As ALWAYS your are a fount of information. I enjoy your emails, always coming in pairs, very much. Thanks Jack > To: pacambri@rootsweb.com > From: marilynkwash@aol.com > Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:38:47 -0400 > Subject: [PACAMBRI] St Patrick's Church, Camermon's Bottom, St. Aloysius and the Franciscans. > > > Today Cameron's Bottom [Name of church is St. Patrick's] is in the merged parish at Heliwood, Indiana County and the Diocese of Westmoreland > > In the past, any priest who was available or traveling through the area would say mass there, or the priest would come from Sportsman's Hall [original name of St. Vincent's Parish and College in Latrobe.] These records were USUALLY recorded in the parish church of the priest. > > From 1840 -- 1850, the priests from St. Aloysius Church in Summitville, near Cresson, in Cambria County, served the Cameron's Bottom area and recorded the baptisms and marriages in the St. Aloysius Church Records. After Nicktown [St. Nicholas] had a church and pastor, he would sometimes say a regular mass at Cameron's Bottom. Also, there was a "chapel" at Strongstown [along R422, then known as the Indiana Pike] called St. Veronica's [or the Church of the Seven Dolores.] > > Incidentally, this year is the 175 anniversary of St. Aloysius and there is an article in today's [October 11, 2013] Altoona Mirror. > > There was a mention somewhere about the Franciscans from St. Francis, Loretto, establishing some sort of religious foundation at Cameron's Bottom. In the Bicentennial History of Loretto, published in 1976, Fr. Bonaventure Kiley, TOR, states the following: > > "....In late 1849 or early 1850 the Brothers [meaning the Irish Emigrants] commenced a farm and school for older boys at New Bedford, Pa, It was discontinued 1866 because it was so far removed from Pittsburgh. The care of orphan boys and the teaching of the manual trades challenged them [the Franciscan Brothers] to open a house at Cameron's Bottom in 1850 or 1852. Then Cameron's Bottom continued until 1882...." One reason the Brothers selected Cameron's Bottom was that there was a regularly scheduled priest. > > For those of you who are not Catholics or don't know Catholic history, customs or terminology, here are a few notes > > St. Veronica is a "mythical" woman who used her veil to wipe the blood and sweat from the face of Jesus during his walk to the Crucifixion. "Seven Dolores" mean "seven sorrows," a devotion to the Blessed Mother. [I have no idea why either name was used.] Some people feel the "Head" supposedly venerated by the Knights Templar was this cloth. [Or it could have been the Shroud of Turin folded to show only the face of Jesus.] > > Brothers: Most monastic facilities before the present time were composed of "religious," those who devoted their lives to God and lived in common in a monastery or friary [the name used for the Franciscan Friars.] There were usually very few priests among them, only enough priests to say mass for the others. Today this is reversed. Brothers or Lay Brothers, as they are sometimes called, were not educated and generally did the farming or manual work. Hence their interest in forming a school to teach manual trades. Today most priests are "secular," meaning they do not belong to a Religious Order, and served the Bishop in the Diocese where the live. > > Lay Sisters and Choir Sisters: In Europe, because of the medieval class system, there were two classes of nuns or sisters. The Lay Sisters were usually peasant girls who did the housework, cooking, gardening, and animal care. They often were definitely considered "second class," and had no rights to vote for the Mother Superior or for any other reason. Generally they could not read or write. > > Choir Sisters were from the upper class, usually "extra" daughters, and were treated as upper class. They brought a "dowry" when they joined the order, had better quality clothes and food, and were waited on like noblewomen. "Choir" sister refers to them being educated enough to read and sing the Mass or other religious services. Generally they were supposed to pray for their supporters. > > This custom came to America from Europe, but didn't last long. The upper class nuns who founded the "houses" in America were informed that in America everyone was equal, and if the Choir Nuns didn't want them--the Lay Sisters-- sitting at the table [for one thing], then they could cook their own food. I found a letter from a Mother Superior sent to America to found a house, saying this. She was extremely indignant. > > This was also true in "houses" for men. The Lay Brothers did the work of survival [farming] and often had other jobs, like copying scripture. They ate at a different table or a different section of the table. > > House: this is the general name or shortened name for any religious foundation--it does not mean a house in which a family lives. It could be a monastery [where monks like the Benedictines] lived, a Convent [where nuns lived] and/or a friary [where the Friars, or wandering religious] lived. > > My grandfather's aunt, Elizabeth Klein, born in Leimen, Rhineland, joined the Franciscan Sisters at Glen Riddle, near Philadelphia, as Sr. Richardia. When I got her records from the order, it said she was a "lay sister," and that is when I investigated the term. The Mercy Sisters, from Ireland originally, also had this system for awhile. > > > > Marilyn Kline Washington > - - - - - - - - - - > > Search for more Cambria County information on our webpage: > http://www.camgenpa.com/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PACAMBRI-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hear hear!!! > From: seanroconnor@hotmail.com > To: marilynkwash@aol.com; pacambri@rootsweb.com > Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 10:41:31 -0400 > Subject: Re: [PACAMBRI] St Patrick's Church, Camermon's Bottom, St. Aloysius and the Franciscans. > > As ALWAYS your are a fount of