Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

Closing of Chetwood Memorial Primary Centennial Celebrations

By: Odette Haddad, OSF

On May 24, at the Hotel Grand A View in Montego Bay, Chetwood Memorial Primary School joyfully brought its Centennial celebrations to a memorable close after Hurricane Melissa delayed the event last December. 

The elegant evening was filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for 100 years of faith, education, service, and community.

Heartfelt thanks were offered to the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany (FSA) for founding three schools at Mount Alvernia a century ago and for the lasting difference education rooted in values, trust, faith, and service has made in so many lives. Gratitude was also expressed to teachers — especially those who have served Chetwood for more than 20 years — as well as parents, students, benefactors, and the city of Montego Bay. Awards were presented in appreciation, including to Sisters Grace and Odette on behalf of former sister principals Sisters Seraphia, Alma Robert Glenn, and Anne Martin Robonie. Plaques also honored the FSA for 100 years of service and Associate and Projects Director Margaret Jarrett for her guidance and assistance with recovery efforts.

Even as we celebrated this joyful milestone, we remained mindful of the continuing journey of restoration. Hurricane Melissa caused significant damage to the schools, convent, and property, and recovery is still ongoing. We extend sincere thanks to sisters, associates, family, and friends whose generous support continues to aid restoration, with funds still being distributed to the schools and convent. We ask your continued prayers for Jamaica, especially the western part of the island, as communities move forward in the slow but hope-filled work of rebuilding.

Fancy hats, delicious and delicate tea sandwiches and smiles all around.

What a fun Mother's Day Tea and conclusion to our joint sponsored Tampa Bay Associate and Franciscan Center’s Third Annual Mary's Shower! Beautiful place settings and bone China teacups, scones, homemade jelly and clotted cream. Is your mouth watering yet? Not only was the presentation beautiful and the food delicious, but we also had a wonderful presentation by Shirley Calloway on fascinators and hats. More than the various colors and textures of each, she called us to reflect upon the many hats each of us wear throughout our lifetime. Interestingly, it was her father who first piqued her interest in hats as a child. Between that and her role as the wife of a military man, it soon led to her lifetime and growing collection of hundreds of hats and fascinators, including some that were creatively constructed by herself.

This special event was truly delightful from beginning to end with us filling two full tables with some of our local Tampa Bay Associates and friends. Although the Sisters had a separate table nearby, we were happy to share this experience together. If there's a second annual Tea you can be sure that we Associates will sign up quickly, as we have a feeling that not long from now this event will have a waiting list. 

A special thank you to the Franciscan Center staff for this event and for their collaboration on Mary's Shower. The exposure is so much greater and the results better every year. We were able to assist BayCare Women’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s in Tampa, Alpha House in St. Petersburg and Kimberly Home of Clearwater this year. Thanks to anyone reading this and who also generously contributed to this wonderful and worthy cause. The barcode and Amazon Wish List idea was brilliant, as gifts arrived from far and wide. Several generous moms wrote checks that day also, as they knew not of our cause prior to attending the tea. Thank you one and all and of course to our Motherhouse Sisters who first began this outstanding tradition. Through the Tampa Bay Associates and the Franciscan Center, needy moms, children and babies are a bit more supported in the Tampa Bay area. 

Name a section of the eastern part of the US and you’ll probably soon learn that a contingent of Allegany Franciscans served there at one time.

Haddonfield, New Jersey. Check. Homestead, Florida. Check. Winsted, Connecticut. Check.

Asheville, North Carolina. Check. And that’s the part of Sister Roseanne Duffy’s story we wanted to hear.

“During the end of August 1963 three Allegany Franciscans, myself and our pastor, Father Colum Dillon, met at St. Clare Hospital in New York City to begin a journey to our mission in Asheville, North Carolina,” Sr. Roseanne writes.

They arrived the next day. Father Dillon and his assistant, Father George White, OFM, helped the sisters get settled at the convent. The rectory, meeting hall, church and school were across the street with four classrooms attached to the church.

Next to the church was a large US Army Quanset hut where PTA meetings and various church meetings were held. It was used as a cafeteria, entertainment area, roller skating rink and rummage store for the poor.

The parish was in the all-black section of Asheville. This was the era of segregation.

The enrollment of the school was 95 students, all of them were children of color. Seventy percent were non-Catholic. Because of the low enrollment each sister had a double grade.

(May 1965) Sr. Marie Anthony, Fr. Dillon, Sr. Roseanne, Sr. Sandy Teevens

(August 1964) Sr. Joan Michele, Sr. Marie Anthony, Sr. Sandy Teevens, Sr. Judith Anne, Fr. Colum

“In November 1963 we mourned the death of President John F. Kennedy,” Sr. Roseanne continued. “The children were devastated. When the 7th and 8th graders heard the news, they dashed to the church to pray – both Catholic and non-Catholics. I will never forget this day.”

Sr. Roseanne said they were able to get away from the school and church on a regular basis.

Winston-Salem was 108 miles from Asheville, she wrote. Because we were so isolated we agreed to meet each other every other month. (They, too, were Allegany Franciscans and had several schools.) We would just relax and talk, watch a movie, or visit the highlights in each city.

Speaking of highlights, this moment stuck out for Sr. Roseanne.

Each year the Asheville public school system held a singing contest. In 1965 St. Anthony’s School was invited to perform.

“Under the direction of Sr. Joan Carberry, St. Anthony’s School won first place. We were so proud,” Sr. Roseanne said.

“At the end of my fourth year, I received a letter appointing me superior and principal of Corpus Christi School in Miami, Florida,” she continued. “The enrollment was over 500 students; 75 percent were Cuban refugees.”

“My journey as an Allegany Franciscan Sister has strengthened, shaped and enlivened me by the love and support I met on the way.

“May God bless each and every one.”

Patients, the BayCare community and its community partners gathered to watch a dinosaur-painted excavator take its first “bite” out of an existing parking garage, clearing the way for the new state-of-the art Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s.

The new facility, scheduled to open in 2030, will deliver world-class care in a vibrant, welcoming environment that inspires hope and healing.

Philanthropist and business leader Sidd Pagidipati and his son, Aren, get up close with the excavator. The Pagidipati family donated $50 million toward construction of the hospital.

Above: St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Director of Patient Care Services Babette Bailey, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital President Sarah Naumowich and St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Director of Operations Shari Crowe celebrate the "first bite.”

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany have committed a $1 million gift to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation to support the creation of a new, dedicated chapel for the hospital, which will serve as its spiritual centerpiece.

The plan is for the chapel to offer a peaceful and sacred sanctuary where patients, families, and staff can reflect, pray, and find solace during times of hardship and healing. While the current children’s hospital shares a chapel with the adult campus, the Sisters’ gift ensures that the new facility will include a spiritual haven thoughtfully designed for children and their families, who have different spiritual and emotional needs than adult patients and their families.

The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany brought their healing ministry to Tampa in 1934, opening the original 40-bed St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1934. That hospital has grown into a network of five St. Joseph’s Hospitals across West Central Florida

(Photos courtesy of BayCare)