Mother Loraine Tracy
Reprinted from “With Grateful Hearts The Past We Own” written by Sister Carole Sweely OSB on the 50th anniversary of the founding of
St. Paul’s Monastery.
Sister Carole Sweely, originally from Tracy, Minnesota, a graduate of the College of St. Catherine and the University of Notre Dame, was a Benedictine Sister of St. Paul’s Monastery.
“Laughter is not a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is the
best ending for one.” –Oscar Wilde
Mother Loraine Tracy, first prioress of St. Paul’s Priory, was a native of Akron, Iowa, born February 11, 1894, baptized Loretta Margaret. She came as a high school freshman to St. Benedict’s Academy at St. Joseph, Minnesota, in 1911, graduated in 1915 and then entered St. Benedict’s Convent. She made her first vows in 1916 and her perpetual vows in 1919. After graduation from the College of St. Benedict and having received her Master’s degree in education from Marquette University, her teaching career began in Perham, Minnesota. She then became a teacher and principal at Holy Angels School in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The year 1939 found her as principal of St. Benedict’s Academy at St. Joseph and community supervisor of the schools of the St. Cloud Diocese. In 1943, when residing in St. Paul at the Benedictine House of Studies, she was elected superior, appointed supervisor of the Benedictine schools in the archdiocese and was teaching part-time at the St. Paul Diocesan Teachers’ College, also known as Summit Hall.
One can readily see why Mother Loraine would choose St. Paul’s Priory as a new avenue of challenge having already been established in the archdiocese for five years. Her leadership as chairperson of the St. Paul search committee also helped others to recognize her qualities as a forerunner in this new territory. So, in a sense, as one looks back, the first prioress of this new foundation was not so much of a surprise, but an announcement of the obvious to those who could see with their minds and their hearts.
Mother Loraine was much admired by those who elected her and those whom she served. A woman of shrewd intelligence, integrity, propriety, and elegance, people were easily attracted to her regal stature and a crowd did nothing to diminish her presence.
As the first prioress, Mother Loraine dedicated herself consistently to visitations of her Sisters at their missions whether they were in the city, in the suburbs, or in the country. If a car and a driver were not available, she rode a bus or the train. Mr. Gene Hurley and Mrs. Marie Hatley were devoted chauffeurs for Mother Loraine and the Sisters at 301 [Summit].
As a school supervisor, not only would Mother Loraine be concerned about the Sisters’ professional expertise but their personal well-being as well. When Mother Loraine remained the school supervisor (after another was elected prioress), the writer [Sister Carole Sweely] well remembers her first year on mission, her first teaching assignment. At the time, the combination of school and convent duties plus church obligations appeared to overwhelm the writer, but the superior did not feel she had the power to lessen the church obligation—nightly novena devotions which took away from her preparation time. The superior suggested the writer wait until Mother Loraine arrived for school visitation and ask her then. In the spring, after almost a year of novena devotions, the writer finally welcomed the supervisor. Permission was easily given and the long awaited conference with Mother Loraine was over all too soon. The writer believed the asking and granting was in the realm of the moon because she had waited so long for this magical time to occur. The memory of Mother Loraine seeing an empty guest room on the first floor of Assumption Convent, saying to the writer, “Let’s discuss it in here,” the closing of the door, the explanation, and the granting of a permission—all so easy. All was done with so little fanfare after waiting so long.
Mother Loraine was a joyful person to be with as she had a keen sense of humor, and her laughter though quiet and refined, was easily caught by others. A Sister who lived with Mother Loraine during those beginning days at 301 Summit said then that the Sisters would come home as often as they could at that time in order to be with Mother Loraine. They loved her.
When the Sisters were asked for their memories of Mother Loraine, usually the first and outstanding memory for many was her laughter, sometimes uncontrollable during prayers! Anything could set it off from a Sister bowing for a blessing facing the wrong direction to an antiphon intoned at the wrong time or the intonation of an incorrect antiphon either by the Prioress or another prayer leader. One Sister had told a young Sister that in times of hesitancy a safe antiphon to intone was “Alleluia.” This sometimes did not work. Some Sisters recall occasions when all had to leave chapel because of uncontrollable laughter.
There are many such stories about the first Prioress, but space only allows us to capture some. One story about Mother Loraine involved winter boots. One of the visiting young Sisters had gone to Summit Hall classes in the early morning before the snowfall. When it was time to come home, the snow was heavy and she was bootless. Listening to weather reports was unheard of in those days. In order to save her shoes, the Sister wore a pair of priest’s boots home to 378 Summit. When Mother Loraine saw these boots on the porch, she assumed the confessor had arrived so she rang the bell, the Sisters assembled and the first Sister entered the chapel for confession. She saw an empty room, said to Mother Loraine, “There is no priest.” Mother responded, “His boots are here. Where is he?” The wearer of those boots said, “I wore those boots home because Father wasn’t using them.” Mother Loraine proceeded to send the Sister back with the priest’s boots. Were they missed is the next question!
