Sisters
of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity
Holy Name Province
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Tales from the Archives Since 1988 “From the Archives” has appeared as a series of occasional columns in the province newsletter, “Around the Province” (ATP.) These articles were originally intended to share some of the contents of the collections in the province archives with the sisters, to elicit their memories, and to remind them of our congregation and province history. We hope that you will enjoy these brief glimpses into the past lives and ministries of our sisters and that you will return regularly to see what has been added. March 2012 This month we return to S. Elisa Ackermans’ work, Our Sisters in Indonesia in the Years 1940-1945: In Particular the Internment Camps from 1942-1945, to learn a bit more about the situation our sisters initially faced in the wake of the Japanese invasion of Java. With the arrival of Japanese troops in Semarang, the reality of war was immediately present to the sisters. Nationalist elements used the upheaval as an excuse to vent “their hatred toward anything Dutch by murdering and pillaging.” Buildings were torched and looting was rampant. Although the Dutch East Indian government officials had fled, there was no thought that the sisters, brothers, and priests would do anything but remain at their posts—this despite the many dangers such decisions would ultimately bring. The motherhouse of the sisters is still located directly between the harbor and the center of the city. The risk was surely substantial. The Mission Superior, Mother Hortense decided it would be safer to move the novitiate with all the young sisters to St. Elisabeth Hospital located in Tjandi, an area in the upper city and removed from the more direct comings and goings of the commercial and port areas. Our Dutch sisters had to register with the commander. A fee had to be paid for this registration . . . Those registered were given a red band with their registration number, which they had to wear around their arms at all times. . . . The Japanese issued more decrees. The Dutch, including our sisters, were no longer permitted to teach and the Dutch language was banned from public life. This was a serious handicap for the sisters, for they hardly spoke any Javanese or Malay. Mother Hortense . . . now deeply regretted not having complied with repeated requests from the sisters to allow them to learn Javanese. She had even declined the explicit request to this effect from the apostolic vicar of Semarang . . . . as she felt that the sisters would not do the native population a service by stooping down to their level—despite the fact that language is the bridge to the population. It was now the duty of the native East-Indian sisters, most of whom were Javanese, to take over full responsibility for maintaining the schools while at the same time performing all the other work formerly done by the Dutch missionaries. They were also required by the Japanese occupying forces to learn Japanese and attend numerous political meetings. The purpose of these “re-education” gatherings was to drive a wedge between the native population and the Dutch. It seems that, in the case of the sisters, this was not successful. In the meantime, the Dutch sisters had many hours of enforced leisure which they spent in “making toys, knitting, crocheting, and sewing.” They were able to sell these items to the Japanese and Chinese and, thus, augment the low salaries being earned by the Javanese sisters. “The sisters even knitted for a factory which supplied to the occupying forces!” They also took on as much of the household work as possible as it was difficult to retain native staff who feared being labeled as sympathizers if they continued to work for the Dutch. Meanwhile, rumors kept circulating that the sisters would be interned soon, and from February 1943 onward, one convent after the other was notified that their sisters would indeed be interned. This marked the start of a dark period in the history of the Dutch sisters in Indonesia. It is best defined as a time of anxiety, hunger, hard labor, lack of any form of privacy, humiliation, illness, intimidation and threat: the time of internment in the camps. Jan 2012 As we begin another calendar year, From the Archives begins a new series of articles drawing on the most valuable work of S. Elisa Ackermans of the Province of Divine Providence, Netherlands. In December 2010, S. Elisa published the results of her research on the internment of the sisters in the Dutch East Indies during World War II. Our Sisters in Indonesia in the Years 1940-1945: In Particular the Internment Camps from 1942-1945, is based extensively on the reports written by the sisters who had personally experienced internment. When I received my copy of the work, I realized at once that this was a story that needed wider circulation, and contacted S. Elisa to obtain her permission to publish excerpts of her work in my regular archives column for ATP. By return e-mail, S. Elisa graciously agreed to this and repeated what she had stated in her preface, that the account “has been written for all fellow sisters,” associates, and others “who are interested in this period in the life of our congregation . . .” We will begin this month with some historical background material presented by S. Elisa and will continue in upcoming columns to present further stories related to the situation of the sisters, overall view of internment, specific camps, psychological and other effects of the internment, etc.
In order to place the internment of our sisters in a historical perspective and explain why they were interned, I first need to give some historical background information to the war years.
By the end of the 1930s, it was clear that the world was close to a second world war. . . I will limit myself to discussing the relationship between Japan and Indonesia.
Japan, which has very few natural resources, looked with envy at the large quantities of oil, rubber and other valuable products from the Dutch East Indies . . . that were shipped not only to the Netherlands, but also to America, the UK and Australia. Japanese spies had signaled this for years. Large numbers of them had settled in Indonesia and started a lively barter trade. When Japan started to increase its political involvement, making known that it intended to dispose of the Dutch government in the Dutch East Indies, the Dutch government in The Hague and Batavia—now Jakarta—braced itself.
