Mother of the Mayo Clinic

This is from my little blue Advent Book from church

"In the early 19th century, a Catholic bishop traveled from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Luxembourg to preach at local parishes about the need for teachers in the United States, especially among Native Americans.

His words touched the hearts of two young sisters, Maria Catherine Moes and her older sister, Barbara.

Deciding to become missionaries, the two women immigrated to the United States in 1851. They traveled to Wisconsin, then Indiana, and finally Illinois, and became Franciscan Sisters.

In 1877, Maria Catherine (now Sr. Alfred), her sister, and several Franciscan nuns moved to Rochester, Minnesota, after the local bishop asked them to establish a Franciscan community to work with immigrant children.

On August 21, 1883, a tornado struck Rochester. The sisters turned their school into a makeshift hospital to care for the injured. They were aided by a local doctor, William Worrall Mayo, and his two physician-sons.

Sr. Alfred quickly recognized Rochester needed a hospital. If the Sisters of St. Francis opened one, she asked Dr. Mayo, would he and his sons serve as physicians there? Although it was unusual for an Episcopalian doctor to staff a Catholic hospital, Dr. Mayo agreed.

On September 30, 1889, the Sisters of St. Francis opened St. Mary Hospital. The hospital is now part of the Mayo Clinic.

Sr. Alfred Moes died on this date in 1899."

Thought this was very interesting as I never knew how the Mayo Clinic got started.

Kim