Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth
The Archives of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth dates back to 1898 when Sister Mary Buckner was appointed the historian of the Community. Over time the Community Secretary’s Office became responsible for collecting and maintaining the important documents of the Community.
The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth actually began as the Sisters of Charity in Nashville, Tenn. When their situation there changed leaving them in financial straits the Community’s foundress, Mother Xavier Ross, left to attend a meeting of Bishops in St. Louis, Mo, in hopes of finding a Bishop who needed their work services. Before leaving, Mother Xavier instructed the Sisters to begin a Novena to Mary as the Incomparable Virgin that she be successful. In St. Louis Mother Xavier met Bishop Miege, Bishop of the territory East of the Rocky Mountains and headquartered in Leavenworth, KS. Bishop Miege was pleased to have the Sisters come to settle and minister to the people of Kan. Mother Xavier returned to Nashville with the good news and the Sisters have ever since held Mary, the Incomparable Virgin in regard as well as the Novena. Unfortunately, in order to settle their debts before leaving Nashville the Sisters had to sell off most of their furniture and all of their land and buildings and so did not bring much with them to Leavenworth. One of the few things they did bring was this statue of the Incomparable Virgin.
HAIL MARY
Incomparable Virgin,
Mother of God,
we rejoice with you
in the joy
of the coming among us
of your Son, Jesus.
In honor of that joy,
accept, O holy Mother,
this homage of light,
the song and prayer we offer
for ourselves and all our Sisters.
Through the infinite mercy of God, Our Father,
and the saving grace of your Son, Our Lord,
bring us, O Mary,
to share ever more fully
in the love and joy you know
as the Incomparable Virgin
and Mother of God.
“Rejoice, O highly favorerd daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.
(Lk. 1:28).
In 1858, as Community foundress, Mother Xavier Ross prepared to leave Nashville, Tenn., where her Community had first begun, the people of Nashville gifted Mother Xavier with an engraved silver pitcher.
“A token of esteem and gratitude, respectfully inscribed to the Sisters of Charity, by the citizens of Nashville, Dec. 4th, 1858.”
The pitcher has become a treasured historical artifact of the early days in Nashville and the work the Sisters did there.