A Quick Look at the Founding History
Vincentian Sisters of Charity – Bedford, OH
The Vincentian Sisters of Charity of Pittsburgh originally arrived in the United States on November 14, 1902. Five Sisters from that Pittsburgh community arrived in Bedford, Ohio, on September 4, 1928, and they formally became the Vincentian Sisters of Charity of Bedford, Ohio, on February 19, 1939.
Above Photo Caption: The first photo of the sisters who served before the arrival of Mother M. John Berchmans. August 28, 1929
Origins
The Vincentian Sisters have a long history throughout Europe, but the five Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (their original name) immigrated from Szatmar, Romania, in 1902. They became known as the Vincentian Sisters in the United States to avoid confusion with the existing Sisters of Charity founded by Elizabeth Seton. The sisters initially settled in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and later moved to the Pittsburgh area in 1915.
Foundress
Mother M. Emerentiana Handlovits is considered the foundress of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity of Pittsburgh, and Mother M. John Berchmans Fialko is the foundress of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity of Bedford, Ohio.
First Service
In Bedford, the Sisters were deeply embedded in the Slovak community, teaching primarily in Slovak parishes across the Cleveland and Youngstown dioceses. They also worked in domestic service for the Cleveland Diocese, Borromeo Seminary, and later the Diocese of Lafayette. At their motherhouse, Villa San Bernardo, they established the Shrine to Our Lady of Levocha, the only one of its kind in the United States. The shrine became a central place for processions and special gatherings within the Slovak community.
Artifact Spotlight
This lamp sat at the side of Mother Mary John Berchmans’ crib when she was an infant. Born in Braddock, Pennsylvania in 1898, Mary Frances Fialko entered the Vincentian Sisters of Charity in Perrysville, Pennsylvania in 1913. After the Cleveland Bishop Joseph Schrembs invited the Sisters to Bedford, Ohio in 1928, Sister traveled there the following year to serve as Superior. When the Vincentian Sisters of Charity of Bedford, Ohio was canonically established in 1939, Mother Berchmans was elected Superior and was serving her fourth consecutive term at the time of her death. She is credited with undertaking an extensive expansion of the Motherhouse and Shrine of Our Lady of Levocha.
Mother Mary John Berchmans Fialko’s sewing kit, likely brought with her from Pittsburgh when she came to Bedford.