Oral History: Sisters M. Corinne Omlor and Harriet Omlor
Dublin Core
Title
Oral History: Sisters M. Corinne Omlor and Harriet Omlor
Subject
Sister M. Corinne Omlor
Sister M. Harriet Omlor
Description
An oral history of Sisters M. Corinne Omlor and M. Harriet Omlor, Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and blood-sisters. The interview was conducted by Sister James Marie Malone on March 24, 1984.
Sister M. Corinne Omlor and Sister Mary Harriet Omlor were biological sisters who were daughters of Hubert Omlor and Cora Ann Noel. Sister Mary Harriet was born on April 23rd, 1905 in Waynesburg, Pa. As well as Sister M. Corrine, who was born on May 24th, 1906. Mary Helen Omlor and Cecelia Adelaide Omlor entered the community on September 8th, 1925. Mary Helen Omlor was 20 years old and entered as Sister Mary Harriet Omlor. Cecelia Adelaide Omlor was 19 years old and entered as Sister M. Corinne Omlor.
Sister Mary Harriet received her B.M. in Music from Seton Hill College in 1937. She was a piano teacher at Cathedral, Greensburg from 1950-1951; Sacred Heart, Pittsburgh from 1951-1955; Resurrection, Pittsburgh from 1955-1959; St. Teresa Munhall from 1959-1961; Holy Cross, Youngwood from 1961-1963; St. Bruno from 1963-1965; St. Mary, Chandler from 1967-1969; Basha Elementary from 1969 to 1978. She received her B.M. in Music from Seton Hill College in 1937.
Her Final Procession was on May 1st, 1949.
Sister Mary Harriet Passed on December 10th, 1984 at the age of 79.
Sister M. Corrine Omlor received her B.M. in Violin and Minor in Piano from Seton Hill College in 1947. She taught music in grades 3, 4, and 5 at Resurrection, Pittsburgh from 1950 to 1961. She taught at St. Jane de Chantal, MD from 1961-1964. She taught at St. Teresa, Phoenix from 1967-1974 where she then taught at Basha Elementary from 1974 to 1986. Overall, she taught for 46 years.
Her Final Procession was on May 15th, 1949.
Sister M. Corinne Omlor passed on September 5th, 2007 at the age of 101.
Sister M. Corinne Omlor and Sister Mary Harriet Omlor were biological sisters who were daughters of Hubert Omlor and Cora Ann Noel. Sister Mary Harriet was born on April 23rd, 1905 in Waynesburg, Pa. As well as Sister M. Corrine, who was born on May 24th, 1906. Mary Helen Omlor and Cecelia Adelaide Omlor entered the community on September 8th, 1925. Mary Helen Omlor was 20 years old and entered as Sister Mary Harriet Omlor. Cecelia Adelaide Omlor was 19 years old and entered as Sister M. Corinne Omlor.
Sister Mary Harriet received her B.M. in Music from Seton Hill College in 1937. She was a piano teacher at Cathedral, Greensburg from 1950-1951; Sacred Heart, Pittsburgh from 1951-1955; Resurrection, Pittsburgh from 1955-1959; St. Teresa Munhall from 1959-1961; Holy Cross, Youngwood from 1961-1963; St. Bruno from 1963-1965; St. Mary, Chandler from 1967-1969; Basha Elementary from 1969 to 1978. She received her B.M. in Music from Seton Hill College in 1937.
Her Final Procession was on May 1st, 1949.
Sister Mary Harriet Passed on December 10th, 1984 at the age of 79.
Sister M. Corrine Omlor received her B.M. in Violin and Minor in Piano from Seton Hill College in 1947. She taught music in grades 3, 4, and 5 at Resurrection, Pittsburgh from 1950 to 1961. She taught at St. Jane de Chantal, MD from 1961-1964. She taught at St. Teresa, Phoenix from 1967-1974 where she then taught at Basha Elementary from 1974 to 1986. Overall, she taught for 46 years.
