Union City, N.j. Dominican Nuns

[Guest amanofpeace]

There have been postings regarding the massive, stone-wall home of cloistered Dominican nuns in Union City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Last year word spread that this enclosure was going to fold and then the summer came and the doors were still open to attend Mass, and buy religious items in the gift shop. Neighborhood cats still came to the front gate to eat food left by one devoted nun who looked after them. Birds filled the lush green trees and in the early morning before the doors opened for worship, the air was filled with bird song and the gentle breeze swished the leaves.
Well, as of now, the Blue Chapel as it's locally known, is closed. I believe that one nun died and another who remained, Sr. Gemma, OP resigned herself that she would have to leave her home of many years.
For those who faithfully attended services, watching events unfold as to the final outcome of the monastery, was like watching death creep up. Those who live close by the site are understandably at a loss that this local landmark building, grand in scale and almost a time capsule inside, has closed its doors for good.
There are, of course, questions about what will become of the buildings---one of which is exclusively a chapel. Some are concerned that vandals will break in, others that it will be swallowed up in the flames of arson, and some wonder if the catholic authorities will put up the buildings for sale or that the wrecking ball will demolish all that went up in 1919.
I, myself, attended my final Easter service at the Blue Chapel last Easter. I was able to see the few hanging paintings done by the late Sr. Mary of the Compassion (Mary C. Rowe) and peer through the gate at the rows of gray granite gravemarkers where the nuns await the resurrection.
It is all very sad but even pious and dedicated nuns succumb to the wear and tear of advanced age and infirmities of the flesh: broken in body but not spirit. Attrition finally reached its logical outcome as no new vocational life was possible and the nuns did not have a website.( One nun, at least, had known how to use a PC).
To those who kept us informed about the remaining sisters, thank you. Please pray for Sr. Gemma. If anyone can give a final posting with a recent up-date that would be appreciated. Peace and goodwill to all.

Edited March 28, 2009 by amanofpeace

[AccountDeleted]

I think it is terrible when convents and chapels get used for something else, especially something very secular. I know that a former convent in Singapore is now used as a nightspot full of restaurants and some shops. Walking through the buildings during the day I used to get very upset at the loss of the convent and chapel (the chapel was turned into a meeting room for conferences) - the buildings are so beautiful.

I just hope that there is some way to preserve the Union city convent and chapel, or for it to be used by a new community perhaps. I know this isn't always possible, because buildings get old and run down -- but it would be nice not to have it torn down or used as a shopping mall or something.... sigh.

[sistersintigo]