Another story about Mother Loraine involved Ready Whip topping. The setting was Saint Anne’s in Minneapolis where Sister Benita Gerold was the cook and she had provided pie for dessert to the Sisters and to Mother Loraine. Sister Benita passed the can of topping to the Sisters only to have it return unused because the Sisters did not know how to operate it. Sister Benita said, “Oh, Sisters don’t you know how to use this I’ll do it for you.” Sister Benita shook the can and instead of hitting the pie she squirted the topping on Sister Julienne’s clean scapular. The Sisters had school meetings that evening. Sister Nillon thought she’d want some on her pie as well, so again Sister Benita sprayed the canned topping and this time too landed on Sister Nillon’s scapular. After much laughter by all, Mother Loraine said, “Now that I hope you know how to use that, I’ll take some.”
Among the many memories the Sisters have about Mother Loraine, these qualities stand out: her kindness, sensitivity, sense of fairness, and her understanding. One of the Sisters recalled how as young Sisters after days of high heat and humidity in summer when the Sisters would be in classes all day, Mother Loraine, upon their arrival home, would tell them to get out of their habits and into something cooler. For evening prayer, they could pray on the balcony instead of in Chapel.
Another sister remembers Mother Loraine’s human touches as well, coming out of the kitchen to help with dishes or helping the cook, Sister Mary Edgar Feist, at 378 summit, to gather in the wash when it looked like rain and all the other Sisters had gone to a film for an afternoon frolic. The folding of the wash was an added feature, as the laundry was a big one. The Sisters appreciated the thoughtfulness, as folding wash for many took precious time. If a pastor was displeased with a Sister or Sisters, Mother Loraine could be counted on to defend the Sisters. Another Sister remembers how Mother Loraine was a real part of recreation; she did not separate herself from the group nor hold herself aloof.
A Sister tells the story of how one cold winter day sleet was the norm and the Sisters were leaving the convent to attend a daily mass. While leaving for Mass Mother Loraine discovered the convent steps to be very slippery, so she told the youngest Sister present, salt should really be put on those steps so they wouldn’t be so dangerous. The dutiful young Sister went back into the convent and brought out a dainty salt shaker and proceeded to salt the steps. Mother Loraine could not believe her eyes, and within moments collapsed in laughter. That was the background in which they attended Mass, muffled laughter.
On occasion, life with Mother Loraine at 378 summit was quite stringent in the food department especially for the young school Sisters who attended Summit Hall. At that time, before 301 summit, all were dependent upon the monthly maintenance check from Saint Benedict’s. Besides the Sisters, there were three women boarders whose rent helped pay house expenses, and whose needs were considered before those of the Sisters. Food was in short supply, so, of course, food items were much sought after. One day as three Sisters came home hungry from school, they found a pickle which they eagerly divided. Later, at supper, the “sour” was missed and the story to this day is readily shared by these three with laughter in their eyes. Aside from episodes of hunger, there were many positive experiences of life at 378 Summit with Mother Loraine. Before Mother Loraine was elected prioress she was then the superior at the Benedictine House of studies at 378 Summit Ave. She wrote a letter on February 9, 1948, to Sister Neva Kempe which tells us about the new foundation, the search for 301 Summit. An excerpt follows:
I have thought so much about the new Priory these past days; perhaps it is because we have a house on Summit that makes me feel our establishment is really near at hand; I think these next weeks are going to gallop away and we will find ourselves facing all our problems here we know it. Many times we will have to have our faith tried and we will need to say: “In Domino Confido.” Personally, I think this new setup will bring me closer to God. What else matters in this world? Do you know the house we purchased? It is almost across the street from Weyerhaeuser’s big white colonial house. You have seen it many times; It looks very convent like, has a round porch on the front like Butler’s house next door. I saw the entire house when Mother went through it and it really is very nice. Of course I think I like this house better but I am not too sure. I am sure I will miss our dear little Chapel more than I can ever breathe, I shall have to shed some tears in that little room before I leave here but just this gesture will make my leaving that much easier. I don’t think I am attached to any corner of the house as I have never wanted to be but I am sure I am attached to the Chapel.
In the preceding quotation, we discover much more than the finding of the Truman Gardner home. One of the Sisters recalls how before the purchase of 301 Summit she accompanied Mother Loraine on walks along Summit Ave. This Sister vividly recalls stopping in front of the Gardner home and waiting for Mother Loraine as she went into the house alone too, perhaps, ponder the great move.