Her Final Procession was on May 15th, 1949.
Sister M. Corinne Omlor passed on September 5th, 2007 at the age of 101.
Creator
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Publisher
Archives of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill
Date
1984/03/24
Rights
All rights belong to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Format
Audio cassette tape
Type
Oral history
Identifier
OH-41
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Interviewer
Sister James Marie Malone
Interviewee
Sister M. Corinne Omlor
Sister M. Harriet Omlor
Transcription
41-1 Sisters Harriet and Corinne Omlor
The following interview is being conducted for an Oral History project sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. The interviewees are Sisters Harriet and Corinne Omlor. The interviewer is Sister James Marie Malone. The date is March twenty-fow-th, nineteen eighty fow-. We are in St. John Evangelist Convent in Tucson, Arizona. These two Sisters will combine their responses as their life experiences have been so interwoven.
SJMM: Sister Corinne, could you give me an example of yow- togetherness?
SCO: Yes, Sister Harriet was born in nineteen Hundred Five, and I in nineteen Hundred Six. Sr. Harriet was born on April twenty-third, which was Easter Sunday, and I on May twenty-fourth, Ascension Thw-sday. Since we had very few Catholics in our home town of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, no parochial schools were available, so we were instructed by our parents. Our mother' s Sister was a St. Joseph Sister from Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. In all her letters, especially when we were teenagers, she mentioned many times how one could become a Sister. I really think that was our intention when we petitioned. However, Sr. Harriet went to Seton Hill College, and was greatly influenced by the Sisters, particularly with Sister Carmelita Quigley.
After her Freshman year, we both petitioned. I was sponsored by Sr. Miriam Francis Cunningham, who was a good friend of our mother. We keep in touch with our Protestant friends who claim we broaden their views on the Catholic Church. We were advised to enter on September sixth to be near the head of the group. We never really understood this reason. We left on Sunday, and when we were a few blocks from home, I realized that I didn't have my violin. Upon entering the house on our return, I found our mother crying. Later we realized what a great sacrifice our parents had made.
SJMM: Sr. Corinne, would you like to tell about some of the Missions you were on?
SCO: My first Mission was Holy Innocents in Sheraden. Some of the people I taught there have always kept in touch with me. The second Mission was at St. Stephen' s in Hazelwood. How well I remember that event, for we both had fifth grade. Our fine Principal was Sister Borgio Casey. She was great for having contests between our two classes. I spent a year and a half at Immaculate Conception in Irwin, nine years between Altoona and Johnstown, seventeen years at Resurrection, one year at Sacred Heart, three years and a Summer at St. Jane de Chantal in Bethesda, Maryland, a year at St. John Evangelist in South Side, and finally. my last year 1980 at Cathedral in Greensburg.
SJMM: Sister Harriet, Would you tell us about the House of Mary?
SHO: I was teaching Music at St. Benedict's (now Cathedral) in Greensburg. Every weekend I rode the bus in to Pittsburgh to help at the House of Mary. I stayed with Sister Cyril Aaron and Sister Angelica Little at Roselia Foundling. All the Sisters were very kind to us. It entailed much walking and it seemed that every family we visited lived on the top floor. After being out on Saturday, we were really tired. The huckster would bring vegetables for us to give or sell to the poor. We would start out again, regardless of the time of day. Sister Angelica Little was an example of great endurance in aiding these people. Policemen wouldn't be seen on some of the
streets where we visited people because they were too dangerous. After the house was ready for us to live in, I stayed there for two Summers. Sister Cyril wanted me to stay for the year, but Mother M. Claudia Glenn said that I was to return to Greensburg to teach Music at St.
Benedict's.
SJMM: Sister Harriet, when you talked about teaching Music at St. Benedict' s, what were the living conditions at that time because the parish did not provide a convent for the faculty teaching there?
