“From the Archives” — Mother M. Vincentia, C.S.C., and the Fannon Family

A number of times in its history, Saint Mary parish has seen several members of the same family
enter religious life. Among these is the Fannon family. One of the earliest parishioners to enter the Holy Cross Congregation of Sisters, which Father Peter Kroes recruited to teach in his new Saint Mary parish school in 1869, was Eleanor Fannon (1867-1949). She was the daughter of William Fannon, a native of County Roscommon, Ireland, and Mary Murphy Fannon.

Young Eleanor graduated from Saint Mary’s Academy, staffed by the Sisters, and joined the Congregation in South Bend, Indiana. As Mother M. Vincentia, C.S.C., she returned to Alexandria and was principal of Saint Mary’s Academy from 1913-1919. She was responsible for reducing the school’s debt, making major improvements, and having the Academy affiliated with the Catholic University of America. Later, she became the

Superior General of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the highest position in the order.

A generation later, two Fannon ladies joined the Holy Cross order: Sister M. Rose Thomas, C.S.C., and Sister M. Jean Andre, C.S.C., who entered the order as her second vocation after a number of successful years in the business world. They were sisters, the daughters of T. J. Fannon Sr. and Rose Virginia Smith Fannon, and nieces of Mother Vincentia. Lay members of the Fannon family are still actively serving the parish today.

Many other young ladies entered the Holy Cross order during its 130 years serving Saint Mary School and parish. Undoubtedly, they were impressed by the Sisters who were their teachers. Two different Nugent families contributed multiple vocations — three from one family and two from the other.