January 20, 2017
www.notredamesisters.org · www.ndhinc.org
Motto: ‘Help all and harm none’
Responding to the call of Christ to meet
unmet needs of their time, a future saint,
Peter Fourier, and a future beatified sister,
Alix Le Clerc, collaborated to establish the
Congregation of Notre Dame in France in the
late 16th century.
Alix Le Clerc was born in Remiremont,
France, Feb. 2, 1576, during a turbulent period
in history. At age 19, she met Peter Fourier, the
pastor of her parish. Following her dream, Alix
pursued the idea of religious life and assembled
a group of women willing to found a new order.
On Christmas night, 1597, drawn together by
God’s providence, Alix and Peter created “The
Congregation of Our Lady: Canonesses of St.
Augustine.” Together they dreamed and helped
transform unmet needs of their time by making
Christian formation available to all.
They believed that society can be changed for
the better by empowering individuals, especially
women, through Christian education. Peter and
Alix frequently experienced opposition from the
very church that they sought to serve, as well as
civil and domestic persecution.
The motto St. Peter gave to the Notre Dame
Sisters is, “Help all and harm none.” Blessed
Alix modeled, “Do the most good.”
The Congregation grew rapidly and
spread throughout France. During the French
Revolution, however, all religious communities
were suppressed.
In 1853, Father Gabriel Schneider reestablished the community in Czechoslovakia
so girls in his parish could receive a Christian
education. The motherhouse was established in
Horazdovice, and again, many young women
were attracted to this community and joined
in the service of Christ by working in schools,
orphanages, institutions for the disabled and
homes for the aged.
Blessed Alix Le Clerc
The Sisters come to the United States and Omaha
More than 50 years after the re-establishment of the Notre Dame Sisters Order in
Czechoslovakia, requests for Sisters came from the
United States in 1907.
Knowing that there was a great need for the
Czech immigrants in the U.S., Mother Mary
Qualberta and four other Sisters resettled near
St. Louis in Fenton, Mo. in 1910 to work at an
orphanage for Czech children.
Five more Sisters came from Czechoslovakia
in 1911, and young women from the United States
also began joining the Congregation.
In 1917, at the urgent request of Bishop
Jeremiah Harty and with the help of God, Mother
Qualberta decided to send two Sisters to staff
Boys Home, founded by Father Edward Flanagan
at 20th and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Sister Rose
Slevin, an American, and Sister Martha Djobek, a
Slovak who did not know a word of English, were
chosen to come.
In 1920, Father Flanagan sold Seven Oaks
Farm at 35th and State streets, originally intended
for Boys Town, and they established their
provincial headquarters in Omaha.
1910
1853
1597
1576
Mother
Qualberta and
four Sisters come
to Fenton, Mo.
Fr. Gabriel
Schneider
re-establishes the
community in
Czechoslovakia
The Congregation of
Notre Dame makes
their first consecration
together in France
1907
Requests for
Sisters come
from the
United States
1789 – 94
Blessed Alix
Le Clerc is
born
The Order is suppressed
during the French Revolution
1600

1700

1800

1900
1917
Sisters come to
Omaha to staff
Boys Home with
Fr. Flanagan
1920
Sisters purchase
Seven Oaks Farm
in North Omaha
(Florence)

Sisters form NDH to meet an emerging unmet need
Women of faith, making a difference
By the time the Notre Dame Sisters
established their headquarters in Omaha in
1920, young women were already joining the
Congregation.
As the Order grew the Sisters continued their
work of meeting unmet needs, and in 1926 the
Sisters opened Notre Dame Academy under the
leadership of Sister Mary Qualbertina Vanek. The
school opened with 15 students, and by the end of
the first academic year, attendance had grown to
26 students from around the Midwest.
The Sisters educated thousands of young
women throughout the Academy’s 48 years,
while additionally providing a comprehensive
experience in faith, civic responsibility and
community living. They embraced the importance
of a well-rounded education, offering numerous
classes in a variety of arts and music, along with
the core courses.
In 1974 Notre Dame Academy merged with
Bishop Rummel High School to form Roncalli
Catholic High School. Today Roncalli continues to
carry out Notre Dame Academy’s legacy.
1925
Motherhouse and Notre
Dame Academy are built
Provincial Leadership Team (from left) Sr. Margaret Hickey ND
(Provincial President), Sr. Margaret Proskovec ND and Sr. Joy
Connealy ND.
After careful evaluation and prayer
regarding the current and future circumstances
surrounding the Notre Dame Sisters, their
Motherhouse and their former Academy, the
Sisters decided in 1997 to continue pursuing
the Notre Dame Sisters’ mission of meeting
unmet needs in the community, and convert
the buildings into safe, affordable housing for
seniors.
Today the average age of the Sisters is 77, yet
they continue to educate, inform, enlighten and
advocate. They are teachers, nurses, chaplains,
pastoral ministers and spiritual directors.
They care for and work with the ill, infirmed,
minorities, marginalized and those affected by
poverty, violence and social disadvantage.
Three of their main ministries are Safe
Homes, Human Trafficking and Notre Dame
Housing. Through their Safe Homes ministry,
they provide start-up funds for people escaping
domestic violence situations. They also help them
rebuild their self-esteem, find employment and
a home where they will be safe from harm. Since
2009 this ministry has helped more than 450
individuals.
The Sisters respond to the call of Christ by
working to achieve justice for all, especially
those on the margins of our community. They
collaborate with area organizations through the
Coalition on Human Trafficking, working to
eliminate one of the most abusive actions toward
men, women and children.
1947
1926
1997
1964
May 4, baeatification of Alix
Le Clerc by Pope Pius XII
Notre Dame Academy opens
West wing extension of
NDA and Motherhouse
1937
Sisters begin their ministry
on the Pine Ridge Indian
Reservation in South Dakota
Mid-1960s
5 Sisters sent to Chile
to build a parish for the
Archdiocese
1950-51
Addition of Assumption Chapel
1920
1930

1940
1950

In 1997, to meet
the unmet needs of the
community the Notre Dame
Sisters gave away their former
Academy and Motherhouse
buildings and land to create
their largest sponsored
ministry, an independent,
non-profit organization,
Notre Dame Housing (NDH).
Today NDH provides 117
older adults in 107 housing
units, safe and affordable
living in a community
of respect, love and
independence. Residents are
offered life enrichment, health
and wellness and supportive
services to improve their
quality of life, allowing them
to live independently and age
in place.
Notre Dame Housing
goes beyond basic housing
and addresses the health,
social, spiritual and physical
needs of their residents, to
give them the ability to live
independently for as long as
possible.
More than 60 percent
of their residents live at
or below the poverty level,
with most unable to meet
their basic needs - food,
housing, transportation
and healthcare, without
assistance. While all of these
needs are critical, nutrition
and wellness are the most
immediate concerns.
The NDH staff, Board and
volunteers believe each and
every person is created equal
and worthy of dignity and
respect. They strive to create
a safe place for all with zero
tolerance for discrimination.
1960
1970
NDH established to provide service
enriched environment of affordable
housing to older adults on limited incomes
1974
Notre Dame
Academy closes and
merges with Bishop
Rummel High
School to form
Roncalli Catholic
High School

1980
2009
Safe Homes ministry provides
first rents to domestic
violence survivors
1998
1984
2013
Sisters take
stance for a
consistent ethic
of life in all affairs
Sisters take
stance
against the
death penalty
1990

2000
Human Trafficking
Coalition
convenes for first
time
2010
From homeless to housed:
Defying all odds
One Omaha man has
gone from sleeping in a
homeless shelter to having a
place of his own, thanks to
Notre Dame Housing.
Since 1997, Notre Dame
Housing (NDH) has offered
service enriched affordable
housing services to seniors.
NDH is committed to the
principle that older adults
possess limitless potential
to develop as individuals.
They strive in all of their
work to provide older adults
like James the tools to shape
their own destinies.
James is a 63-year-old
Omaha native who has three
children ages 40, 41 and
22. He was a middle child
of 13 who grew up in a blue
collar family, but has learned
the true meaning of hard
work and responsibility. He
was previously employed
at a local poultry plant and
spent the last nine years as
a custodian at Creighton
University.
Prior to coming to
NDH, James struggled
with financial problems
that caused him to lose his
housing. He then resided
at the Open Door Mission
because he did not want to
be a burden to his children
and family members who
were already facing their own
problems. Today he has an
affordable, service-enriched
place to call home. He has
been very active with the
men’s club and takes every
opportunity to help his peers
at Notre Dame Housing.
“You get used to what
it means to survive on
the street, especially of all
the things that come with
that,” James said. “There
is a significant adjustment
process when a person goes
from surviving on the streets
to being housed again.”
James currently lives in
subsidized housing at NDH,
which is part of the HUD
202 Subsidized Housing
Program. This program
requires that individuals
must pay no more than 30
percent of their income for
housing. “An individual
absolutely has to contribute
based on what his/her
income is,” explained
Michael Robinson, NDH
Executive Director. “We
have the ability to subsidize
to make sure that our
prospective residents can get
into their own place.”
The seniors they serve
have average annual incomes
of $13,000. Many struggle
to pay their reduced rent,
purchase their required
medicines, and manage dayto-day expenses, which is
why the supportive programs
NDH offers, like the food
pantry, are so important.
"What I also find
extraordinary is that
people like James, who
have experienced great
difficulties, are definitely up
to the challenge of making
significant positive changes
in their lives,” Robinson
said. “They just need a little
support."
Celebrating the past and looking to the future
The future for the Notre Dame Sisters
holds a mixture of new and familiar. The
Sisters will kick off a special study in
March of this year to determine available
resources for necessary projects. This
information will help them determine
their future concerning services, housing,
and other ministries. At the same time,
the Sisters will continue their work
against human trafficking and domestic
violence, and for health and education of
the young. On April 2, the 23rd Annual
Celebration of Spirit Dinner will be held
at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. The
Sisters also will be marking three major
anniversaries this year. Look for more
great things on their website, Twitter and
Facebook pages.
2017
Celebrating years of service
20TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Housing
80TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Sisters’ ministry
on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota
100TH ANNIVERSARY of Notre Dame Sisters in Omaha