally, they put me in an ambulance and took me to a cop station (she used a term for it, but couldn't understand). It was the equivalent to a First Aid Station. They take all your vitals, bandage you, stop the bleeding, and then ship you off to a hospital. They took me to a Catholic hospital. We had to cross the scene of the accident in order to get there. In the emergency room, they were babbling back in forth in Spanish. I was able to determine what they were saying. The gist of it was that they weren't going to keep this Nun at this hospital, because there's too much problem with the Insurance in getting paid. So, then they took me across town to the Anglo/American Hospital. It was a very small hospital. The doctors for the Air Force are the ones who took care of the patients there. Because ofmy being a Nun, they didn't know what to do with me. There was
one room with a vacancy. There was a young woman in this room who had had an abortion, and I suppose that they were hesitant about putting me in with her. I did get put in the room with her. Julie was her name, and we became friends. She had this Spanish boyfriend. It was just unfortunate that she had this trouble. Then they wanted to know if there was someone that they should contact about my being in the hospital. I said no, that I would take responsibility for
13
ffl'lfemmate that sh@ had this tretiale. 'f.hen-they-wanted..toJcnaw..if-theF@-Was-s9ffieet1e-that they should contact.aha eing in the hospital. I saia n&,-that-l-w.o.uld.tak poftSibilrty for whatever. They agreed that I was not in any immediate danger due to my injuries.
Tape II Side II
SMCM: Sister there's just one more thing I would like to ask you. Do you have any comments about the changes in the Community?
SJTO: To be very truthful, they really haven't bothered me. In the beginning, I decided that I would go with the modified habit, and I really didn't expect that both sides of the issue would get along as well as they did. I've been at Seton Hill the whole time, and I haven't suffered in any way due to the changes. I found out that I just live, and let live. I believe that I'm the first one to compliment a Sister who wears a new contemporary dress.
SMCM: Did you have any problem with changing to saying the Office?
SJTO: No, absolutely none. I feel the same about any other changes which may occur in the Church. I think that we just have to go along with it.
SMCM: Sister, is there anything else that you would like to tell me?
SJTO: No, I can't think of another thing, and I've rambled a lot, more than I expected to. SMCM: I really appreciated your time today. I know that you are tired after a day of teaching. This tape will be kept in the Archives of the Community at Caritas Christi, where it will be part our heritage as Sisters of Charity.
Sr. Marie Arthur: I completed the transcription of the oral history for Sr. Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell on Wednesday, July Seventeenth, Two Thousand Thirteen (2,013).
Original Format
Audio cassette tape
Duration
31:55
31:55
31:51
05:58
31:55
31:51
05:58
Bit Rate/Frequency
96kHz
Collection
Other Media
Citation
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, “Oral History: Sister Jude Thaddeus O'Donnell,” Collections of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Archives, accessed April 25, 2024, https://scsharchives.com/items/show/708.
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