Sisters of the Holy Family withdraw from SFX with 103-year legacy of service, love

In a bittersweet moment, St. Francis Xavier Church and School in Baton Rouge poured out love and gratitude to the Sisters of the Holy Family as they honored them for their 103 years of service to the SFX community on Aug. 20. The sisters, some coming from the congregation’s motherhouse in New Orleans, sang and raised their hands along with the congregation as the SFX Gospel choir performed inspirational music during a celebration Mass.

Intermixed with the joy was sadness as the Sisters of the Holy Family withdrew that day from SFX and returned to New Orleans. The sisters have left an enduring legacy on the SFX parish, school and surrounding community.

The Sisters of the Holy Family were founded in New Orleans by Venerable Mother Henriette Delille in 1842.  

They sisters opened the first school for Black students in Baton Rouge, Holy Family Academy, in 1891, according to records from SFX School. The school was located on Florida St., where the present Main Post Office Branch of Baton Rouge is located. In addition to a day school, the sisters cared for boarders and orphans.  

After the Josephite established SFX in 1916 as the first African American Church in Baton Rouge, the sisters sold Holy Family Academy and loaned the money to the parish to build SFX School. The doors of the school were opened in 1920.

SFX invested much sacrifice and hard work and opened the doors of SFX High School to 200 students in 1955. The school was closed when Interstate 10 carved a path through the middle of the building.
Against the odds, SFX School continued to prosper. That same year the old elementary school, which had also served as the convent, was moved to the site of the present SFX Church. A new school was constructed on the property and opened its doors in 1963.
   
Unfortunately, a reduced number of vocations and aging population of sisters made it necessary for the sisters to withdraw from SFX, according to Sister Alicia Costa, congregational leader for the Sisters of the Holy Family. Between 1945-1971, there were between seven and nine sisters serving as principals and teachers at the school. But the number steadily dwindled until there was only one sister present at the school.

“The young women we have entering now are interested in nursing,” said Sister Alicia.  “One novice who entered had credentials as a registered nurse. Thus, unfortunately, we have no more teachers to send.”
“It is with a heavy heart that we have had to withdraw from St. Francis Xavier,” said Sister Alicia. “However, we will continue to pray for its success.”

In his celebration Mass homily SFX Pastor Father Ed Chiffriller SSJ commended the sisters for their work at SFX in the spirituality and charism of Venerable Mother Henriette Delille.

"The sisters and dedicated lay people have provided not only a solid academic foundation but most importantly a solid Christian values-based foundation for countless numbers of children,” said Father Chiffriller. “They taught the children that God loved them and that they in turn should love God and their neighbor. For this, we will be eternally grateful.”

SFX School Principal Paula Johnson said the sisters’ faith permeated the foundation of the school as well as the parish, through religious education. They supported the needs of the students and parents and well as staff members.

“The sisters did not differentiate between Catholic and non-Catholic,” said Johnson. “They taught about God. They modeled the gift of love for their community and their love of the faith to others.

“There is nothing that will substitute for the sisters’ sheer presence.”

The celebration Mass, which concluded with the presentation of a certificate of recognition and gifts to the sisters from the church and school, was followed by a brunch reception. People said “goodbye,” embraced and shed tears of laugher and sadness with the sisters.

As the brunch concluded, the sisters gathered in the school for a portrait photo to capture the historical moment.

“What stands out in my mind as I saw them in the halls of the schools is this is the last time we’ll have all the sister walking the hallways of the school. And they went in and out of every single classroom with admiration and thanks,” said Johnson.

Photos by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator