Fonds 2.10 - Riehl, Mother Clarissa, O.S.B., (1894-1981)

2 - 5" boxes

Photographs, correspondences, prayer books, biographical data, other related materials, Ferdinand

none

the file is open for research use

copyright restrictions may apply

• English
• Latin

Content for file: Riehl, Mother Clarissa, O.S.B., (1894-1981)

BOX 6A
Gold hardcover "A Spiritual Treasure" enrollment of Sister Clarissa in the Sacred Heart Spiritual Society, requested by John and Cecilia James, May 29, 1977

Blue hardcover, "Perpetual Mass Association: The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima" enrollment of Sister Clarissa Riehl in the Masses at the Shrines of Fatima, enrolled by Marsh & Betty Lomont (no date given)

Copy of "Reach Out", a statement of the philosophy of the Benedictines of Ferdinand, indiana, composed by various committees and members of the community under the leadership and direction of the Renewal Committee in 1971, revised in 1972 and in 1973 (loose leaf, not in a binder

Message of His Holiness Pope Pius XII tot he Most Reverend Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, D.D., Apostolic Delegate to the United States of America, on occasion of His Golden Jubilee in the Priesthood, September 23, 1955; included typed letter, dated September 26, 1955, from the Apostolic Delegate to Mother Clarissa, thanking her for Jubilee gift of money

Overside photo (at back of box) of Mother Clarissa and Sr. Antonilla Kraus at the Fatima statue in Spring, 1949

FOLDERS

1. Abbot Primate Pilgrimage September 24 to November 16, 1950:
   Map of Europe

Photo (2 copies) of the group on the pilgrimage with Pope Pius XII; Mother Clarissa is eighth sister, next to Pope, in second row; to her right is Mother Ricarda from St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, MN; the monks kneeling are identified as Fr. Hugh Farrington and Fr. Bede

Typed itinerary of the pilgrimage (2 pages)

Letters from Mother Clarissa to the Sisters at Ferdinand, describing the places and activities at the stops along the pilgrimage; the letters begin in New York on September 22. 1950 through November 9, 1950 (extra copies of the letters in October are clipped together separately)

Photocopy of official studio portrait of Mother Clarissa Riehl

2. Academic Records:
   Certificate of license from the State Board of Education of Indiana to Sister M. Clarissa Riehl as a Regular High School License, First Grade - English, Commercial, Arithmetic, Physiology, Bookkeeping, Stenography, US History and Civics, Physical Geography, Commercial Geography; license valid for life, dated March 16, 1936, signed by Floyd I. McMurray, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Certificate of License issued by State Board of Education of Indiana to Sister M. Clarissa for High School Principal's License, First Grade, valid for life, dated September 29, 1939, signed by Floyd I. McMurray, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

3. Alumnae Association - AIC/MHA
   Booklet, "MHA-AIC Alumnae Association Fiftieth Anniversary 1925 - 1975

Liturgy Program for Alumnae Day, April 17, 1977, Eucharistic Celebration

Greeting card with handwritten letter from Sister Clarissa, sent from St. Joseph Hospital, January 5, 1970, to Marie and Fred Conan, in re thanking them for their concern and interest in "our problems and difficulty" perhaps referring to the financial situation at the hospital

4. Funeral, wake services and memorial cards for Mother Clarissa Riehl
   Funeral Prayer/Memorial Card (11 copies) for Mother Clarissa Riehl, who died June 1, 1981, at age 87

Liturgical program for wake service for Sister M. Clarissa Riehl, June 3, 1981

Liturgical program (combined morning prayer and Eucharistic celebration) for Mother Clarissa Riehl, June 4, 1981

Copy of Sister ministers for funeral Eucharistic celebration on June 4, 1981

Liturgy program for Resurrection Vigil and Memorial Service in memory of Sr. Clarissa Riehl, August 15, 1981

Typed copies of readings used for funeral liturgy: Sirach 6:14-17; readings for wake service: Romans 6:3-4, 8-9; Revelation 21:1a, 3-5a; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; 2 Corinthians 4:13-15, 5:1; Revelation 7:9-12

Typed copy of homily by Fr. Alban Berling, OSB, given at the funeral Mass for Mother Clarissa Riehl, June 4, 1981

Typed letter from Roselyn McKeown (former AIC student), dated June 4, 1981, to Sister Maura Beckman in re thank you for letting her know how well Mother Clarissa had been cared for in her last days

Photocopy of vital statistics, academic record, and mission record for Sister Clarissa Riehl

5. Interview of Mother Clarissa Riehl
   Packet of handwritten notes about Mother Clarissa's election as President of the Congregation of St. Gertrude and the work of translating the Divine Office into English

