A Little Good: The Sisters of St. Mary in Texas

Description: The arrival of three Sisters of St. Mary of Namur at the railroad station of Waco, Texas, on September 23, 1873, brought remarkable change to the state of education in the center and north of the state. Hoping "to do a little good" by living their faith and establishing Catholic schools, Mother Emilie, Sister Mary Angela, and Sister Stanislaus were somewhat appalled to learn that Waco boasted only twenty-five Catholic families, and among them were only six school-age children. But Protestants too appreciated the education that was offered. Other sisters came, and in less than forty years Waco, Corsicana, Ennis, Denison, Sherman, Wichita Falls, Fort Worth, and Dallas boasted flourishing Catholic establishments. Boarding schools offered girls in rural areas as well as towns an opportunity for education. Who were those sisters? Where did they come from, what did they find, and why did they stay? That story, sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, always challenging, is the subject of this book. Endorsements: "Sister St. John weaves ... written history and living history of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur into one portrait of the love of God in Christ. I am very happy and grateful to have the chance to introduce this work, and to thank Sister St. John and all of the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur for the witness of religious life ... and for their personal kindness, support, and prayers." --Kevin W. Vann Bishop of Fort Worth "What joy to see the completion of Sr. St. John's A Little Good. It presents a lively and tender testimony of our Congregation's mission. Filled with touching stories of courageous women who gave their all to advance Catholic education and Christian values in the Southwest, it is a true reflection of the graced history of our charism, as Sisters of St. Mary, lived to its fullest." --Sister Rejeanne Roussel General Superior of the Sisters of St. Mary About the Contributor(s): Sister St. John Begnaud, SSMN, was brought up in the Waco school, and has been a Sister of St. Mary for sixty-nine years. She has served in the Congregation's Motherhouse in Belgium as well as in schools established by the sisters in Texas, California, Congo, Rwanda, and Cameroon.Read less