
Spotlight: Sr. María Felícitas Villegas

Mother St. Pierre Cinquin and Mother Madeleine Chollet
The first three sisters came to San Antonio from Galveston as a small community of committed, faith-filled women, determined to help the people they were called to serve. Pictured are Mother St. Pierre Cinquin (left) and Mother Madeleine Chollet. The third Sister that formed the original community was Sr. Agnes Boissen. Sadly, there are no known photographs of Sr. Agnes.

Mother St. Pierre final vows
While en route to San Antonio, the house in which the Sisters were to live burned to the ground. The Ursuline Sisters took the three in. It was in the chapel of the Ursulines that Mother Pierre made her final vows.

Postulants from Windthorst, Texas
By the turn of the century, young women entering the Congregation came from the United States, Germany, Ireland, France, Canada, and Mexico, creating a “league of nations” in the Congregation. Pictured: Group of young women entering the convent, en route to San Antonio from Windthorst, Texas.

Sisters at San Ángel, Mexico
Until the mid-20th century, Catholic Sisters wore distinctive clothing. This photograph from the congregation shows women wearing black veils, who are professed sisters. Novices, who are not fully invested, wear white veils. Young women in collared dresses are postulants still receiving instruction.

Signs of Commitment
August 15 (Feast of the Assumption of Mary) became the traditional date on which Sisters professed vows. It was also on this day that Sisters received their “obedience”— where they were being sent to serve.

En route from Ireland
Women came to community to serve and responded willingly to the need. Leaving home and family was only one of the many hardships endured for love. These Irish Sisters and postulants sailed from Liverpool on the S.S. Antillian in October 1922.

Sr. Carmen Roche (center)
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Sr. Marichui Bringas cooking
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Gathering at dinner
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Kitchen in Lima, Peru
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Nuns have fun!
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Sand dunes, New Mexico
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Snow ball fight... then
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Snow ball fight... now
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Dancing at Chapter 2014
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.

Celebrating Chapter 2008
Incarnate Word Sisters are joy-filled and play as hard as they work.