Packet of handwritten questions, notes prepared by the interviewer, who may have been Sr. Mary Matthew Baehl

Packet of handwritten notes about the Abbot's Benedictine Pilgrimage through Europe in 1950

Packet of note paper (4"x4", blue) handwritten notes with responses by Mother Clarissa to posed questions; also a few pages of questions, written in another style of handwriting, presumably by the interviewer

Individual sheet in Mother Clarissa's handwriting about the beginnings of Our Lady of Grace Convent in Beech Grove, 1956

Packet of handwritten notes with questions to be posed to Mother Clarissa and outline of purposed areas of discussion for Mother Clarissa to address - this packet has a small note with a question, signed by Sr. Mary Matthew Baehl (the handwriting on this note agrees with the handwriting on other questions in the packet)

Packet of responses to questions, in Mother Clarissa's handwriting, especially the process for accepting Stork Memorial Hospital as an apostolate of the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand

6. Letters to Mother Clarissa from AIC alumnae
   Letters, Christmas cards, jubilee cards, from alumnae in classes 1915 to 1952, written mostly in the mid-1970's

7. Letters to Mother Clarissa from AIC alumnae
   Letters, Christmas cards, jubilee cards, from alumnae in classes 1915 to 1952, written mostly in the mid-1970's

8. Letters to Mother Clarissa from Beech Grove, Belcourt, and California
   Jubilee notes, letters from Sisters and friends at Beech Grove, Belcourt, California, Durham, NC, Frankfurt, KY, and Mesa, AZ, most written in 1975 and 1976

9. Letters from Ferdinand Sisters to Mother Clarissa
   Small card with "Happy Mother's Day, dated May 12, 1957, signed by several sisters

Cards, letters to Mother Clarissa, celebrating her Diamond Jubilee in 1977

10. Letters to community from Mother Clarissa
    Letters from Mother Clarissa from 1950 through 1959; Christmas and Easter greetings, updates, instructions, visitation schedules; 30 letters in folder

11. Letters to community from Mother Clarissa - 1960
    Letters from Mother Clarissa to the community - 9 total and 1 copy of Christmas note sent to doctors of the sisters; includes letters of instruction, Christmas and Easter greetings, and Lenten advise

12. Letters to community from Mother Clarissa - 1961
    Letters from Mother Clarissa to the community - 6 total; lenten bona opera letter, beginning of lent letter, Easter letter, announcement of independence for Our Lady of Grace Convent (4/18/1961), letter in May requesting final adjustments to appointments (2 copies), final letter on appointments

13. Mother Clarissa Riehl Lecture Series
    Trifold brochure: "Images of Wisdom": The Mother Clarissa Riehl Lecture Series, 1992, listing scheduled lectures for the year

Program: "Images of Wisdom": The Mother Clarissa Riehl Lecture Series, speaker: Sr. Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB, November 16, 1992 (2 copies)

15. Newspaper Clippings, Mother Clarissa Riehl
    Article, "Our Mothers" announcing election of Mother Clarissa Riehl in 1949 - source is unidentified

Newspaper article, "Ferdinand Benedictine Convent Elects Its First New Mother in Last 35 Years" EVANSVILLE COURIER, June 23, 1949

Newspaper article, "New Mother Assigns Nuns in Convent" FERDINAND NEWS, August 5, 1949

Newspaper article, "Mother Clarissa Elected to Head All Benedictine Convents in Community: Fourth General Chapter Holds Election in Yankton, S. Dakota" FERDINAND NEWS, 1955

Newspaper photos of Mother Clarissa standing by bouquet, and Jubilarian Class (Mother Clarissa in front row as Jubilarian), FERDINAND NEWS, July 9, 1967

Newspaper photo, "Here is St. Pius school class, early 1900's" (Stella Riehl - Mother Clarissa is in 4th row), TELL CITY NEWS, Thursday, July 22, 1971

Newspaper article, "Alumnae Day to Include Jubilee Reception for Former Academy Directress" STELLA MARIS (newsletter of Marian Heights Academy), May, 1977

Newspaper article, "St. Joseph's Hospital Constantly Growing, VITAL SIGNS (newsletter of St. Joseph's Hospital), March 1981

Obituary: Sr. Clarissa Riehl (June 1, 1981), THE DALE NEWS, Friday, June 5, 1981

News article, "Sr. Clarissa Riehl, OSB, 87, former mother prioress, dies" THE DOVE (newsletter of Benedictine Sisters, Convent Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana), June 1981

15. Official Correspondence to Mother Clarissa
    Handwritten letter, undated, from Dom Grenier, OSB, St. Pierre, Martinique, to "Reverend Mother" requesting funds to help his monastery pay for a roof on their building

Handwritten letter, dated May 5, 1952, from Abbess Gertrude Taroni of Monastero Benedictine Senigallia; the letter is written in Italian or Spanish; appears to be a request for funds

Typed letter from Fr. Raymond Bernard, SJ at Social Order in St. Louis, Missouri, dated September 1, 1955, to Mother Clarissa, in re enclosed digest of survey of Black American sisters, with hope of Ferdinand Benedictines participation in a future survey.

