Portrait of Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., 1922
Jubilee Celebrations
Jubilee 2025 continues with the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly from May 30th through June 1st. As part of this celebration, Archives wanted to highlight an important person who is near and dear to Maryknollers, and has not been featured in our blog previously. This individual’s unwavering love and support facilitated the formation of the Maryknoll Sisters.
Today, we celebrate the contributions of Sister Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., who served as the Sisters’ first novice mistress. Through her gentle guidance and decades of experience as a teacher, she helped secure the Sisters’ Canonical Recognition and secured her own place in the hearts of Maryknoll Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters. Sr. M. Fidelia was affectionately known as Maryknoll’s Grandmother.
The joy of love in families is rooted in hope despite the challenges and trials that life presents us.
Sister Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P.
November 11, 1859 – June 27, 1943
Maryknoll’s Grandmother
Sister Mary Fidelia Delaney was born in Mineral Point, Wisconsin on November 11, 1859 to Patrick and Catherine (Darcy) Delaney. Both of her parents were Irish immigrants. Given when she was born, it’s likely that her parents immigrated to the U.S. to escape the Irish Potato Famine. If not famine, they were potentially among the numerous Scottish and Irish immigrants fleeing economic depression during the 19th century.
The Delaney family appears to have settled down and stayed in this historic mining town for more than a decade. While still a teenager, she said goodbye to her family and traveled south-west from Mineral Point to Sinsinawa, Wisconsin and joined the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters. In 1877, she was professed and officially became Sr. Mary Fidelia.
Depiction of the Dominican Sisters’ Coat of Arms
As seen in Coats of Arms
Portrait of Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., 1922
Dedicated Educator
Sr. Fidelia established herself as a dedicated teacher early in her life as a Sinsinawa Dominican Sister. She went where she was needed in Catholic schools across Wisconsin; St. Patrick’s School in Milwaukee, Whitewater, Oshkosh, and St. Raphael’s in Madison. In 1889, she was relocated to Illinois and appointed Superior at Immaculate Conception Covent, Chicago. Thankfully for her students, Sr. Fidelia returned to educating young minds in 1890.
Her next assignment brought her to St. Clara Academy in Wisconsin, where she joined the faculty for four consecutive years. Sister continued traveling to different schools, this time to Freeport, IL for a year and then Kewanee, IL. In 1896, she was appointed the Superior at St. Joseph’s Academy in Bloomington, IL and served in this capacity for five years.
In 1902, Sr. Fidelia was reassigned to St. Regina Academy (now Edgewood Campus School) in Madison, WI. She educated young ladies here for fourteen years, her longest period at any one school. Sister’s years of dedicated and reliable leadership saw her elevated to the school’s Prioress from 1910 to 1916.
All good things must come to an end. Eventually, Sr. Fidelia was asked to serve at another school. In 1916, she transferred to Sacred Heart Academy in Washington, D.C. where she taught for three years. After living her whole life in the Midwest, I imagine she would have experienced some culture shock. This would not have slowed her down or stopped her from providing the best possible education for her students however.
Special Assignment
By 1919, Sr. Fidelia had roughly four decades of experience educating children and young adults. This certainly would have been a factor in her selection for a special assignment by Mother Mary Samuel, Prioress General of the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Sister’s teaching days were far from over.
The original request for assistance came from Archbishop McNicholas, O.P., who was concerned for the spiritual formation of the future Maryknoll Sisters, then known as the Teresians. Fr. James A. Walsh and Mary Josephine Rogers agreed that the Teresians should embrace the Dominican tradition, however, this required guidance from current Dominican Sisters. Mother Mary Samuel assigned Sr. Fidelia to oversee their spiritual formation, making her the Maryknoll Sisters’ first Novice Mistress.
Sr. Fidelia’s time at Maryknoll is best described by her profile in Mollie’s Legacy of Love:
Sister Fidelia Delaney, O.P.
Although the formal novitiate year could not yet begin since Rome had not yet spoken, Mother Mary Samuel of the Sinsinawa Dominicans was willing to send Sister Fidelia Delaney, nearly sixty years old, who arrived on July 15, 1919, to begin the necessary formation program in anticipation of a favorable response from Rome. Mary Joseph saw Sister Fidelia as a sister of ripe experience having been a religious for forty-three years and who held responsible offices in the Congregation.
Sister Fidelia was balanced in judgement, and distinguished easily and precisely between what belonged to the essence of religious life and what pertained to individual community custom. She brought with her the best of the Dominican tradition and quickly captured the spirit and purpose of Maryknoll. She fit in so well that Father Walsh called her Maryknoll’s Grandmother and her influence was profound. She had the remarkable gift of joining her novices in their voyage of discovery as they moved toward mission. Mary Joseph wrote:
Sister Fidelia brought to her work a brilliant mind, lofty ideals, the charm of a warm, loving heart, a delightful sense of humor, an immense generosity, deep humility, wells of common sense, and a most attractive, vitalizing spirituality. With consummate skill, she took things as she found them, and transformed them. She taught us to intensify our time of prayer, to properly motivate our work, to recreate with a free joyous spirit. She made sure we knew and understood our catechism.
