A Community of Educators

Aerial View of Fall River and St. Mary's Convent

List of Sister Mary of Carmel's Ministries

The Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena ofFall River was founded on December 1891 by Mother Mary Bertrand Sheridan. The first eight postulants entered on January 1st, 1892. Mother Bertrand and several other founding Sisters were were originally from Kentucky. At the invitation of the Canadian Dominican Fathers at St. Anne's Parish in Fall River, the Sisters finally settled there to fullfill a need for teahcer in the area. The first eight postulants entered on January 1st, 1892.

The settlement of the sister was marked by the opening of new schools in Fall River, and later in Plattsburgh and other locations across the Northeast. One notable school was Dominican Academy in Fall River, an elementary and high school that focused on bilingual education, as previously mentioned. This is where Sister Mary of Carmel ministered as a French and Art teacher. She offered private lessons at the Academy's Art Studio and cultivated a community of women interested in art.

Sister Mary of Carmel posing with some of her award winning artwork

In 1948, Sister Mary of Carmel was assigned to teach at Dominican Academy in Fall River where she stayed for the remainder of her life. In addition to her normal teaching duties, she gave private lessons at the Academy's art studio mostly to adult women who had an interest in learning to draw or paint. Many of these students became good friends.

When the Dominican Academy High School section closed in 1971, Sister Mary of Carmel began working full time at the studio. The move to full time teaching was due to increasing demand for her lessons. She maintained very high student retention. Many continued with her for well over 20 years.

Sister Mary of Carmel's Necrology, 1983

Tribute from Sister Mary of Carmel's Students, Page 1, 1983

Tribute from Sister Mary of Carmel's Students, Page 2, 1983

Besides being an amazing artist, Sister Mary of Carmel Lord was known for her sense of humor, her noble character, and she was blessed with good health. This is why her death on February 26, 1983 came as a surprise. Though it was evident that her health was declining, her spirited nature did not change in the days before her death. Her passing was sad, but her memorial was filled with tributes by loved ones in celebration of the life she lived.

Some of these beautifully written tributes appear on the left.

After her passing many of Sister Mary of Carmel Lord's works were distributed among those closest to her. Fortunately, some of her work is preserved at the Dominican Sisters of Hope Archives. Some pieces are showcased in the following section.