I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF HOLY AMERICANS

It seems every time I  research the life of one holy person, I find the life of another.  We live in a world where most of the news focuses on the negative and yet there are  so many holy people who live among us- many will never be known in our lifetime.

One such woman, who died not 35 years ago was  VENERABLE MOTHER MARY ANGELINE TERESA, who pioneered a different approach to the care of the elderly and infirm.  In addition to fulfilling physical and spiritual needs, she stressed the importance of a home-like atmosphere that encouraged residents to maintain their personal sense of dignity and independence.  To that end Mother Angeline founded a new religious community - the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm.  With six other Sisters she set about making her vision a reality.

Venerable Angeline Teresa  McCrory  was born in 1893 in Mountjoy, County Tyrone, Ireland. When she was seven years of age her family migrated to Scotland and at the age of nineteen she left home to become a Little Sister of the Poor, a Congregation engaged in the care of the destitute aged. She made her Novitiate in La Tour, France and after Profession she was sent to the United States.

In 1926, Mother Angeline was appointed Superior of a Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in the Bronx, New York. During an annual retreat in 1927, she felt an urge to reach out to do more for the aged for whom she cared. She felt that the European way and many of the customs in France did not meet the needs or customs of America. She also felt that old age strikes all classes of people, leaving them alone and frightened.

Being unable to effect any necessary changes in her present situation, Mother Angeline sought advice and counsel from Patrick Cardinal Hayes of New York. Not only did he encourage her, but he likewise felt more could be done for the aged people in the New York area. 

Eventually, this need was recognized in the United States. In order to accomplish what she felt called to do, and with the blessing of the Cardinal, Mother Angeline and six other Sisters withdrew from the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor and were granted permission from Rome to begin a new Community for the care of the aged incorporating Mother Angeline's ideals. On September 3, 1929, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm was founded.

In 1931 the new Community became affiliated with the great Order of Carmel and became known as "Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm."

Mother Angeline Teresa’s philosophy of care was to  serve each guest as if serving Christ Himself.  From this relatively new beginning the work of the Congregation flourished and the Community was invited to work in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and as far west as Iowa.  Currently there are 20 Homes in the United States and Ireland.

In 1984, Mother Angeline Teresa died, having the consolation of seeing the Congregation beyond her expectations. She once said: If you have to fail, let it be on the side of kindness. Be kinder than kindness itself to the old people.