A look at the life and ministry of Sister St. Veronica Doherty

Another reader of the Throwback Thursday blogs recently made contact with us regarding some requests. This week’s blog is for you, Judy, as we will discuss the life and ministries of Sister St. Veronica Doherty.

Alice Doherty was born on Feb. 17, 1876, in County Cavan, Ireland, to Owen Doherty and Annie Hanlon Doherty.

She entered the Congregation on Oct. 2, 1897 at the age of 21.

According to her obituary information in the Sisters of Providence Archives Department, Sister St. Veronica ministered early on as a cook, before beginning a ministry as a teacher, which spanned nearly 50 years.

Sister St. Veronica taught mostly first or second grade in schools located in Indianapolis, Richmond, Hammond, New Albany, Vincennes, Lafayette, Evansville, Terre Haute, and Fort Wayne in Indiana, and Aurora and Chicago in Illinois.

Her final ministry was as a first grade teacher at St. Patrick’s School, in Indianapolis, from 1944-1950.

Sister St. Veronica became a naturalized United States citizen on Sept. 27, 1928.

The commentary for her obituary stated that “She had a great zeal for the souls of her pupils, their parents, and of those with whom she came in contact.”

The obituary continued, “Her nobility of character is portrayed by the following quotation taken from her last note written just before she came home to die: ‘If God should call me, I would not have time to get ready; I would not have time to dress up. That is why I stay dressed up inside. Nothing in life is so big and great as God.’”

Sister St. Veronica died on Aug. 3, 1950. She was 74 years old and was a Sister of Providence for 53 years. ‪#‎throwbackthursday ‪#‎tbt