[quote name='amanofpeace' post='1818215' date='Mar 27 2009, 11:21 PM']There have been postings regarding the massive, stone-wall home of cloistered Dominican nuns in Union City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Last year word spread that this enclosure was going to fold and then the summer came and the doors were still open to attend Mass, and buy religious items in the gift shop. Neighborhood cats still came to the front gate to eat food left by one devoted nun who looked after them. Birds filled the lush green trees and in the early morning before the doors opened for worship, the air was filled with bird song and the gentle breeze swished the leaves.
Well, as of now, the Blue Chapel as it's locally known, is closed. I believe that one nun died and another who remained, Sr. Gemma, OP resigned herself that she would have to leave her home of many years.
For those who faithfully attended services, watching events unfold as to the final outcome of the monastery, was like watching death creep up. Those who live close by the site are understandably at a loss that this local landmark building, grand in scale and almost a time capsule inside, has closed its doors for good.
There are, of course, questions about what will become of the buildings---one of which is exclusively a chapel. Some are concerned that vandals will break in, others that it will be swallowed up in the flames of arson, and some wonder if the catholic authorities will put up the buildings for sale or that the wrecking ball will demolish all that went up in 1919.
I, myself, attended my final Easter service at the Blue Chapel last Easter. I was able to see the few hanging paintings done by the late Sr. Mary of the Compassion (Mary C. Rowe) and peer through the gate at the rows of gray granite gravemarkers where the nuns await the resurrection.
It is all very sad but even pious and dedicated nuns succumb to the wear and tear of advanced age and infirmities of the flesh: broken in body but not spirit. Attrition finally reached its logical outcome as no new vocational life was possible and the nuns did not have a website.( One nun, at least, had known how to use a PC).
To those who kept us informed about the remaining sisters, thank you. Please pray for Sr. Gemma. If anyone can give a final posting with a recent up-date that would be appreciated. Peace and goodwill to all.[/quote]
[url="http://monialesop.blogspot.com"]http://monialesop.blogspot.com[/url] has a 3 April entry which references the nuns who survived the closing of the Blue Chapel and Dominican monastery in Union City, New Jersey. Look for the reference to the Convent Infirmary of the active congregation of Dominican Sisters in Caldwell, New Jersey. I will repeat what I have sorted out and have been told, by sources like the deceased Sr. Charlotte and the living Sr. Carol (former sub-prioress at the Blue Chapel).
When the Union City monastery had its final canonical visitation from the Order of Preachers' acting Promoter of the Dominican Nuns (one of the friars at the Curia), the monastery had a community of six nuns. Five were in the enclosure. And one of the six, no less than their superior, Mother Mary Jordan OP, had already been transferred out of the enclosure. Mother Jordan suffers from progressed diabetes, and because of its effects on her lower extremities, she is bedridden and can no longer walk. I don't know if the cloistered nuns already had a relationship with the active congregation of women in Caldwell, NJ. Regardless, an arrangement was negotiated for Mother Jordan. Although she remained the Prioress of her monastery, she was admitted to Caldwell's Convent Infirmary. At last report, Mother Jordan is still alive and she is still one of the residents there.
Two of the five nuns in the cloister died and were buried in the monastery enclosure. In order of death, they were Sr. Mary Clare OP (a former monastery prioress) and Sr. Mary Charlotte OP, one of the younger of the six, who had metastasized cancer.
The youngest of the six was Sr. Maria Aquinas OP. When it was impossible for the Blue Chapel to stay open, Sr. Aquinas transfiliated to Corpus Christi Dominican MOnastery in Hunts Point in the Bronx.
The two remaining nuns are the very elderly Sr. Mary Gemma OP, the "house mother" who tended the altar, and the considerably younger sub-prioress, Sr. Carol Marie OP. The Blue Chapel monastery in Union City, NJ, hung in there while Sr. Charlotte, one of its most active women, went through the final stages of her terminal illness. It was after Sr. Charlotte's death and interment that the remaining sisters made their diverse choices.
With Mother Jordan already a patient at the Caldwell Convent infirmary, the Blue Chapel sub-prioress, Sr. Carol, began a transitional routine while the Blue Chapel remained open. Sr. Carol got on the phone at least once a day to speak with Mother Jordan, as sub-prioress to Prioress.
And at least one day per week, Sr. Carol would leave the monastery enclosure in Union City and physically travel to the Caldwell Convent infirmary to meet with Mother Jordan in person. They would keep monastery community affairs running in this fashion.
Today, the Summit NJ Dominican Monastery speaks in the latest blog entry of the Convent Infirmary in Caldwell, NJ, and refers to three nuns from the closed Union City monastery, that all three are now together in the infirmary in Caldwell with the active congregation of Dominican sisters. Names are not referenced in the blog entry. I presume these three women are Mother Mary Jordan, OP; Sr. Mary Gemma, OP; and Sr. Carol Marie, OP.

[sistersintigo]

These links, if, God willing, they work, go to local newspaper updates on this story.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/unioncity/index.ssf?/base/news-0/124928102241760.xml&coll=3

http://njo-4.live.advance.net/news/jjournal/unioncity/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1258442744271770.xml&coll=3

http://www.hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_stories_home/push?article-Monastery+could+be+low-income+housing-Neighbors+oppose+plans+for+five-story+building-&instance=union%20city_story_left_column

[sistersintigo]

[quote name='sistersintigo' date='25 February 2010 - 06:39 PM' timestamp='1267137566' post='2062986']
These links, if, God willing, they work, go to local newspaper updates on this story.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/unioncity/index.ssf?/base/news-0/124928102241760.xml&coll=3

http://njo-4.live.advance.net/news/jjournal/unioncity/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1258442744271770.xml&coll=3

http://www.hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_stories_home/push?article-Monastery+could+be+low-income+housing-Neighbors+oppose+plans+for+five-story+building-&instance=union%20city_story_left_column
[/quote]

Sorry, but I can get the first link to work, but not the second and third links.
The way I pulled up all three links, was to run a Google search on "Blue Chapel" and "Dominic Izzo" simultaneously; maybe that will work for others too. Sorry about that.

[MissyP89]

Dirty Jersey just got a little dirtier.