SHO: Mr. Cramer, the Undertaker, came for us early in the morning at Seton Hill and came back after school and took us back. I was still at the school. One Sister waited for me until six
o' clock PM. The truck driver from Seton Hill came for us an-d drove us home. These were hard times. The days were long. Many of the prayers which were said during the day were said at night. Our maintenance man would drive to Seton Hill at Noon to get our basket of food which was prepared by the kitchen employees at Seton Hill.
SJMM: Sister Harriet, would you like to mention your other Eastern Missions?
SHO: Sister Corinne and I were stationed at Resurrection in Brookline together. We got interested in teaching classes there. Two years that we spent in Washington, DC, in Workshops gave us an opportunity to visit Washington. After teaching Music at Resurrection, Mother Claudia Glenn assigned each of us to a second grade when the Missions were announced in Cecilian Hall. From that time on we have been in the classroom. When I was Sister Servant and Principal at St. Bruno's in Greensburg for three years, I developed Sclera Derma. The last year, I was limping quite a bit, and Sister Mary Donald Cusick came to supervise At Noon, she went to Assumption and returned with a wheel chair. All the children enjoyed wheeling me from class to class and many times were breaking the speed limit! The Parishioners were very attentive in transporting me back and forth between the school and the convent. At the end of the third year, I asked to go West, and was sent to the Casa Elizabeth Seton in Tucson, Arizona...the only year I was off duty. Sister Mary Inez Clark and the other Sisters were very good to me. The next year, nineteen sixty-seven, I went to Chandler, and have been there ever since.
SJMM: (I couldn' t clearly hear this question). I'm sure though that she was asking Sr. Corinne about going West.
SCO: Since it was a difficult time for Sister Harriet, Mother Victoria Brown gave me permission to go to St. Teresa' s in Phoenix. It was in August and was extremely hot. It was in nineteen sixty-seven. I was fortunate to have Sister Macaria Nestor as Sister Servant. She wanted me to see so many beautiful sights. I spent four years there teaching the fourth grade. I left St. Teresa' s in nineteen seventy-five and came to St. Mary' s in Chandler where we celebrated our Fiftieth Jubilee. I taught fourth grade for several years, and then part time teaching Religion because the teacher was not a Catholic. I am now in the Library assisting Sr. Harriet and enjoying it immensely. I play the violin at the nine o'clock Mass on Sundays.
SJMM: Sr. Corinne, it's a good thing that you came to share your talents with the children. SCO: Yes, I'm happy to be using my talents in the service of the Lord. We both now are semi retired. We don't receive a salary. Since we have more time of our own, we are Eucharistic Ministers...give Communion to the Sick, and visit the lonely.
SJMM: Sr. Harriet and Sr. Corinne, I realize that there have been others who have had Sisters in
the Community, who have become Sisters of Charity on the same day, but I doubt that there have
eee t-nm-thet: ha-ve been others who have lived their lives so closely together. Thank you, and may God continue to bless both of you.
Sr. Marie Arthur Hamilton: I completed the transcription of this oral history of Sisters Harriet and Corinne Omlor on Thursday, January thirty-frrst, two thousand thirteen...2013
Original Format
Audio cassette tape
Duration
12:04
Bit Rate/Frequency
96kHz
Collection
Tags
Basha Elementary, Brookline PA, Cathedral School, Chandler AZ, Glyndon MD, Greensburg PA, Holy Cross Youngwood, Munhall PA, Music Teacher, Piano, Pittsburgh PA, Resurrection PGH, Sacred Heart PGH, Seton Hill College, St. Bruno, St. Jane de Chantal MD, St. Mary Chandler, St. Teresa AZ, St. Teresa Munhall, Violin, Waynesburg, Youngwood PA
Citation
Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, “Oral History: Sisters M. Corinne Omlor and Harriet Omlor,” Collections of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill Archives, accessed April 20, 2024, https://scsharchives.com/items/show/711.
Item Relations
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