Below is a much anticipated article about our children's home of the North Province. NWI Catholic, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Gary, IN wrote a nice article about the current news of our recently damaged convent in East Chicago. All rights reserved to Erin Ciszczon for this column released Sunday, March 6, 2022.
Carmelite Home demolition provides fresh start, unveils time capsule
The physical location of the St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home in Northwest Indiana may look a little different these days, but its dedication to children, the city of East Chicago and the Diocese of Gary remains the same. The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus who have operated an orphanage and emergency shelter for youth in distress since 1913, made the difficult decision this year to demolish the remaining portion of three of the buildings along Grasselli Street after a fire caused significant damage on May 16, 2021.
After discussions with engineers, architects, constituents, consultants and the Carmelite Board, the Sisters determined it would be more cost effective to rebuild a new facility than to remodel and replace what remained after the fire. Moreover, building a new, modern facility will better meet the needs of the children the Sisters serve in their ministry. The Sisters continue to reside in a small home called Casa Maria at the end of the block on the northern point of the property. The Maria Tauscher Center remains and houses the administration, staff and children in their care. As three other buildings on the property were being demolished on Feb. 18, the crew of Green Demolition LLC., working with Tonn and Blank Construction, uncovered a time capsule in one of the cornerstones. Having no previous knowledge of the time capsule’s existence, the Sisters
and others quickly gathered to open the 18-by-12 inch lead container dated Nov. 12, 1956. Located inside were several publications providing a glimpse into everyday life among them a copy of The Hammond Times newspaper dated Nov. 9, 1956 and Our Sunday Visitor-Fort Wayne Edition dated Nov. 11, 1956.There was a variety of spiritual items found in the box including prayer cards, prayer books, scapulars, rosaries, and religious statues. Some of the items traveled great distances, having been brought to the United States after the Sisters went on pilgrimages to other countries such as several stones from the Holy Land, earth from the Catacombs in Rome and a crucifix from Jerusalem. A few items struck even deeper chords of personal emotion for the Sisters, explained Sister Maria Giuseppe, executive director/CEO of the Carmelite Sisters. They discovered, wrapped tightly in paper, a square piece of wood that was saved from the first altar in the first little chapel in 1913. “Our Mother Foundress had worked so hard when she arrived from Europe in this year to create a suitable dwelling place for ‘the Divine Savior,’ and this small wooden token is for us a treasure and a reminder of her famous saying to Jesus: ‘If You come, I will come!’” she said. Pictures of the old convent and girls graduating were also uncovered along with letters from many of the young female residents of the Carmelite Home at the time. “One little girl requested that if her letter was one day opened from the capsule that we must be sure to save it and put it in ‘another capsule’ for another building,” said Sister Guiesppe. “We intend to do this, God permitting.” The items from the time capsule are now on display in the Casa Maria house.
Having been reminded of how far the ministry has come, and with the demolition project now completed, the Sisters and Carmelite Home Board of Directors are directing their attention to the future and what the rebuild of their facilities will look like. Dee Young, fundraising and administration coordinator, admits it was a traumatic and emotional experience for some of the Sisters seeing the buildings come down, but at the same time there is a sense of anticipation. “It’s given to a new life of excitement right now,” she said. “We can see the possibilities for the future, what’s going to be.” Thomas Lemke, Director of Services at the Carmelite Home, said the structures now being replaced have been home to a nurturing and loving environment for thousands of children and families in East Chicago. “We are grateful to God for what has been accomplished to date, and we are humbled and excited for what we will be able to do in a more modern facility,” Lemke said. “We also are grateful to all of our neighbors and organizations that have provided encouragement and support all of these years. With all of our loving friends, we move forward in faith.”
The Sisters continue to sing the praises of many benefactors who have given donations of all kinds over the years. The very first donation was from an Italian lady who gave them a loaf of homemade bread ‘in case they were hungry’. That community support grew to a multitude of groups and individuals who have supported the ministry and helped to sustain the home for 44 years. “Over the years we’ve received a tremendous amount of support, not just from the local community, but from all over – Lake County and all over the country. We’ve received some support from churches, organizations and individuals that have heard our plight and they’ve just been so generous,” said Young.
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A small group including Robert Garza, Sister Helena Marie, Sister Maria Giuseppe, and Thomas Lemke gather to view items that were found inside a time capsule on the property of St. Joseph Carmelite Home in East Chicago on Feb. 18. The discovery occurred as construction crews were demolishing buildings along Grasselli Street that were damaged by a fire last year. (Provided photo)
Reflections on our St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home in East Chicago
BY SISTER MARIA GIUSEPPE MOXLEY, D.C.J.
The demolition of our St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home has now begun. The devastating fire that occurred on May 16, 2021, destroyed much more than our buildings. The flames carried along with them the uncountable memories of long years of service by our pioneer Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus who moved into two small worker’s homes in 1913 and began the ministry of caring for orphans who were victims of poverty and family disruption. The stories of the nuns and children that filtered down to following generations spoke about the poverty that abounded in these homes, but praised heartily the tremendous outpouring of donations provided by benefactors – which have never stopped and continue until this minute!
Can we ever thank them sufficiently – only through our prayers which we make continuously for their intentions. St. Joseph’s Carmelite Home was conceived by our Mother Foundress, Blessed Maria Teresa. It is her spirit of sacrifice and deep caring about God’s neglected children that carried our Sisters through those first decades of service. Changes abounded over the years. Our little worker’s cottages evolved into three buildings that have housed hundreds of boys and girls during these past 109 years. I came upon the scene in 1978 and so, from the beginning, was saturated with the uniqueness of this ministry founded in caring and sacrificial service. In the early ’80s, our growth moved us quickly from a group home to a fully accredited residential treatment center with emergency shelter for children and youth in distress. These facts visibly define our 109-year presence in this city. But certainly, more essential, has been the continual presence of our Lord. Our Mother Foundress always said whenever she started a new foundation: “If You come, I will come!” She meant that if Christ was “present” in the tabernacle in the chapel (no matter how primitive it was), then our apostolate could proceed. He was indeed the “Master” of our Carmelite Homes! When the bishop came in 1913 to Grasselli Ave. to bless our humble accommodations, he was shocked when he was led up a curving set of stairs into the simple attic that was converted into a residence for Jesus.
We are grateful for the continuous solicitude of our Bishop Robert McClory and the parishes in our Diocese of Gary; their love and support has been deeply appreciated. And of course, we are also grateful for the faithful Carmelite priests in Munster who provide daily Mass in our small convent and keep us alive spiritually!
Sister Maria Giuseppe is the executive director/CEO of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in East Chicago.
below are more images of our progress
