When the Rev. Colman Kovats, first pastor of St. Stephen's Church in McKeesport, sent a letter to the Daughters of the Divine Redeemer in Sopron, Hungary, in 1912, he probably never imagined the result would be the establishment of an American Province of the Congregation.
Since 1926, the Motherhouse of the Divine Redeemer has been located on property at 999 Rock Run Road in Elizabeth Township, where 17 nuns — and two visiting nuns from Slovakia — call home.
A Mass of Thanksgiving is planned for Sunday at 2 p.m., followed by a reception, to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the American Province/Region. The Most Rev. William J. Waltersheid, auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh, will be the principal celebrant.
“Slovakia is sending younger sisters to help us,” Regional Superior Sister Rosemary Horvath said of a project that began in 1991. “They come every two or three years. It's good experience for them because they learn the language as well as nursing procedures that can be implemented in Hungary and Slovakia.” Nursing skills are learned, she said, at the infirmary.
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer was founded Aug. 28, 1849, by Mother Alphonse Marie (Elizabeth Eppinger) in the village of Niederbronn in Alsace-Lorraine, France. Their mission was to nurse the sick in their homes and assist the poor. Last year she was proclaimed Venerable, the first step in the process to sainthood.
Kovats requested that the nuns provide Catholic education for Hungarian children in McKeesport and neighboring communities. Four nuns arrived on Oct. 3, 1912, and began their ministry in McKeesport, Glassport, Clairton, Braddock, Duquesne, Homestead, Hazelwood and Elizabeth, as well as mining settlements such as Daisytown.
Eventually, the motherhouse property was purchased and St. Joseph High School opened in 1926 as a preparatory school.
“It was for girls who wanted to enter the community and quite a few girls did that,” Horvath said, noting it was renamed Divine Redeemer Academy in 1932. A home for the aged opened on the grounds in the 1930s in the building that also served as the chaplain's quarters. A new motherhouse and chapel were dedicated in 1961.
As enrollment declined, the school closed in 1970. However, the nuns offered the community something new — Penn View Art Center. Directed by Sister M. Edith Nemeth, a variety of art classes were offered there for many years. There also was a day care center and a retreat center for the community.
“After 30 years, we had to tear the art building down,” Horvath said. “I hope to have a showing of some of Sister Edith's works sometime.”
Through the years, the nuns have served in many capacities in Catholic schools and churches throughout the area including St. Margaret School in Munhall, St. Michael Parish in Elizabeth, St. Isaac Jogues in Elrama, St. Paulinus School in Clairton, St. Rita's School in Munhall, Serra Catholic and Mon Yough Catholic high schools in McKeesport, James Lavelle Elementary School in West Mifflin, St. Anthony's in Monongahela and St. Patrick in McKeesport.
They also served at schools and hospitals throughout the country, including a hospital in Minnesota where Horvath worked for many years.
“The sisters did all kinds of jobs in the hospital. I worked in the business office and it was a very good experience,” Horvath said. “I've also worked in parish ministries and now I'm in my seventh year as regional superior. I never thought I'd be head superior.”
Looking ahead, she said, “We try to keep going. We offer home-schooling and piano lessons for students. As needs changed, we have changed. But we continue our mission and that's to take care of the sick, the poor and elderly through education, parish ministry and pastoral care, domestic service and retreat work.”
Carol Waterloo Frazier is an editor for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1916, or cfrazier@tribweb.com.
