Mary Alfred Moes

Mother Mary Alfred Moes, O.S.F., (October 28, 1828 — December 18, 1899) was instrumental in establishing first, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate in Joliet, Illinois, as well as the Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota. She was also the founder of St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota, which became part of the famed Mayo Clinic.

Born as Maria Catherine Moes in Remich, Luxembourg, she was the daughter of a prosperous ironsmith. She emigrated to America with her sister, Catherine, due to the preaching of Bishop John Henni of Milwaukee. Bishop Henni spoke of the need for teachers in the United States, especially among the Native Americans. There were also large immigrant communities, mostly German-speaking, establishing themselves there. Both were highly educated in music and arts. Besides their own Luxembourg language, they spoke and studied in French, German and English. They had also studied mathematics and architecture. The Moes sisters left a life of comfort and set sail from Le Havre, France on September 27, 1851, destined for New York City. From 1852-1863 they lived first in Wisconsin, with the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Milwaukee, then with the Marianites of Holy Cross in South Bend, Indiana. While there, the sisters took religious vows and assumed the names of Sister Alfred and Sister Barbara. When the option arose of leaving the Holy Cross Sisters, the Moes sisters, with two companions, were received into the Third Order of St. Francis, on June 1, 1863.

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