Early Ministries
Our first Dominican Sisters came from Holy Cross Convent in Regensburg (Ratisbon), Bavaria in 1853. Their first foundation was in the
Williamsburg section of
Brooklyn. From their earliest beginnings they served primarily as teachers. In 1859, some Sisters from Brooklyn established a foundation on Second Street in New York City. This convent became independent in 1869. The Second Street convent responded to the request from Fr. George Ziegler in Traverse City, Michigan for Sisters to staff a school in his parish.
The first school in Michigan was opened in Traverse City October of 1877 in the newly established parish of St. Francis. A small frame house at 521 Union Street served as the convent and school for six years. Two classrooms were located on the ground floor; the convent occupied the second floor. The school term opened two days after the Sisters’ arrival. There were six students in attendance. Two months later, the enrollment reached fifty.
The Sisters and the students moved to the newly constructed Holy Angels Convent and academy on Tenth Street in 1883.Ownership of the original Union Street convent/school passed through many hands. To the left is a photograph of the Union Street building as it appeared in 1962 prior to its demolition.
Sisters were sent from New York City to staff schools in Muskegon, Adrian and Port Austin in 1879. 1881 and 1882 saw schools opened in Bay City -- St. Boniface and St. Joseph. In the 1920s our Sisters extended their ministries to New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Saskatchewan.
(The year at the end of each heading is the approximate year of the photograph.)
Holy Angels Academy: Traverse City, Michigan • 1883
Holy Angels Academy was built in 1883. School began in the new academy in September of that year.
St. John's Home: Grand Rapids, Michigan • 1889
Our Sisters came to Grand Rapids in 1889 to staff the new orphanage, St John’s Home—as well as the school in the newly-established parish of St. Alphonsus. Our ministry continued at St. John’s Home until 1972. St. John’s Home served as the congregational motherhouse until 1922. At that time, Marywood, which is our current motherhouse, was opened on East Fulton Street.
St. Joseph Parish School: Saginaw, Michigan • 1907
In Saginaw, Michigan a plain wooden building stood at the corner of Third and Potter Streets. Here St. Joseph Parish School was conducted with Miss Anne Caldwell--an efficient lay teacher--in charge. By the spring of 1885 the school had increased to such proportions that the pastor, the Reverend Richard Sweeney, applied to Mother Mary Aquinata Fiegler, the provincial of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids. We began operating the school that fall. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.) This new school grew and prospered under our direction. Before long it earned the reputation of being one of the biggest and best schools through which children were able to successfully complete all twelve grades. The sisters' service in the parish continued until 2002.
Sacred Heart Academy: Grand Rapids, Michigan • 1907
Sacred Heart Academy opened in 1900 as a boarding and day school for girls in downtown
Grand Rapids. The Sisters who are pictured composed the faculty in 1907. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.)
St. Joseph's School: Weare, Michigan • 1913
In 1903, we began to staff the school at St. Joseph's in Weare, Michigan. Sister Letitia Smith was among the first to arrive in 1904. She remained there until her death in 1924. This photograph was taken in 1913. The sisters stayed in ministry at the school until 1979. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.)
St. Mary's Parish: Carson City, Michigan • 1912
St. Mary’s Parish was opened in Carson City, Michigan in 1907. Thirty pupils came to school the first week. There were ninety-nine students in this small country school by the end of that school year. We served in Carson City until 1989. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.)
St. Mary’s School: Saginaw, Michigan • 1910
We served as teachers at Saint Mary's School in Saginaw, Michigan from 1907 through 1982. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.)
Saints Peter and Paul: Saginaw, Michigan • 1917
Our ministry at Saints Peter and Paul School in Saginaw, Michigan, began in 1909 and continued until 1982. (Hover over the Sister's photograph to identify.)
Nazareth Sanatorium: Albuquerque, New Mexico • 1940
In March of 1930, construction began on the site that was to become
Nazareth Hospital. Originally intended as a treatment center for tuberculosis patients,
Nazareth Hospital was converted to a psychiatric care facility in 1947. In 1948, the
New Mexico facility became an affiliated school for the training of psychiatric nurses. By 1965 there were 26 sisters on the staff. The Dominicans continued to serve at
Nazareth Hospital until 1973.
In addition to ministering at Nazareth, the Sisters staffed and administered Guadalupe General Hospital in Santa Rosa, New Mexico; Oasis Valley Convalescent Home in El Centro, California; and Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Brawley, California.
Catholic Junior College: Grand Rapids, Michigan • 1938
Catholic Junior College (later called Aquinas College), offered the Grand Rapids area a Catholic liberal arts education. Aquinas has expanded its offerings and is one of the most progressive colleges in West Michigan. The student body includes people of all ages who are challenged to make a positive difference in the world through their lives.
Marywood Academy Convent • 1922
When the Sisters built the new motherhouse in 1922, Sacred Heart Academy moved from its downtown location on Ransom Street to the new location on East Fulton Street. The new motherhouse and grounds were named Marywood. The academy soon came to be called Marywood Academy and stayed in operation until 1989. Marywood continues to remain the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids.
(For more information about Marywood Academy visit The Academy web page.)