Typed letter from Fr. Adelbert, OSB of St. Meinrad Archabbey, dated April 30, 1961, to Mother Clarissa in re response to a canonical question about keeping on with mental illness after first profession vows have elapsed

Typed letter from Sr. Carmelita Quinn, OSB of Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration, St. Louis, MO, dated January 6, 1977, to Sr. Clarissa, in re information about Benedictine Institute of Sacred Theology, which Mother Clarissa had encouraged the letter's author to pursue

16. Organization Memberships
    Various memberships established posthumously for Mother Clarissa - masses, Central Assoc. of the Miraculous Medal, St. John Children's Home Mass and Prayer Guild, Marist Spiritual Alliance, Association of Marian Helpers, and Franciscan Mission Association

17. Photographs, Mother Clarissa
    In protective sleeve: Photo of Theresa and Michael Riehl - parents of Sr. Clarissa Riehl and Sr. Mary John Riehl/photo of Sr. Clarissa, her mother, and Fr. Norbert Spitzmesser

4 photos in protective sleeve of Sr. Clarissa, alone, in her class, with her mother and Fr. Spitzmesser, and with Sr. Kathleen Finis

Studio photo of Sr. Clarissa, probably first profession, taken by Sprauer Studio, Jasper/Huntingburg

3 studio photos in protective sleeve of Sr. Clarissa, dated 1939, taken by Chase Studio, Huntingburg

Large photo of Sr. Clarissa and Sr. Mary John, taken in 1968

Studio photos of Sr. Clarissa (3 photos) no date

Large studio portrait photo, taken by Chase Studio, 1949 - the official photo for Mother Clarissa

Large photo of Mother Clarissa giving blessing to Postulant Angela Dolan, taken in chapel parlor, no date

2 photos of Mother Clarissa, older, still in habit, no date

Portrait photos of various sizes of Mother Clarissa, no date

Large portrait photo of Mother Clarissa, c. 1968, in modified habit

18. Letter to Parents of Candidate Preparing for Investing
    Typed letter, dated April 29, 1960 from Mother Clarissa to "Dear Parents", explaining the step of investiture and also requesting the parents to contribute $50 at this stage (as well as at entrance and at profession); also spells out the restriction visiting regulations (the letter was apparently sent to the parents of Sr. Mary Joyce Trimble

BOX 6B
Funeral Visitation book for Sr. Clarissa Riehl, who died June 1, 1981

Photo album, Sr. Clarissa's Diamond Jubilee in 1977

Book, in Latin, HORAE DIURNAE: BREVIARII MONASTICI, Editio Altera, 1938, printed in Belgium

Booklet, COMPLINE: THE NIGHT PRAYER of HOLY CHURCH, 1943, in Latin and English

Booklet DECLARATIONS and CONSTITUTIONS: CONGREGATION OF SAINT GERTRUDE THE GREAT, printed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 1951, in English

Gregorian (Latin) Chant hymnal, CANTUS ad PRECESSIONES et BENEDICTIONES SSmiSACRAMENTI, New York, J. Fischer & Brothers, 1927

Spiral bound notebook, handwritten notes on the Benedictine Sisters and Stork Memorial Hospital, apparently written by Sr. Clarissa (in 3rd person)

Book, PEOPLE'S MASS BOOK, Cincinnati, World Library of Sacred Music, 1970

Nameplate (wood), Mother Clarissa Riehl, President, Governing Board, Stork Memorial Hospital, 1951-1961

Booklet, "Regulations for the Canonical Election of The Mother Prioress, The Mother President, and the method of the Canonical Visitation", produced by Benedictine Sisters of the Congregation of St. Gertrude the Great, 1939

Book, OUR LORD and OUR LADY, by Alexander O. Schorsch and Sr. Dolores Schorsch, New York, Philosophical Library, 1957

Chant (Latin) hymnal, GRADUALE ROMANUM, Paris, Desclee & Sochi, 1956

Cassette tapes (7), Oral History, "Sister Clarissa Riehl in conversation with Sr. Mary Kenneth Scheessele, Archivist, 1974-75

Sister Clarissa Riehl was the sixth prioress of Monastery Immaculate Conception - 1949-196l. These are the papers, letters, and some personal effects of Mother Clarissa Riehl.