Reflections from Pioneer Team Member, Sister Philip Joseph Davis, O.P. I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (Jn.15:5) Mount de Sales is God’s work. It exists today solely because He wants it. The Dominican Sisters are the instruments He is using to bring about His plan. In May of 1985, Mother Assumpta Long asked Sister Mary Gabriel Long, Sister Mary Rebecca Horton and me to accompany her to Mount de Sales Academy in Baltimore, Maryland to attend the school’s graduation ceremony. She said we were taking over the administration and would begin teaching there in September. That sounded like an enormous and fun adventure to me, and a return to my ancestral heritage. My paternal grandmother’s people (Greene) originated from Pomfort, Maryland and gave the property for the building of Saint Joseph Catholic Church.
10 Dominican Difference
When we returned to Nashville, I (President Parents’ Club) and candidly asked Mother Assumpta, Father Michael Roach (Trustee). “Why did you take Mount de First on the agenda was prayer. Sales?” The school looked like it Carol and Chris Cuddeback was falling apart, on its last leg initiated a holy hour before the with plaster coming off the walls Blessed Sacrament on Sunday and floors literally caving in as we evenings in the school chapel. toured the building. She replied We were asking God for direction without hesitation, “It’s like a and financial assistance. Repairs dead Saint Cecilia, Sister Philip came first to the chapel. We Joseph; it’s like our Motherhouse knew if we did not take care of without Sisters.” the Lord, we could That was the key. not ask Him to take “Mount de Sales is She was sending God’s work. It exists care of us. About sisters with the goal the third week of today solely because to revive a once the holy hour, a He wants it. The flourishing school Dominican Sisters are man walked into that, through lack the chapel, handed the instruments He is of finances, had me a $10,000 check, fallen into disrepair. using to bring about and said, “Repair This would prove His plan.” the chapel.” Thus, to be a miraculous a great revival of adventure for all. We were Mount de Sales began in the supported by Chris (Board of fall of 1985. Trustees President) and Carol Coming out of the Deep South Cuddeback, Jerry and Ann and going to what we considered (Principal) Cichowicz, Russ far north, we were not sure if the and Linda (Vice-Principal) two cultures would blend. We Schumann’69, Joe Saverino P’87 soon learned that Mount de Sales
William Carrigan, one of our top benefactors, believed in the limitless potential of MDSA and demonstrated it by investing his time and treasure. Pictured at the Padre Pio Library dedication in May 1987, he was a friend of the saint and will forever be remembered for establishing the MDSA devotion to Padre Pio.