[The Dutch had been at war with Germany since 1940 and after Pearl Harbor, allied themselves with the US, the UK, and Australia, thus placing them at war also with Japan.]
The Royal Dutch East-Indian Army, the KNIL (Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger) . . . was powerless against the Japanese supremacy . . . on 9 March 1942, the Netherlands capitulated.
As it happens, as early as on 1 March 1942, the Japanese troops had set foot ashore on the north coast of Java, in, among other cities, Batavia and Semarang. Governor General Van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer capitulated with 90,000 troops. He was personally deported to a concentration camp in (Manchuria), whilst the soldiers were interned in prisoner of war camps. A few months later all Dutch men and boys met with the same fate: they were herded together in concentration camps. Some time later, 200,000 women and children were concentrated in such camps as well. It was claimed that they had to be separated from the native population to “protect the Dutch against the aggression of the native East Indian population.” By using this argument, the Japanese cleverly capitalized on a widespread sentiment among the native East-Indian population: it had been felt for a long time that the Dutch East Indians wanted to cast off the colonial yoke. The real reason for the internment was that the Japanese just wanted to nip any possible influence from the Dutch in the bud. Dec 2011 Certainly we’re all familiar with the expression, “history repeats itself.” There seem to be no end of examples which prove the truth of that saying. Often, while scanning the pages of various letters, reports, and chronicles which make up the collections in our province archives, I am struck by how familiar much of it sounds—as though it were written in our own time and not fifty, seventy, or a hundred years ago. I came upon a couple of excerpts recently which seem exceedingly timely in the face of the economic news with which we are bombarded each day. If you could not see the dates, would it not be almost possible to think these were penned in the 21st century? In the world without, the terrible business depression seems to be growing worse. One hears on all sides of banks failing, people in despair, and black misery in so many homes that were once prosperous. For us, spoiled children of the Good God, all goes on as usual. We are never in want, although our superiors have very great anxieties on account of some of the houses where there are large debts and no income. --from Stella Niagara Chronicle May 1932
The year 1933, with its many blessings and trials, passed only too quickly, and now we are on the threshold of another year.
Though we have been witnesses of much suffering and want among the people of the parish, we, ourselves, have experienced no want, due, no doubt, to the hundredfold promised by the Master.
The City Authorities have done much relief work, but it seems that our Catholic School Children were left out of the deal. In spite of our efforts and work to be the means of helping them, and in spite of our Catholic Relief Committee, few received aid. We were dependant mostly on the charity of our own Catholic people, who gladly shared the little they had with those who were less fortunate. Many have said that they met with difficulty upon difficulty in their efforts to make ends meet--but usually added, "Others are having it harder--we have no cause to complain." --from Chronicle: Sacred Heart Convent, Columbus, Ohio Sept 2011 We were all students once and many of us were (or are) teachers. Despite the fact that, for most of us, September no longer means preparing classrooms and lessons or facing an assortment of students ranging from eager first-timers to jaded high school seniors, this time of year still brings with it a sense of starting over. There are memories in our minds—and in our archives! Dipping into the chronicles of 1936, I found the following “tidbits” from the first days of school seventy-five years ago. Maybe you were there! Stella Niagara: School reopened on the 8th with a record-breaking attendance, and as the first weeks of school passed by, the applications continued to come in, until one began to wonder where to find room for those new arrivals, both in dormitory and in classroom. Never, since the opening of the school in 1908, had there been such a large attendance. The Cadet School increased from 38 last year to 64 this year. The other departments of the school likewise experienced an increased enrollment. Sacred Heart Academy: On September 10, Sacred Heart Academy opened its doors to the largest enrollment it has ever had—way over the top of 400 pupils were registered. New classes had to be opened, new teachers, and new desks were an added necessity. St. Ann’s, Buffalo: On September 8th school reopened with an enrollment of over 1000 pupils, including the Commercial. Sacred Heart, Columbus: School re-opened September 7 with an enrollment of 317 in the grades and 111 in the Commercial Department. St. Aloysius Academy: On September 9, school opened with attendance about the same as last year. Shortly after the opening of classes, the Sodality held its preliminary meeting when Rita Marzluf, Prefect, welcomed the old and new members, urging all to unite under the banner of the white and blue for strong Catholic Action. St. Francis Mission, SD: Many of our children returned from their vacation. The first week in September the crowd swelled to the number of nearly three hundred, thus showing how anxious the children were to return to their mission home and studies. The number at present is four hundred and