Motherhouse Musings

         The walls of the Motherhouse are made out of coquina rock that was quarried on St. Anastasia Island. The early sisters actually helped break up the large stones being used. The walls are between 12 and 18 inches thick. Originally the house was a simple French Romanesque architecture with wooden porches. The original colors were white walls with red roofs. Today the Motherhouse is an ivory or cream color with burgundy/red roofs and the porches are concrete.                     The entire building is only about 15,000 square feet, but it appears more massive due to its U-shaped design. Additionally, the building is proportioned to full scale on the first floor, 7/8s scale on the second floor, and 3/4s on the third floor. This is a concept used throughout Disneyworld to give buildings a look of stability and greater height. The design expresses the architecture of the motherhouse of the original sisters, using elements of their house in Le Puy, France.

Yesterday I shared a little about the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, Florida. You can learn more about our congregation by visiting our webpage at www.ssjfl.org. We have served the Church in Florida since we arrived in 1866 at Picolata Landing on the St. John's River. Last year we celebrated our 150th anniversary of that landing on September 2, 1866. We came to St. Augustine from France at the invitation of Bisop Augustin Verot, the first bishop of St, Augustine, to educate the newly freed slaves and their children following the Civil War.

       The Motherhouse of a congregation of Catholic consecrated women Religious is the house where the general superior or leader of the congregation resides. In the past the leader was called Mother General, or Reverend Mother, hence the name Motherhouse. The Motherhouse is also usually the first house established by a congregation and also headquarters the offices of the congregation.        For the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine, Florida, the Motherhouse has been at 241 St. George Street in the Old Town section of the city since it was finished in 1876, with construction beginning in 1874.       When tourists walk by the Motherhouse they often think it is a museum and ask if there are tours. They are not aware of the fact that many sisters live inside and it is their home, and, no,  there are no tours at this time. Some tourists think it is a church since there is a cross on the top of the third story. Currently 18 sisters live in the Motherhouse, one of whom i