Sisters of Charity of The Blessed Virgin Mary - Incorporation

Incorporation

After Fr. Donaghoe died in 1869, Mary Frances Clarke again took full leadership of the BVM organization, which she had, in effect, been co-directing with Fr. Donaghoe for its entire existence. Her first major act was to incorporate the community under Iowa law. A significant benefit of this was that property could be owned in the name of the Sisters of Charity rather than in the name of individual sisters. Following incorporation, Mary Frances Clarke began the process of seeking Vatican approbation of the community’s Rule, their governing constitutions. Approbation was given in 1877, which allowed the sisters to open schools anywhere in the world, without needing to gain permission from the Archbishop of Dubuque in whose geographical territory the motherhouse lie. Shortly after gaining approbation, another building was constructed to house the St. Joseph school. In 1881, Mt. St. Joseph opened on Seminary Street, which later became Clarke Drive.

After her death in 1887, Mary Frances Clarke was buried at the community cemetery, then still at St. Joseph's Prairie. The first major act of the next superior of the community, Mary Gertrude Regan, was to build a new motherhouse in town. There was, once again, a need for more space and a need to be closer to train travel since the newest missions were as far away as California.