| East Dubuque Local Area History Project | |
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| The Motherhouse of the sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1892, and it is called Mt. Carmel. There are more then five hundred windows in the building and not one is the same size. It has fireplaces in about every room on the ground floor and each one has different tile around it. When the sisters first came they made their own shoes and their own candles. | |
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The sisters originally came from Dublin Ireland, and went to New York, from there they went to Philadelphia from Philadelphia they came to Dubuque . They came to Dubuqe in 1843.The reason they came to Dubuque is because Bishop Loras asked them to come and teach. At that time there was a priest in Philadelphia named Father Terrance Donaghue and Bishop Loras asked him to come to Dubuque with the sisters. |
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| The founder of Mt. Carmel was Sister Mary Francis Clarke. They are sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (B.V.M.). The main building is called the Mary Building, and the other buildings came along as they needed them. All the buildings are still in use today, they are used for nuns to live in. When they came to Dubuque every one was glad to see them. They helped out with a lot of schooling when they came, they where mostly teachers, they also opened some schools. | |
| The oldest nun ever to live at Mt. Carmel was 107 years old. There are about 900 nuns in the whole congregation. | |
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Bibliography Field Trip to Mt. Carmel Interview Sr. M.Kevin B.V.M. Dubuque On The Mississippi Loras College Press
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