52 Ancestors-Week 8 - Margaret "Sister Donata" McFadden

This post is part of Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.  The object is to write something about 1 ancestor each week.  More information can be  found at her blog No Story Too Small.

Margaret "Sister Donata" McFadden- She was the sister of my maternal grandmother.

Born: 18 August 1894-Roscoe PA
Died: 14 November 1953-Scranton Pennsylvania

She was a nun with the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Scranton, Pennsylvania.


Sister Donata with two unknown people

She is listed on IHM deceased sisters page.  

Here is her Find A Grave   memorial page.

On back:
Mom,
This was taken just for you.
"Three Pittsburghers"
"Me" Aunt Kate Marie Dolora (Ann Legnard)
May 1940

Margaret is on the left.  Aunt Kate may be in the middle.  I don't know if she is an actual aunt or if it is a term on endearment.   Maria Dolora may be the "sister" name for Ann Legnard on the right.

I don't have a lot of information on Aunt Margaret yet.  I did contact her order and they did not have any additional information. 

My next step is to contact the diocese and then any local repositories that may have such records.

Update:  After posting this I went back through my emails and found this from the IHM.

"I know she was stationed in Poughkeepsie, NY for a time.
 

We had a fire at the Motherhouse in 1971 and unfortunately many records were destroyed."

 

So far, all the records I have found regarding Aunt Margaret had her living in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.  Hopefully, NY may have some records about her that survived.

Fearless Females: March 10: Religion

Both my grandmothers were very religious.  My grandmother on my mothers side was Catholic and the one on my fathers was Baptist.  I know they were both strong believers, but other than that I don't know much about their church related activities.

Margaret McFadden, my maternal grandmother (Ruth McFadden) had a sister who became a nun.  Among the photographs in my grandmothers collection I found this photo of Margaret, who became Sr. Donata.  After a little searching I found her name among the list of deceased sisters (http://ihmnew.marywood.edu/1.WhoWeAre/DeceasedSisters.html) of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Scranton Pennsylvania. 

I believe Margaret is on the right

She died in 1953 so I never knew her and don't remember her being talked about all that much so I have no idea what her life was like or why she chose such a life.  

Here is another picture of Margaret and others in front of what looks like a church or perhaps where the sisters lived.  Aunt Margaret is in the back row on the right, looking quite a lot like my grandmother.  My next step is to contact either the organization or the diocese of Scranton to see if they have any biographical or other information on her.  I'm hoping it might shed some light on my gr grandfather Dennis McFadden.