Lost in the shuffle of the welcome announcement that Archbishop Fulton Sheen is now Venerable will be the story of Mother Mary Angeline Teresa (nee Bridget Teresa McCrory), founder of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm (1893-1984) who was also declared Venerable. Mother was a Little Sister of the Poor (founded in France by St. Jeanne Jugan) who, though she loved the Little Sisters, felt called to start a new order to care for the aged and infirm that had a distinctive American flavor to it.
“Our apostolate is not only to provide care in up to date homes for the aged, but as religious, it is to bring Christ to every old person under our care.” – Mother Angeline Teresa, Foundress
The Sisters have 18 homes in the US and one in Ireland. Their Motherhouse is in Germantown, NY. Her famous words left to her daughters were: “If you have to fail, let it be on the side of kindness. Be kinder than kindness itself to the old people.”
Yes, I was excited to hear of Mother Angeline Teresa’s ‘promotion’ to ‘Venerable’! One of her Sisters’ nursing homes is in my hometown. I’ve also been to the Motherhouse in Germantown, NY-I attended there a ‘Rosary Day’ in honor of Our Lady’s Assumption in August 1991. And I even remember when she died in 1984 (I read an obituary of her in the NY Daily News)!
This is wonderful to know! Our country needs the heavenly help of as many holy men and women as possible!