The Teresians found that they had acquired a great treasure in Sister Fidelia. Again, Mary Joseph was a novice. Thirty-six years old now and used to overseeing the Teresians with Father Walsh’s direction, she accepted her role gratefully and completely, as novice and directress. The Teresians gratefully remembered the lovely relationship between Mary Joseph and Sister Fidelia.
Portrait of Mother Mary Samuel Coughlin, O.P., taken during a rare visit to Maryknoll, NY.
Mother Mary Joseph Rogers sits with Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., during a visit to Maryknoll, 1933
This photo documents the Maryknoll Sisters’ celebrations before the first group of Sisters entered the cloister on October 4th, 1932. Multiple photos from the party were shared with Sr. Fidelia, including this one. The Sinsinawa Dominican Archives currently holds these and other records of Sr. Fidelia’s connection with the Maryknoll Sisters.
“Parting is such sweet sorrow”
The Maryknoll Sisters were saddened to part with Sr. Fidelia after five years together. Mother Mary Joseph and Sr. Fidelia continued their close connection through frequent letter writing. No details were spared regarding the latest news from Maryknoll, and records suggest Sr. Fidelia looked forward to updates on the Congregation’s welfare.
Having established herself as a successful novice mistress, Sr. Fidelia was recalled home to the St. Clara Convent in Sinsinawa, where she served as postulant mistress. She briefly returned to St. Regina Academy, which had grown into Edgewood High School, as its Sub-Prioress for the 1933 school year. In 1934, she returned to St. Clara Convent and her role as postulant mistress until her retirement.
In July 1942, Sister was diagnosed with a terminal cancer. Her suffering ended on June 27, 1943 in the St. Clara Infirmary, where she died surrounded by her loving Sisters. She was laid to rest in St. Clara Cemetery, Sinsinawa, WI.
Sister Fidelia was a noble and valiant woman. We Maryknoll Sisters look upon her as a great benefactor, and her name will ever be held in grateful and prayerful remembrance.
(left to right) Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., Mother Mary Joseph Rogers, and Sr. Magdalen Doelger in Maryknoll, NY
Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., 1933
(left to right) Sr. Mary Fidelia Delaney, O.P., Mother Mary Joseph, and Sr. Magdalen Doelger in Maryknoll, NY
Interested in learning more about the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters?
You can contact the Sinsinawa Dominicans Archives Department at:
585 County Road Z
Sinsinawa, WI 53824-9701
Phone: (608) 748-4411, ext. 870
Fax: (608) 748-4491
Email: archives@sinsinawa.org
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
Baldini, T., & McHugh, M. (Eds.). (2014). Mollie’s legacy of Love: An informal biography on mother mary joseph rogers and a brief history of the maryknoll sisters during her lifetime. Maryknoll Contemplative Community.
Bishop James A. Walsh. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/bishop-james-a-walsh/
Congregation history. Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters. (2024, February 27). https://www.sinsinawa.org/about-us/congregation-history/
Irish-catholic immigration to America. The Library of Congress. (2025). https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/irish/irish-catholic-immigration-to-america/
Jubilee 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope. USCCB. (2025). https://www.usccb.org/jubilee2025
Jubilee of families, children, grandparents and the elderly USCCB Resource Packet (English). USCCB. (2025). https://www.usccb.org/resources/jubilee-families-children-grandparents-and-elderly-usccb-resource-packet-english
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. (2021, April). Maryknoll Magazine, 1943-09: Vol 37, iss 8. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_maryknoll_1943-09_37_8/page/14/mode/2up?q=fidelia%2Bdelaney
Mother Mary Joseph Rogers. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/mother-mary-joseph-rogers/
Mother Mary Joseph Rogers Administration 1912-1947, 1912-1968. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (n.d.). https://maryknollmissionarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections%2Fcontrolcard&id=492&q=mother%2Bmary%2Bjoseph%2Brogers
New Catholic Encyclopedia. (2025, May 14). Coughlin, Mary Samuel, Mother. Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/coughlin-mary-samuel-mother
Our history. Edgewood Campus School. (2025). https://www.edgewoodk8.org/about/our-history.cfm
Sconning. (2023, September 13). Coats of arms. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/coats-of-arms/
Sr M Fidelia Delaney. Findagrave.com. (2024, July 9). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/272324634/m-fidelia-delaney
Tpolasek. (2024, August 28). Day in the life of a contemplative. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/day-in-the-life-of-a-contemplative/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, July 27). Third order of saint dominic. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Order_of_Saint_Dominic
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, March 13). St. Clara Female Academy. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clara_Female_Academy
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, March 10). John T. McNicholas. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_T._McNicholas
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, March 29). Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_Point,_Wisconsin
Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, April 16). Great famine (Ireland). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)
