A Tree Rooted in Faith. Alberta Dieker
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not go away.42 Vague promises from a Princess Radziwill came to nothing, and even Sister Bernardine’s begging tour was of little avail.
In the spring of 1881, Father Adelhelm left Missouri for the Far West. His trip took him into California, to Jacksonville in Oregon, to Walla Walla, Washington (in the records mistakenly put in Oregon), and eventually to the place of his choice for a monastery: a small community called Fillmore in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The outlying parishes at Gervais and Sublimity needed priests as well. With a firm offer for land and work, Adelhelm took ship for Europe, arriving in Engelberg in November. His descriptions of the land and missionary work waiting to be done in Oregon gained recruits from his own monastery. As might be expected, he wrote to Sister Bernardine, describing the beauty and advantages of Oregon and inviting her to lead a group of sisters to the Far West.
Meanwhile, Mother Gertrude Leupi became more and more intrigued with the Dakota missions and the idea of converting the Indians. Martin Marty had been begging for sisters for some time. She must have talked freely of her desire, because Mother Anselma wrote to Maria Rickenbach in July, expressing the opinion that Mother Gertrude would not remain in Maryville much longer.
Mother Gertrude Leupi left for Dakota in March, 1882, with a small group of sisters who would form the nucleus of what later became Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton, South Dakota. Since someone of the group had to speak English well enough to communicate with the government agents who dealt with Indian affairs, Sister Bernardine was asked to join the group.43 She wrote one letter from Fort Yates in July, in which she mentioned the fervor of the Indian children, who, when they saw a sister with a crucifix or rosary in hand, immediately gathered round to kiss the sacred object. She also rejoiced over the baptism of an old Indian who had been converted away from membership in a diabolical sect.44
Sister Bernardine’s stay in Dakota was short-lived. In October, 1882, she left for Oregon, never to return to the Missouri community.
4 • On to Gervais, Oregon
Driven by a combination of restlessness and frustration, Adelhelm Odermatt left Missouri in 1881 to look for another location, perhaps one with mountains, that would remove him from the tensions of Conception and Maryville and give broader scope for his designs for monastic life in America. An entry in the diary of Anselm Villiger indicates that Adelhelm became suspect in the eyes of Bishop Hogan because he did not join the community at Conception.1 However, another entry quotes the superior of Maryville (Sister Bernardine), who praises the zeal and self-sacrifice of Adelhelm: “The most Reverend Bishop of St. Joseph (Hogan) who on one occasion gave him this testimony: P. Adelhelm has in seven years made one of the best and most zealous parishes out of one of the worst.”2 He was credited with 18 conversions, while St. Joseph had only eight or nine.
This apparent success as a pastor was not enough to satisfy the dreams of Adelhelm. An invitation from Archbishop Seghers of Oregon City (later to become the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon) to make a foundation in his archdiocese offered an opportunity for further travel and exploration in Oregon, Colorado, and the Pacific Coast. Abbot Anselm authorized Nicholas Frei and Adelhelm to look for a place in North America that would be suitable for a foundation, “as regards climate, fresh water, forest, hills, connecting roads, etc.”3 When he left Maryville on June 9, his departure was “profoundly deplored by young and old.4
The two priests spent some months looking at sites in Oregon, California, and Washington, sending glowing accounts of land and opportunity to be had in America. On November 11, 1881, Adelhelm wrote from Walla Walla, Washington (mistakenly named Oregon in the account) to Father Ignaz, subprior at Engelberg, that they (presumably Nicholas and Adelhelm) were ready to settle in Oregon, not at Jacksonville, but at German parishes in Fillmore and Sublimity. They were also offered a large wooden church in Gervais, where there were Germans, French, and Irish. Finally, on February 4, 1882, Abbot Anselm summoned Adelhelm back to Engelberg, “for discussion.” He arrived on June 17, having traveled thirty-four days, from Oregon to California, then to New York, across the Atlantic to Cherbourg, then home to his abbey. He again impressed his confreres, and apparently the abbot, with his zeal and enthusiasm, because he received chapter approval and was able to recruit five priests and two brothers for his new foundation.5 He made an impression at Maria Rickenbach as well, for he convinced the prioress, Joanna Gretener, to permit three of their sisters to join the group.