eighty-two. St. Mary’s Academy, O’Neill, NE: Children seemed to pour into the school on registration day, making our attendance list larger than ever before. The high school registration reached 121, the grades 188, and boarders number 99. We had to refuse some until second semester. The school year opened with Holy Mass and Communion on the feast of Our Blessed Mother. It has been visibly blessed. St. Elizabeth Convent, Charleston: Sister Robertine is now teaching at St. Vincent’s. Sister Rosaire came to teach the second and third grades instead of the lay teacher, Miss Snyder. The High School opened on September 1, while the grades opened later on September 8. Sister Eulalia and Rosaire make their weekly visit to St. Albans to teach Sunday School classes. The children of the parish who attend public schools, receive their weekly instructions on Sunday after the nine o’clock Mass. These classes are conducted by Sisters Fides, Antona, and Cleta. Grace Day Home, Sacramento: School reopened August 31 with an enrollment of 280 which has increased to 290. The Japanese kindergarten had a remarkable increase with 28 in attendance. The work there has made great progress during the past year. A Mother’s Club has been organized and the mothers show great interest in school affairs. Sunday school also was started, and it is hoped that this will be the beginning of real mission activity. St. Joseph, Gowanda: School reopened September 8 with an enrollment of one hundred four, six more than last year. We thank God that these six have come from the public school to our Catholic school where they will be instructed in the truths of their religion. What a grand surprise we had on the opening day of school: we were honored by a visit from dear Mother Gerard and dear Mother Clarissa. They spent recreation with us and then left for Stella. Give us another surprise like that again, dear Mothers! May 2011 May, the month of blossoming flowers and greening trees. The month of Marian devotions. The month we, as daughters of Mother Magdalen, celebrate the foundation of our congregation—May 10, 1835--176 years ago. We are all, certainly, aware of the basic story. We have read various
versions—those of Father Metz, Sister Liguori, Sister Angelita, to name the most
familiar. Peter van der Zandt’s original chronicle, written between 1849 and
1867, brings one point of view; S. Lina Hoster’s Blutengartlein, begun in
1862, takes a different slant. According to a report of S. Pacifica Grimmelt, S. Lina undertook her work under the direction of Mother Aloysia Lenders and "what she wrote is true in my opinion." S. Pacifica notes, however that "the instructions and exhortations of Mother Magdalen were worked out by Sister Lina or Mother Aloysia . . . because Mother Magdalen was not eloquent and I never heard any instructions from her. She only said a good word sometimes as occasion arose. When she saw that a sister was in a conflict or in trouble, she would say, ‘Child, have courage!’ or ‘Trust God, all will be well!’ She would also say, ‘Child, make your intention, I will pray a novena for you.’ or ‘I will go to Holy Communion for you tomorrow!’"
"The devil, however, intent on thwarting a good work—having to see it is his greatest torture—awakened ugly and scornful thoughts about this maid in many people so that some of them said angrily, ‘Now we shall see what those nuns are going to do. They are conceited indeed. They buy a house which they cannot pay for. They run around the whole day without doing anything, they go begging from house to house like the most common vagabonds. They have everything and we have to pay their debt.’ Such and even worse things were heard, but this could not discourage the sisters. On 10 May 1835, after invoking the Holy Spirit, they moved into the new house, and Sister Catherine said, ‘Dear children, let this be our concern now: to change this house into a convent. Above all it must be clean, you see untidiness and dirt everywhere. The sisters answered, ‘Look at our strong arms, they shall work for the glory of God so that the Kreppel cannot be recognized in a short time.’ And what a joy it was to see how the sisters worked, how they got bushels of dirt out of the corners here and there, upstairs and downstairs. Sister Catherine said, ‘Now, dear children, it must be our concern to become religious: in our hearts and our way of life.’" March 2011 In some parts of the country, winter's snows may have already given way to springtime's showers. for many, this is a welcome development as it heralds the arrival of blossoms and flowers and the promise of outdoor activities. the melting snow pack and torrential downpours, however, also bring misery and destruction to many. Both local and national newscasts provide many stories detailing the devastation wrought by overflowing streams and rivers. The pages of our own province history capture the watery reality of an earlier day experienced by our sisters in Columbus, Ohio. In that year(1913) a great calamity overtook Columbus. On Easter Sunday a terrible storm of thunder and lightning broke forth, followed by three whole days of incessant and heavy rain. In consequence of this the Scioto overflowed its banks and flooded the West Side. Telegraph poles were borne down, houses and bridges were carried away; even the cemeteries were devastated, for the corpses were washed up by the turbulent waters. The misery of the people was very great indeed; the electric current was cut off and so there was no water to be had but rain water, no light in the streets or homes. Worst of all, many lives were lost, while others who saved their lives were stripped of all their property and had to begin