information. I enjoy your emails, always coming in pairs, very much. > > Thanks > > Jack > > > > > > To: pacambri@rootsweb.com > > From: marilynkwash@aol.com > > Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:38:47 -0400 > > Subject: [PACAMBRI] St Patrick's Church, Camermon's Bottom, St. Aloysius and the Franciscans. > > > > > > Today Cameron's Bottom [Name of church is St. Patrick's] is in the merged parish at Heliwood, Indiana County and the Diocese of Westmoreland > > > > In the past, any priest who was available or traveling through the area would say mass there, or the priest would come from Sportsman's Hall [original name of St. Vincent's Parish and College in Latrobe.] These records were USUALLY recorded in the parish church of the priest. > > > > From 1840 -- 1850, the priests from St. Aloysius Church in Summitville, near Cresson, in Cambria County, served the Cameron's Bottom area and recorded the baptisms and marriages in the St. Aloysius Church Records. After Nicktown [St. Nicholas] had a church and pastor, he would sometimes say a regular mass at Cameron's Bottom. Also, there was a "chapel" at Strongstown [along R422, then known as the Indiana Pike] called St. Veronica's [or the Church of the Seven Dolores.] > > > > Incidentally, this year is the 175 anniversary of St. Aloysius and there is an article in today's [October 11, 2013] Altoona Mirror. > > > > There was a mention somewhere about the Franciscans from St. Francis, Loretto, establishing some sort of religious foundation at Cameron's Bottom. In the Bicentennial History of Loretto, published in 1976, Fr. Bonaventure Kiley, TOR, states the following: > > > > "....In late 1849 or early 1850 the Brothers [meaning the Irish Emigrants] commenced a farm and school for older boys at New Bedford, Pa, It was discontinued 1866 because it was so far removed from Pittsburgh. The care of orphan boys and the teaching of the manual trades challenged them [the Franciscan Brothers] to open a house at Cameron's Bottom in 1850 or 1852. Then Cameron's Bottom continued until 1882...." One reason the Brothers selected Cameron's Bottom was that there was a regularly scheduled priest. > > > > For those of you who are not Catholics or don't know Catholic history, customs or terminology, here are a few notes > > > > St. Veronica is a "mythical" woman who used her veil to wipe the blood and sweat from the face of Jesus during his walk to the Crucifixion. "Seven Dolores" mean "seven sorrows," a devotion to the Blessed Mother. [I have no idea why either name was used.] Some people feel the "Head" supposedly venerated by the Knights Templar was this cloth. [Or it could have been the Shroud of Turin folded to show only the face of Jesus.] > > > > Brothers: Most monastic facilities before the present time were composed of "religious," those who devoted their lives to God and lived in common in a monastery or friary [the name used for the Franciscan Friars.] There were usually very few priests among them, only enough priests to say mass for the others. Today this is reversed. Brothers or Lay Brothers, as they are sometimes called, were not educated and generally did the farming or manual work. Hence their interest in forming a school to teach manual trades. Today most priests are "secular," meaning they do not belong to a Religious Order, and served the Bishop in the Diocese where the live. > > > > Lay Sisters and Choir Sisters: In Europe, because of the medieval class system, there were two classes of nuns or sisters. The Lay Sisters were usually peasant girls who did the housework, cooking, gardening, and animal care. They often were definitely considered "second class," and had no rights to vote for the Mother Superior or for any other reason. Generally they could not read or write. > > > > Choir Sisters were from the upper class, usually "extra" daughters, and were treated as upper class. They brought a "dowry" when they joined the order, had better quality clothes and food, and were waited on like noblewomen. "Choir" sister refers to them being educated enough to read and sing the Mass or other religious services. Generally they were supposed to pray for their supporters. > > > > This custom came to America from Europe, but didn't last long. The upper class nuns who founded the "houses" in America were informed that in America everyone was equal, and if the Choir Nuns didn't want them--the Lay Sisters-- sitting at the table [for one thing], then they could cook their own food. I found a letter from a Mother Superior sent to America to found a house, saying this. She was extremely indignant. > > > > This was also true in "houses" for men. The Lay Brothers did the work of survival [farming] and often had other jobs, like copying scripture. They ate at a different table or a different section of the table. > > > > House: this is the general name or shortened name for any religious foundation--it does not mean a house in which a family lives. It could be a monastery [where monks like the Benedictines] lived, a Convent [where nuns lived] and/or a friary [where the Friars, or wandering religious] lived. > > > > My grandfather's aunt, Elizabeth Klein, born in Leimen, Rhineland, joined the Franciscan Sisters at Glen Riddle, near Philadelphia, as Sr. Richardia. When I got her records from the order, it said she was a "lay sister," and that is when I investigated the term. The Mercy Sisters, from Ireland originally, also had this system for awhile. > > > > > > > > Marilyn Kline Washington > > - - - - - - - - - - > > > > Search for more Cambria County information on our webpage: > > http://www.camgenpa.com/ > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PACAMBRI-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > - - - - - - - - - - > > Search for more Cambria County information on our webpage: > http://www.camgenpa.com/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PACAMBRI-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message