Valiant Vignette

Whenever I hear of one of those families with multiple religious vocations, I always feel that those parents must be doing something right.  (Not that a family without vocations means that the parents are doing something wrong!)  Mrs. Gertrude Scheerer was a mother who must have done something right.

Her husband had originally planned to become a Dominican Priest, but left after six months. (He then became a police officer in Philadelphia, and married Gertrude.) But like Mr. and Mrs. Martin, the parents of St. Therese, this disposition to be generous with God spread to his children.  The Scheerers had ten children, and they lived their Catholic Faith in their daily lives at home.  Mr. Scheerer passed away while his family was still young, leaving Mrs. Scheerer a widow with ten children. 

She must have done something right, because all ten! entered the religious life.  Five became Discalced Carmelite Friars, two were Dominican Friars, and the three girls became Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Ricci.  One of the Dominican brothers became a bishop in 1960.  All of his siblings attended his ordination to the episcopacy, and had a family picture taken with Pope John XXIII.

(Dominicans on the left, Carmelites on the right.  His Holiness in the middle, to break up any fights.)

Mrs. Scheerer was named "Catholic Mother of the Year" in 1945. (I didn't even know they had that award!  Cool, huh?)

So here's my salute to all the Valiant Mothers who are behind the priests and religious we so desperately need!