July 1884

July 1884

Settlers from Minnesota – including the first women who would become Sisters – arrived at Union Station in Portland then traveled to Jordan, OR

June 1885

June 1885

The Sisters’ first spiritual leader – Father Werner Ruettimann, OSB – offered the first Mass in Jordan, Oregon.

August 1885

Aug. 1885

Archbishop William H. Gross, CSsR, met with the Sisters, telling them: “I want you to be my Sisters and help me with my work.”

June 1886

June 1886

After a confrontation with the trustees of their settlement, some of the Sisters left Jordan and went to Mt. Angel, Oregon, where they were welcomed by Benedictine monks and Sisters.

August 14, 1886

Aug. 1886

Two Sisters moved from Mt. Angel to Mariazell Convent in Sublimity. Others joined them in September and October.

March 25, 1887

1887

Five Sisters professed vows as Sisters of the Most Precious Blood. Four others were received as novices. Sister Wilhelmina (Emma Bleily) was elected the first Superior General.

Professed in 1887: Sisters Clara Hauck, Benedict Arnold, Wilhelmina Bleily, Josephine Eifert, Cecilia Boedigheimer

Novices in 1887: Sisters Gertrude Silbernagel, Aloysius Bender, Johanna Silbernagel, Rose Eifert

September 1888

1888

At St. Boniface in Sublimity, the Sisters began their ministry in education.

1889

1889

Archbishop Gross approved the construction of St. Mary’s Orphanage in Beaverton.

1890
to 1892

1890

Two Sisters of the Most Precious Blood – including Mother Ludmilla – came from O’Fallon, Missouri, to guide the new group in the ways of religious life.

1891

1891

The ministry began in Verboort and they opened St. Mary’s Orphanage in March. In June, the Sisters moved from Sublimity to Beaverton to serve at the orphanage.

1894

1894

The first Motherhouse was built NW of today’s location. Archbishop William Gross dedicated the Motherhouse to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

November 14, 1898

1898

Archbishop William H. Gross, CSsR, died in Baltimore, Maryland.

1899

1899

Archbishop Alexander Christie succeeded William Gross. He proposed changes at the orphanage to serve only boys. Today it is known as St. Mary’s Home for Boys.

1901

1901

Under the leadership of Mother Theresa Heuberger, the Community adopted English – instead of German – as its official language.

1902

1902

The Sisters added an east wing to the Motherhouse.

January 1903

Jan. 1903

St. Mary’s Academy opened as a resident school for boys and girls. Two years later, the classrooms were so crowded that attendance was limited to girls.

January 1903

Jan. 1903

Mother Theresa Heuberger purchased 60 acres south of the railroad tracks for $4000. In 1930, the land home to the Sisters’ Motherhouse and campus.

September 1903

1903

Less than 20 years after their founding, the Sisters were asked to serve across Oregon. They traveled to Tillamook by train and tugboat.

August 1905

Aug. 1905

Archbishop Alexander Christie asked the Sisters to change their name from Sisters of the Most Precious Blood to the Sisters of St. Mary.

1905

Sept. 1905

The Community decided to add a west wing to the Motherhouse. St. Mary’s Academy was renamed St. Mary’s Institute.

July 6, 1906

1906

The chapel in the new west wing of the Motherhouse was dedicated. The stained glass windows were later moved to the current Motherhouse chapel.

1908
to 1920

Early 20th Century

From 1908 through the 1920s, Sisters began teaching in urban and rural schools.

1918

1918

When the Spanish Flu killed millions of people around the world, Sisters Agnes and Alexia O’Rourke ministered to the needs of ill parishioners in Verboort.

1920

June 1920

Mother Juliana Hermens bought a car – although no one knew how to drive.

1920

Aug. 1920

Due to pressure from the Ku Klux Klan, Oregon legislators passed laws threatening the future of private schools.
The “Garb Law” banned Sisters, who wore habits, from teaching in public schools.

1925

1925

Students at St. Mary’s Institute gathered on the lawn. The Sisters’ original grotto and cemetery appear in the background of this photo.

1926

1926

The Sisters received a blessing from the Pope, approving their new Community. The words “of Oregon” were added to the Community’s name.

1929

1929

On May 26, 1929, The Oregonian newspaper reported that the Sisters and St. Mary’s Institute would soon have a new home, built on 35 acres at a cost of $350,000.

April 1930

April 1930

The Sisters walked in a procession from the original St. Mary’s Institute to the land on the south side of Tualatin Valley Highway to lay the cornerstone for the new (current) Motherhouse.

1930

Oct. 1930

Construction began – and was completed – on the new Motherhouse and school building. St. Mary’s Institute became St. Mary of the Valley.

1936

March 1936

Construction of the chapel in the new Motherhouse began in March. The chapel was dedicated in October.

1936

July 1936

Five of the SSMO Foundresses were still living during the Sisters’ Golden Jubilee. Seated (left to right): Sister Aloysius Bender, Sister Wilhelmina Bleily, and Sister Rose Eifert. Standing: Sister Cecilia Boedigheimer (left) and Sister Gertrude Silbernagel.

