There are a lot of items from the calendar in May. May is not only the month of Our Lady, but also of ordinations, installations, etc. etc. Rather than posting one for each, here is a short synopsis.
May 11th marked the 141st anniversary of the birth of Joseph Chartrand, born in Saint Louis in 1870.
May 12th was the 133rd anniversary of the consecration of Francis Silas Chatard as Bishop of Vincennes. (see article below). Chatard almost immediately left for Indianapolis, much to the dismay of the people of Vincennes.
Sunday, May 15th is the 155th anniversary of the death of Saint Mother Theodore, Anne-Thérèse Guérin, (Saint Theodora Guérin) died on May 14, 1856 – 151 years ago. The”Catholic Telegraph and Advocate” in Cincinnati, Ohio, published the following notice about Mother Theodore’s death. She died May 14, 1856.
“œDied – At Saint Mary’s-of-the-Woods (sic), in the 58th year of her age, Wednesday, 14th inst., Sister St. Theodore, Superior General of the Sisters of Providence in Indiana.
“œThis woman, distinguished by her eminent virtues, governed the community of which she was the superior from its commencement, to the time of her death, a period of nearly sixteen years. Being a perfect religious herself, and endowed with mental qualities of a high order, she was peculiarly fitted to fill the duties which Providence assigned her.
“œNot only her Sisters are bereaved by her death, but all those who knew her excellence and the amount of good she did, join in lamenting that she should have been removed from the sphere of her usefulness. Tojudge from the celestial expression of her countenance as she lay in death, there is every reason to believe that she has already taken her abode among the Saints in Heaven, enjoying the munificence of God, who rewards His servants “˜according to their works.'”
Pretty simple stuff for such a holy woman! But, perhaps that is the point”¦
On May 17, 1839, Celestine de la Hailandiere was officially named coadjutor to Bishop Brute. There’s more on that on other pages.
After Hailandiere resigned, succeeding bishops made (or so it seems) an extra effort to ease any fears the Sisters of Providence had. Certainly the cause for Mother Theodore’s canonization had to be supported by each bishop. It still took 150 years for Mother Theodore to be canonized, which was pretty much the norm, unlike what we have seen lately.
Finally, here is the way the New York Times reported Bishop Chatard’s consecration as the fifth Bishop fo Vincennes in 1878: (Click on the image for a larger one).
