Exploring the Dominican Sisters

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Introduction Women have traditionally been pushed to the background in historical study. Prior to the late 20th century in America, women were not major policy makers, and were relegated to the private sphere. Religion as well, pushed women to the sidelines. It was not until Vatican II that women were able to have even a small part in Roman Catholic mass. While analyzing religious life and trends, women simply were not part of active official practice. Politics and religion are two major areas of historical study, but they dismiss half of the population because of women’s limited involvements. Women that devoted their lives to God, however, entered a semi-public sphere available for study today. Religious sisters and nuns were women who found agency and an avenue to representation through religion and devotion to God. There were many Religious orders, groups of women who follow a “Rule” and live in community for God (Wolfe 31). The Dominicans especially offered these opportunities to women of diverse backgrounds throughout the United States. St. Dominic de Guzman founded the Dominicans in 1215 after Pope Honorius III approved it (Wolfe 35). They are founded on the four pillars of prayer, study, community and preaching. Initially a European organization, the Dominicans crossed the Atlantic with waves of immigrants in the 19th century (Kohler 53). The Dominicans allowed women to devote their lives to God while studying. Other options available to women of the time were extremely limited. Neither “officially” worshipping God nor studying beyond childhood would have been available to women outside the confines of a convent. The sisters also taught young children, engraining themselves in the everyday lives of their neighbors. Th... ... middle of paper ... ... The Story of the Dominican Sisters of Racine, Wisconsin. Milwaukee: Bruce Pub., 1962. Hathi Trust. Web. Life of Mother M. Camilla Madden, O.S.D. Adrian, MI: Sisters of St. Dominic, n.d. Hathi Trust. Web. "Making God Known, Loved, and Served: The Future of Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in the United States." Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice 11.3 (2008): 276. Academic OneFile. Web. Thompson, Margaret Susan. "Adaptation and Professionalisation: Challenges for Teaching Sisters in a Pluralistic Nineteenth-century America." Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education 49.4 (2013): 454-70. Taylor & Francis Online. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Wolfe, Mary Catherine. One Mind & Heart in God: Dominican Monastic Life. West Springfield, MA: Conference of Nuns of the Order of Preachers of the United States of America, 1989. Print.

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