[sistersintigo]

THE article in this link, refers to the last funeral within the enclosure of the DOMinican MOnastery of the PErpetual Rosary; the deceased nun's brother tells what he did in his sister's memory.

http://www.absrecord.com/assets/a-story-of-christian-unity

[sistersintigo]

[url="http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/unioncity/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1274250342223430.xml&coll=3"]Ten Most Endangered Historical Sites in New Jersey[/url]

[url="http://www.preservationnj.org/site/ExpEng/index.php?/ten_most/index_detail/The_Blue_Chapel"]Preservation nomination[/url]

[img]http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/images/stories/misc2/2010_endangered/2010bluechapelentrance_opt.jpg[/img]

now, with my luck, none of these links will work.....

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1238266213' post='1818667']
I think it is terrible when convents and chapels get used for something else, especially something very secular. I know that a former convent in Singapore is now used as a nightspot full of restaurants and some shops. Walking through the buildings during the day I used to get very upset at the loss of the convent and chapel (the chapel was turned into a meeting room for conferences) - the buildings are so beautiful.

I just hope that there is some way to preserve the Union city convent and chapel, or for it to be used by a new community perhaps. I know this isn't always possible, because buildings get old and run down -- but it would be nice not to have it torn down or used as a shopping mall or something.... sigh.
[/quote]

I feel the same way Nunsense--and I see a former Motherhouse every day because it is at the end of my block, and my usual route to do errands. When the number of vocations dropped, the Sisters of Christian Charity (SCC) realized it was no longer practical to use their large and gorgeous building, the Motherhouse of the Western Province. For awhile, they used the building as a campus for the college they founded and ran in Chicago, Mallinckrodt College. But, eventually, for financial reasons, the Order had to sell the building.

The town I lived in had a fierce debate for years about what to how to make use of the building. As I understand it (and I could be wrong), the building had been designated an historical site, so major changes to the outer facade were not allowed. In the end, it was decided to turn the building into condos for those over age 65, very nice condos, so as not to overcrowd the building or the site. My town has now headquartered virtually all its services for seniors in this building, and holds most of its programs there. Other large rooms are available for hire by city residents. I don't know how the former chapel is being used, although I am virtually sure it is no longer a chapel--very sad. However, the grounds of the convent have been made into a quiet, peaceful park (no playground equipment or playing fields--there are at least two parks within a two or three blocks that have excellent facilities for activities for children). So, the former convent is still quiet, and a place of peace. A much smaller provincial headquarters was built nearby--but with nothing like the beauty of the former Motherhouse. The convent that serves as retirement/nursing home, where "my" Sisters live, is still intact and in use.

I thought the town reached as good a compromise as probably was possible under the circumstances. Still, I wonder how the Sisters feel when they pass by their former "home," where most of them likely went through formation and lived for many years.

More of the activity in the U.S. is now centered in the Eastern province headquarters in New Jersey. They continue to use the original Eastern Province Motherhouse, which is lovely--and looks very much like the former motherhouse near me. The building seems to get good use, as it not only houses the novitiate and active Sisters who teach nearby, but also Assumption College for Sisters, which is still run by the Order. The SCC seem to get a small, but steady stream of new vocations, nothing like the past, but the Order is very much alive. Here in the U.S., we can be too U.S.-centric at times, and judge an Order's "success" by its activity and membership in the U.S. The SCC has communities in the Phillipines, in several locations in South America, in Germany, which has always been the headquarters for the Order, and remains so, and in Rome.

So, although I find it sad, I realize that, for a number of reasons, the old Motherhouse might not have fit the needs of some other Order, but I feel good that it still looks as it did before, and remains a testament to the Sisters, as well as being a quiet, peaceful place, and not a shopping mall.

[Yaatee]

Just to re-list this link to a gorgeous large monastery which has become an assisted living center, a nice use, I think, if a religious use is not available.

[url="http://standrewscarecenter.com/tour.html"]http://standrewscare...r.com/tour.html[/url]

A former Monastery of the Precious Blood.

[sistersintigo]

[url="http://bovasso.blogspot.com/2010/11/blue-chapel.html"]scroll down for photos inside the enclosure[/url]

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='sistersintigo' timestamp='1289591094' post='2186751']
[url="http://bovasso.blogspot.com/2010/11/blue-chapel.html"]scroll down for photos inside the enclosure[/url]
[/quote]

Wow, thanks for posting. I wonder what they're going to do with that old building now ..