No Trivial Adoption

In 1856 Mother Theresa Maxis, on a business trip in Toledo, became acquainted with the Grey Nuns of Montreal when she asked for hospitality. She was warmly welcomed and invited back whenever she traveled through Toledo. A decade later Theresa contacted the Grey Nuns of Ottawa (a separate foundation from Montreal). As Superior in Susquehanna, Theresa sought another home for one of the sisters who needed a change of residence.   Within the IHMs at this time, the struggles about observance of the Rule and demands from the Bishops Wood of Philadelphia and Lefevre of Detroit created great tension for the IHMs.  Considering the conditions within the congregation, Theresa, with a vision, with connections, with a desire to care for her sisters, in a “daring deed of hope,” wrote to the Grey Nuns of Ottawa (in Plattsburg NY). Would they consider accepting a sister from another congregation… a transfer sister?  Sister Eleanore Lavoie forwarded Theresa’s letter (1866) to Mother General Elisabeth Bruyere in Ottawa, who consulted with Bishop Guigues.  Approval of such an admission to their congregation was granted.  Sister Mary Whipple, IHM, subsequently joined the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa and was professed as a Grey Nun in August 1867.

The hospitality of the Grey Nuns was extended to Theresa herself and Sister Celestine who had been rejected by their bishops of Philadelphia and Detroit.  In February 1867 they renewed their vows, wearing the habit of the Grey Nuns, but their intention was to return to IHM in Monroe.  Their request to the Detroit bishop for this permission (1868) resulted in the readmission of Celestine, but the rejection of Theresa.  Theresa was truly alone and broken-hearted.  After roaming across several cities, she sought haven with the Grey Nuns who again welcomed her.  In January 1869 she began 16 years of exile from her IHM community.

Sister Paul Emile Guay, SCO, in her 1987 biography of Mother Elisabeth Bruyere, calls the acceptance of Theresa, “No Trivial Adoption” (Guay, p. 325) for this was a visionary, compassionate, kind and generous move on the part of Elisabeth to receive Theresa, a 67-year old religious with no home who had been separated from her own congregation and disowned by the clergy of the Church.

Theresa remained faithful to living her religious life with the Grey Nuns in all details: teaching, praying, taking her turn with refectory reading, pursuing her craft of needlework.  She was considered a wisdom figure by young religious who were “edified by her supernatural outlook, her piety and serene disposition, and who sought her company during recreation (Guay, p. 330).  Yet Theresa yearned to return to IHM. Her hope was unbroken, continuing to live God’s promise, as God planned in his providence. 

In 1883, after Bishop Wood died, more dedicated attempts were made to have Theresa return to IHM.  With the help of a few bishops and encouragement from other clergy who knew Theresa, she made the trip to West Chester in 1885 back to her IHM sisters.

Upon hearing of Theresa’s death in 1892, Father Gaudet, OMI, spiritual director of Mother Theresa for eleven years, wrote: “Mother Mary Theresa lived a very edifying life, observing the rule and following all the exercises of the Grey Nuns as faithfully as possible; charitable and kind to all the sisters; and what was admirable, never passing an uncharitable remark on those who had been the principal cause of her trials.” (Gillespie, 1945, p. 60).

Mother M. Duguay, then Superior General of the Grey Nuns, praised Theresa’s virtues, in particular, her “great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, her spirit of deep faith… her exemplary practice of poverty, her amiability…. Theresa brought to us a legacy of good example and the edification with which she enriched us, adding to it, we are certain, the interest of many prayers in our behalf.” (Gillespie, 1945, p. 63).

Elisabeth Bruyere and Theresa Maxis had many things in common (Thomas, 2023): the foundation of their congregations both in 1845, faithfulness to God’s call, humility, care for the poor, and hospitality – among the core values directing their lives. Theresa’s adoptive life with the Grey Nuns, 18 of her 47 years as a religious, were part of God’s providential plan.

References

Gillespie, Immaculata, IHM. (1945). Mother Theresa Maxis. New York: P.J Kenedy & Sons.

   Guay, Paul Emile, sco. (1947). Mother Elisabeth Bruyere: her life and work.  The Grey Nuns of the Cross. Volume I General Thrust 1845-1876. (Sister Gabrielle L. Jean, SCO, Trans.) Ottawa: Sisters of Charity.

   Maxis, Mother Theresa (1866, July 22) [Letter to Sr. Eleanore Lavoie.] (copy) IHM Scranton Archives.

   Maxis, Mother Theresa. (1889). “Notes concerning my 18 years exile in Canada.” Notes. IHM Scranton Archives.

   Thomas, B., IHM (2023) “Separation and God’s Providence.” IHM Newsletter (January 2023).