[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 86 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAINT FRANCES' 
                               RESIDENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 1998

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
highlight a momentous milestone for the Saint Frances' Residence. On 
June 28, 1998, the residence will officially mark their 100th year of 
service to my hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
  During the latter half of the Nineteenth Century, the City of 
Paterson experienced a prolonged period of industrial growth. In 
particular, the silk industry was expanding so rapidly that Paterson 
was soon known as ``The Silk City.'' Many of those working in the mills 
were young single women, away from home for the first time. These young 
women had come to Paterson to help support their families. Still others 
were recent immigrants with no roots in the United States. Out of 
concern for the well-being of these women, the Very Reverend William 
NcNulty, Pastor of the St. John's Roman Catholic Parish, requested that 
the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth provide them with a stable 
``home for working girls.''
  Under the first Superior/Administrator, Sister Mary Louis Healy, the 
Saint Frances' Residence opened on January 1, 1897. Although its 
original mission was to provide a safe haven for working women, the 
residence also placed emphasis on providing lodging and training for 
ill or unemployed female domestics. The Residence was an instant 
success, causing it to expand from its original location at 393 Main 
Street to a nearby property on Jackson Street. The expansion continued 
during the early 1900s.
  As Paterson's needs evolved, the role of the Residence changed. By 
1933, Saint Frances had become a modernized ``home for business 
women,'' complete with electricity and a ``restful summer house.'' At 
one time, as many as 72 women lived in the residence, most of whom were 
gainfully employed. Breakfast and dinner were provided by the residence 
and a packed lunch was provided.
  By the 1950s, St. Frances' began to take in more financially secure 
mature women. It continues to serve the City of Paterson as a home for 
the aged to this day. The Residence also remains an important asset to 
the community during times of crisis, providing housing for those who 
have been the victims of natural disasters. The most famous instance of 
St. Frances' generosity occurred in 1956 when it provided shelter for 
the passengers of the doomed ocean-liner ``Andrea Doria.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, and the City of 
Paterson as we congratulate the St. Frances Residence on its first 100 
years and wish current Superior/Administrator Sister Joyce Vincent the 
best of luck as the Residence begins its second century of service.

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