On September 25, an interesting and varied crowd left Engelberg for America: Fathers Adelhelm, Bede, Barnabas Held, and AnselmWachter; Brother Theodul; two Baettig brothers; two Baettig sisters; Clara Hess; students Burri, Snyder, Fundmann, Rosenberg, Meyer, Wiss, and Fuerst. Leaving from Sarnen, with the intention of founding their own cloistered community, were Sisters Johanna Zumstein, Rosalia Ruebli, and Magdalena Suter; from Maria Rickenbach, Sisters Mathilde Cattani, Agatha Langenstein, and Brigitta Sonderegger; the widow Sonderegger; and Misses Lochbihler and Schuetterli, all full of courage and zeal! On October 16, these travelers arrived in Maryville and made a visit to Conception in the afternoon, where novice Lina Lochbihler and candidate Agatha Schildknecht remained. Sister Agatha and four candidates travelled on.6 Joining the group going west on October 18 were Sisters Bernardine and Benedicta. The train trip to San Francisco, California, took eight days. From there they took a steamer to Portland, where they were met by the Sisters of Providence, who took them to St. Vincent’s Hospital. Since the next day was Sunday, they remained in Portland, taking the train for Gervais on October 30.7
While they were still in Portland, their first postulant applied to join the sisters, “who as yet had neither house nor home.” They also received the discouraging news that, while the people in Gervais were eager to receive them, their convent was not finished, although Adelhelm had assured them that everything was in readiness. One important thing was in order, however. On July 16, 1882, His Holiness Pope Leo XII had granted permission to “found a house of regulars of the Order of St. Benedict of the Monastery of Engelberg in Switzerland, at the mission named Sts. Gervase and Protase, as well as the permission to found in the same place a house of nuns of the same Order, who are free for the Catholic education of girls.” A note in the Annals reads “permission to open a novitiate for Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration,”8 although perpetual adoration is not mentioned in the original document. The petition had been made by Archbishop Charles Seghers at the request of Adelhelm Odermatt. Finding a place in which to open a novitiate was the next challenge facing this group of missionaries.
Nothing daunted, they set out for their new home, marveling at the green fields and fair gardens along the way. They had seen nothing like this in Switzerland at this time of year. It must have been a typical Oregon October, because a torrent of rain greeted them as they arrived at the town of Gervais. The weather was described as a “fit emblem of the graces bestowed on them and upon the parish.”9
Sister Sophie Thibbadeaux, at that time a teenager, described their arrival. From her home across from the depot, she and her younger sister customarily watched the train from Portland as it pulled into the station. On October 30, they were surprised at the crowd that disembarked, and soon learned that it was led by none other than their pastor, Adelhelm Odermatt, a slight, dark-haired priest of thirty-eight years. “He was followed by a procession of reverend fathers, six sisters, 4 young ladies, and men—young and old. Everybody was loaded with baggage of all descriptions. It was pouring rain.”10
Dinner had been prepared at the rectory and was served by Mary Kuschnick, who would be the first American to join the community and make profession as Sister Gervasia. Lodging was still a problem, settled temporarily by accepting the kindly offers of parishioners to take them in by twos and threes. Learning that it would be some months before their convent would be complete, they set out looking for rooms to rent. “Luckily” there was a vacant saloon with two adjoining rooms, which the proprietor, Mrs. Matt, let the sisters have gratis. Being in somewhat dilapidated condition, it took a few days to make the place habitable. One room was to serve as a dormitory, the other as kitchen, refectory, and general living space. The four postulants immediately began cleaning their new abode and were assigned to do the cooking for the group.
What was there to cook, since they had not been able to bring food with them? Mr. Kaminzky, described as a Jewish merchant in the town, came to the rescue, sending some provisions every day. The sisters woke