May 1937

1937

The Sisters celebrated their Golden Jubilee with a pageant in the Benson Polytechnic School auditorium. The pageant featured students from all the schools in which the Sisters taught.

1946

1946

The Sisters developed property for a campus park to be called Villa Maria. The park house in Villa Maria was built by the father of Sr. Dolores Kinch.

1950

Early 1950s

The east wing of the Motherhouse was completed.

1953

1953

The SSMO Community withdrew from ministry at St. Mary’s Home for Boys after 62 years of service.

1954

1954

The Community purchased a bus to bring students to St. Mary of the Valley Academy.

1957

1957

Sister Imelda Vandehey (left) received the first of two Papal medals for education and service to the church. Mother Colette Lorch is pictured on the right.

1958

1958

The Sisters extended their ministry outside of Oregon, teaching in Spokane, Washington. They later taught in Seattle.

1963

June 1963

The Sisters established Maryville Nursing Home to care for the sick and aging. Sister Joseph Terhaar was Maryville’s first administrator.

1963

July 1963

Aerial view of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus

1966

1966

The Sisters began their first foreign mission work, serving in Peru.

1969

June 1969

Construction took place for a new high school building for St. Mary of the Valley Academy.

1969

Nov. 1969

During Thanksgiving weekend, teachers and students completed the move to the new building, which became known as St. Mary of the Valley High School.

1972

1972

The relocation of the SSMO Cemetery from the former Motherhouse property to its present location was completed.

1984

1984

Boys were admitted to the elementary school for the first time since 1905.

1986

June 1986

As the Sisters celebrated their 100th anniversary, they were honored during a liturgy at the University of Portland.

1986

July 1986

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the SSMO Community, “These Valiant Women” was published to share their history.

1990

June 1990

The Sisters founded Bethany Center to provide opportunities for spiritual growth and lifelong learning.

1990
to 1991

July 1990

A new Associate Program was formally approved by the Sisters. The first Associate Covenant ceremony was held in 1991.

1991

1991

Little Flower Development Center (now known as Valley Catholic Early Learning School) opened. In the fall, the high school became co-educational. Its name was changed to Valley Catholic High School.

1992

1992

St. Mary’s Drive was added to the campus in preparation for the St. John Vianney Residence for retired clergy.

1993

1993

Former Superior General Sr. Fidelis Kreutzer and Maryville Administrator Sr. Theresa Margaret Yettick received papal medals for their contributions to the Catholic Church.

1998

1998

The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Foundation was established.

2002
to 2003

2002

The Sisters celebrated the 100th anniversary of their campus school.

2006

July 2006

The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) Ministries Corporation was established. Sister Adele Marie Altenhofen was named its first president.

2006

Aug. 2006

The new Athletic Center and all-weather track were dedicated at Valley Catholic High School.

2008

2008

All levels of education on the campus (infancy through grade 12) were united as Valley Catholic School.

2010

2010

Construction began on a new K-8 school building with completion scheduled for mid-2011.

2011
to 2012

May 2011

The Sisters were honored for 125 years of ministry and service.

2011
to 2012

May 2011

Signature events of the Sisters’ 125th-anniversary celebration included an open house, Mass, and the inaugural year of Soup’s On, an event to raise funds to fight hunger.

2011
to 2012

June 2011

Valley Catholic High School won the first of four consecutive Oregonian Cups for overall excellence in academics, activities, and athletics.

September 2011

Sept. 2011

The Valley Catholic Elementary/Middle School building opened. K-5 students moved out of the west wing of the SSMO Motherhouse.

September 2011

Sept. 2011

The Maryville Memory Care unit opened.

2012

2012

Sr. Krista von Borstel, executive director of CYO/Camp Howard, received the papal medal for distinguished service to the church.

2013

2013

Maryville celebrated its 50th anniversary.

2014

2014

Valley Catholic added a turf field, a grandstand with a press box, and a field house.

2015

2015

Maryville celebrated the opening of its therapy courtyard and south unit.

2016

June 2016

The Valley Catholic science building opened, featuring state-of-the-art labs and a greenhouse.

2016
to 2017

Aug. 2016

The Sisters and the SSMO Ministries Corporation created a wayfinding plan for new signage on the SSMO campus.

2017

2017

Valley Catholic Middle School held its 50th speech tournament.

2018

2018

Valley Catholic Middle School received STEM accreditation in December 2018 – the first Middle School on the West Coast to earn this accreditation.

2019

2019

In September 2019, Valley Catholic High School received its sixth OSAA Cup for excellence in academics, activities and athletics.

2019
to 2020

Feb. 2020

With the help of generous benefactors, the Sisters remodeled their kitchen in 2019.
An Open House was held in February 2020.

March 2020

The Covid Pandemic

A once-in-a-century global pandemic affected the campus. Mask-wearing, digital learning, social distancing and working from home became the norm in 2020 and each surge brought new guidelines and protocols.

2020

June 2020

A new SSMO Leadership Team was installed in June of 2020.

2020

Sept. 2020

The entire SSMO Campus community came together to send funds and needed tools to fight fires in the Santiam Canyon.

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End of posts