From the Archives

Mother Mary Paula O’Reilly, from Creston, Iowa, is esteemed as the foundress of the Benedictine Sisters in Oklahoma. Under her guidance the transfer of the of her community from Creston to Guthrie (the capital of Oklahoma Territory) set the stage for these resolute women and their critical place in the forming of the Church in Oklahoma.
 
In her biography of the venerable superior, Sister Mary Louis George gave this description of Mother Mary Paula she received from an elderly nun: “Tall, slender, stately. Nice-looking … very strict, especially about observances. Hands under her scapular, especially strict about silence. Not much public correction but gave instructions. Well educated. Wasn’t anything she couldn’t talk about.”
 
The Prefect Apostolic of Indian Territory, Father Ignatius Jean, petitioned Mother Mary Paula to send sisters from Creston to initiate a school for the settlers who had poured into the area following the 1889 Land Run. Mother Mary Paula made a visitation of the area before sending three sisters to undertake the construction of a two-story convent and school for the parish of Saint Mary.
 
Twenty acres of land were given to the sisters on the west side of Guthrie and they began the process of purchasing more. Three hundred and eight acres were eventually procured by 1892 and in October of that year the entire Benedictine community relocated to Oklahoma and to top off a stellar year, Saint Joseph’s Academy for “young ladies” was opened on said property.
 
The sisters were involved in educational activities throughout Oklahoma. With the help of Saint Katharine Drexel, schools for African Americans were started at Langston and Guthrie. In short, the community and its various apostolates were growing by leaps and bounds under Mother Mary Paula’s leadership.
 
Since their constitutions of the order were not yet approved by Rome, the sisters were under the care of the vicar apostolic, Bishop Theophile Meerschaert. The relationship between the bishop and Mother Mary Paula can best be described as tense. In 1900, Bishop Meerschaert informed Mother Mary Paula that an election for a superior would be held. Mother Joseph was elected and naturally Mother Mary Paula was deeply hurt. Within a year, she had applied to transfer to the Atchison, Kan., community of Saint Scholastica. The sisters embraced her and she seemed to flourish avoiding self-pity nursing her declining health as best she could.
 
At age 82, she visited Guthrie one last time in 1920, coming full circle as she could behold the fruits of her labor with peace and full knowledge of her remarkable accomplishments. She passed from this life on Sept. 9, 1921.