Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia
The Dominican Sisters of St. Mary in Somerset, Ohio, responded by sending four members to Nashville, where they opened an academy in 1862 specializing in music and the fine arts.
However, the small community continued to struggle as debts mounted and four of its members left to establish a new foundation in the more promising and prosperous Washington, D.C.
They also went to assist the people of Memphis as thousands fled the city in the wake of the epidemic; of the 50 Sisters who served as nurses, 30 died.
By this time, the Sisters had expanded their teaching to schools in other parts of the state, including Chattanooga, Clarksville, Memphis and Winchester.
In 1913, the Congregation of Saint Cecilia was formally affiliated with the Dominicans, and in 1915 they established a link with the Catholic University of America to properly certify their Sister-teachers.
The community prospered to such an extent that, just before the onset of the Great Depression, it was able to purchase prime Nashville land that would later become the site of Aquinas College, Overbrook School and St. Cecilia Academy.
In 1935, when the Congregation celebrated its 75th anniversary in the midst of the Great Depression, the Sisters had established or begun to operate schools throughout Tennessee as well as in Illinois, Ohio and Virginia.
Following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) the Congregation, like all other communities in the Latin Church, underwent a period of reflection and discernment regarding its charism and ministry.
However, unlike many other groups, the Nashville Dominicans decided to retain the wearing of a religious habit, in a slightly modified form.
Since Vatican II, the Nashville Dominicans have continued to expand, establishing further schools and ministries in Tennessee as well as in Birmingham, Alabama; Denver, Colorado; Bremerton, Washington; Joliet, Illinois; Minneapolis-Saint Paul; Arlington, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; Sydney, Australia; Elgin, Aberdeen, Scotland; Sittard, Netherlands; and most recently in Limerick, Ireland; as well as many other locations in the United States.
This is the first stage, during which a young woman corresponds with the Congregation, has various conversations with the director of vocations, participates in a retreat and undergoes a psychological evaluation.
"[5] Thus, the novices are given the opportunity for longer periods of prayer and spiritual reading, as well as silence, in order to reflect on the vocation God is offering and their response.
[6] "By religious profession, members assume the observance of the three evangelical counsels by public vow, are consecrated to God through the ministry of the Church, and are incorporated into the institute.
After Compline, silence is maintained during which the sisters may prepare lessons or mark papers, spend time in personal prayer, while others may study, do some spiritual reading or whatever is needed (such as extra sleep).