Sometimes on a Saturday afternoon, chances were slim, but possible, of seeing Mother Loraine passing through the Priory kitchen on her way to the car after a council meeting. She was usually in a hurry, easily understood after spending hours at a meeting. Nevertheless, the writer, on occasion, would have the opportunity to at least greet her with affection. What a simple greeting could do to lighten the human spirit in those youthful but struggling ears. Even at the new Priory there were times, amidst all the space, to greet her after one of her many duties and chat, if not among a swirl of others then behind closed doors for precious minutes only. People and especially her friends were important to Mother Loraine. Teaching at Archbishop Murray Memorial High School with Mother Loraine at superior was an experienced treasured and not easily forgotten.
After a busy school day, some of the Sisters would gather in the cafeteria kitchen for a spontaneous snack, if one were to be found. Having a cook on the premises was a rarity in the early 1960s so a snack might be a leftover from noon lunch or the evening before when the Sisters took turns cooking for each other. One lovely day, a Sister recalls seeing Mother Loraine in the snack lineup and, for once, Mother was free for a walk in the woods. The twosome tracked towards the water tower and beyond. On the way, the Sister recalled that she was wearing a new pair of black loafers she had not yet asked permission to keep. Those were the days of simplicity of dress and possessions. Mother Loraine had a keen memory and the Sister was too fond of shoes, especially of loafers. But, she had not asked permission to keep them and the guilts were upon her in this situation. While walking and chatting amidst the joy of companionship, the Sister decided to walk in such a fashion that the habit would hide the shoes as much as possible. That was quite a feat. If one could make it to the woods without the notice of her new black loafers, one might be safe and Mother certainly wasn’t on the walk to notice shoes or give permissions. Mother never mentioned the shoes, even if they had been noticed. Meanwhile the walk was enjoyed. The shoes have long vanished. And the path in the woods has long disappeared. But the memory of that cherished time remains clear in the heart.
After Mother’s years as prioress, she continued as school supervisor and as principal and superior at Saint Anne’s in Minneapolis, teaching and serving as superior at Archbishop Murray Memorial High School, organizing summer workshops for teachers, serving the monastic council and various various community projects. Her devotion to duty was primary in her life. Her monastic presence was a full one.
Mother Loraine’s illness began in January 1966. A Sister recalls receiving a Christmas note from her saying she had not felt well during the holidays. In January, after Mother gave report cards to the students at Saint Anne’s grades and leaving items out for her return, she went to Saint Mary’s Hospital, never to return to her mission again. She was diagnosed with cancer.
After stints at the hospital, Mother was confined to the Infirmary floor at the Priory. The Sisters delighted in having her home at last, and they looked forward to visits with her and valued the days of her presence among them.
When she was well, she frequently referred to coming home to the Priory to live but not under these sudden and saddened circumstances. Nevertheless, the Sisters were glad to have her in their midst.
The writer recalls vividly her own after school visits to the Infirmary when Sister Albert Kleiter was the nurse in charge. In 1966, Mother Loraine was among the first to wear a modified headdress because of her illness. When the writer appeared at the door one day, she was greeted by Mother’s comment, “Would you believe this?” Referring to her new headdress and the incongruity of it.
On March 21, 1966, Mother Loraine received the last rites at Saint Mary’s Hospital from Father Ambrose Whitman OSB the first weekend chaplain at 301 Summit. In those last months before her death, Mother would have few food requests but two were her favorites, oyster soup and strawberries. Sister Loarn Brey, the Priory cook at the time, asked Mr. Alphonse Heibel, the night watchman, to go in search of oysters. Even though oysters were out of season, he was successful.
On June 1,1966, Mother Loraine again received the last sacraments from Father Osmond Jacobs OSB, the Priory chaplain. She was then taken to Saint Mary’s Hospital in an ambulance with Mother Marcelline Jung and Sister Albert Kleiter accompanying her. Mother Marcelline stayed with her until 10:00pm when two other Sisters arrived to relieve her lengthy watch.
On the evening of June 1, 1966, Mother Marcelline had asked for volunteers to stay with Mother Loraine at the hospital during the night, so Sisters Claire Lynch and Jean Smisek volunteered. Shortly after their arrival and making sure of Mother Loraine’s needs and comfort, Sister Jean noticed a change in Mother’s breathing. She asked for a nurse. After the nurse left, Mother Loraine and the Sisters conversed briefly only to have Mother sit up as if in recognition. She took a deep breath, which was her last. Mother Loraine died at 10:50pm quickly and quietly, with only Sister Jean in the room.
Mother Loraine was waked at Saint Anne’s convent in Minneapolis before she was brought home to the Priory for the final services. A Sister says about the wake at Saint Anne’s that people kept coming until all hours the night, as Mother Loraine was much loved by the laity as well.
The burial of Mother Loraine was on a rainy June 4, 1966. An election in the afternoon gave us another prioress Sister Rose Alice Altoff, the third prioress of Saint Paul’s Priory.