all over again to build up a home. A great tribulation calls forth great charity as a rule, and the people of Columbus formed no exception to this. Father Eis gave shelter to fifty persons whom he fed for days; and food was sent from the parish to many of the destitute who were in other places of shelter. January 2011 Whether you were among the recent holiday travelers or were safely ensconced near your own cozy “Christmas hearth,” I’m certain few are unaware of the difficulties posed for those who were on the roads or flying the not-so-friendly skies. From deep snow and howling winds in the east to tornadoes and deep freezes in the south to heavy rains and flood waters on the west coast, it seems that almost every area of the country (except for Western New York!) suffered from Mother Nature’s stormy presence. And, as anyone who has flown recently knows, it is not just bad weather which brings angst and headaches to the weary traveler. Ever-changing security regulations, baggage charges, and schedule changes have combined to take much of the joy out of any trip. Those hoping to avoid such difficulties frequently decide to drive to their destinations, but they, too, face the dangers and frustrations of icy roads in winter and construction delays the rest of the time. As you will see from the following episode, our sisters of an earlier day also experienced the mixed blessings of being wayfarers on the road. At the dedication of St. Joseph's Hospital in Alliance (which) was to take
place on December 13 of this year [1916], Mother Leonie [Haid/Heid] and Sister
Antoinette [Reinhart] went by invitation to assist at the celebration. Their
return trip was quite a remarkable one. They were anxious to be home for a
bazaar, but found to their disappointment that they had missed the N. Western at
Crawford which meant that they would have just twenty-four hours to wait for the
next train. Father Moser, then parish priest of Crawford, offered to motor them
across the prairie to Chadron in time to catch the 2:00 a.m. [train] there. It
was a fearful trip in the dark, and they lost their way several times besides
running into the fields and sinking into hollows. But they reached the train on
time, for which they were most grateful to Father Moser. Incidentally, these
hours of anxiety helped them to realize the hardships in the life of a pastor in
the wild West with a straggling parish covering such endless stretches. June 1988
Published in the ATP in June 1988 A Summer Admonition “It has been asked whether or not the sisters may be given a supply of candy to take with them to summer school. I do not object to the sisters having a little extra candy as it is good for the nerves. However, when it is received it may not be kept by a Sister and passed around to only a few, but it must be given to the superior who will see to it that all receive a share at recreation. In those cases where our sisters are studying outside our own convents, the oldest Sister should take care of this.” From Mother Lidwina Jacob’s general letter 6/8/1938
Another Beginning July 28 marks the Fiftieth anniversary of Marycrest convent in Denver, Colorado. In her June 13, 1938 letter to Francis Redman, OFM, of St. Turibius Church, Los Angeles, California, Mother Lidwina wrote: “I am enclosing the clipping from the Denver Register as I know that you are interested in the Middle West Province. We have a beautiful place just at the city limits of Denver. The house will be suitable for our needs for a number of years and the grounds are in perfect condition. We have a fine garden, many fruit trees, berry bushes, etc. so it is practical as well as beautiful.” Earlier in a general letter to the sisters, May 10, 1938, Mother Lidwina gave a slightly longer description of the new property:
With the approach of the fiftieth anniversary of the division of the North American Province, it might be interesting, as well as nostalgic for some, to look at some of the event leading up to the establishment of our two sister provinces in the U.S. The next few Archives columns, then will include anecdotes and descriptions about some of what went on before Sacred Heart and St. Francis provinces came into existence on January 1, 1939. October 1988 SIXTY YEARS AGO!! NEW PROVINCES IN THE MAKING
Letter of Mother Gerard Zimmerman, St. Joseph's Hospital, Alliance, Nebraska, September 24, 1928 FIFTY YEARS AGO!! FAST MOVERS!! When it came to making arrangements for the division of the North American Province, some of our predecessors didn't let any grass grow under their feet. On February 8, 1938, Mother Lidwina sent the following night letter to Mother Gerard:
In reply she received the following telegram sent 2/10/1938 at 8:30 am: "Regarding property Mothers Dorothy, Gerard, Sisters Antoinette, Gonzaga think it very desirable advise going ahead with it." Mother Gerard. No sooner said than done! In her February 11, 1938 letter to Sister Alicia, Mother Lidwina wrote: " ...I returned from Monrovia where we have purchased 8 1/2 acres in a mountain cove." Then in her April 26, 1938 general letter to the sisters, Mother Lidwina expanded on her earlier glowing review of the newly purchased property:
November 2010 (will download as a MS Word doc) April 1988 (will download as a MS Word doc) February 1988 (will download as a MS Word doc) |
Chapter
X of the Blutengartlein tells the story of "Sister Catherine going for a
walk with her pupils," strolling over the heath, and coming to the large
building known as "The Kreppel," a former prison currently "inhabited by poor
cobblers and tailors." All reports give the impression that in short order the
former house was sold and the new one purchased.