Loyola University Chicago

Joan Frances Crowley, BVM, Papers, 1967-1996

The Joan Frances Crowley, BVM Papers contain materials related to Sr. Joan Frances’ friendship with Svetlana (Alliluyeva) Peters (nee Stalin) from 1987 until 1996.  The bulk of the collection consists of the letters written by Svetlana (who used the name Lana Peters) to Sr. Joan Frances.  The letters discuss Svetlana’s visit to Mundelein College and her views on Catholicism, Marxism, and Russia/the Soviet Union.  Svetlana was living in Spring Green, Wisconsin, in 1987 when Sr. Joan Frances encouraged one of her students, Julie Bleifuss, to interview her as part of a research paper on Svetlana’s life.  Sr. Joan Frances convinced Svetlana to visit Mundelein and continued corresponding with her until the friendship abruptly ended in 1996 due to an article published in the Daily Mail, a newspaper out of London. For the Joan Frances Crowley, BVM, finding aid please click here.

Carolyn Farrell PApers, BVM, 1942-2006 (reprocessed)

The Carolyn Farrell, BVM collection has been updated and now available for research use at the WLA.  Farrell was dedicated to education, Women’s issues, and politics throughout her career.  She served as Dubuque City Council member from 1977 until 1980 when she was appointed to the position of Mayor of Dubuque becoming the first woman religious to serve as the mayor of a city.  In 1991 Farrell accepted the position of President of Mundelein College and played an integral role in the college's affiliation with Loyola University. She then went on to serve as Associate Vice President of Loyola University for Mundelein College and, later, Director of the Sr. Ann Ida Gannon, BVM, Center for Women and Leadership until her retirement in 2006. The collection consists of 26 boxes of materials concentrating on her professional career.  The papers include her BVM activities, political life, the Mundelein College President's Office, Loyola University and Mundelein College affairs, and her participation in the United Nations 4^th World Conference on Women in Beijing.  The records primarily span from her election to City Council (1977) until her retirement from Loyola (2006).  The collection also contains photographs, AV materials, books, and a scrapbook.  For the Carolyn Farrell, BVM finding aid, please click here.

Lyrl Clark Van Hyning Papers, 1881-1982, n.d

The Lyrl Clark Van Hyning Papers are now available for research use at the WLA.  Lyrl was a co-founder of the conservative women’s organization We, the Mothers, Mobilize for America, Inc., and editor of the organization’s newsletter Women’s Voice for almost twenty years.  We the Mothers was founded in 1941 to educate the American public and politicians about the threat to American democracy through the country’s participation in World War II.  Lyrl also used Women’s Voice to proclaim her anti-war, anti-Communist, and anti-Semitic political views.  As a result of her anti-Semitism, she was indicted and went to trial for libel in 1952.

The Van Hyning Papers consist of 19 boxes of a wide range of materials.  Besides documents related to Lyrl’s political activities, the collection also includes many items concerning her family life.  Most significant among these papers are a series of correspondence between the various members of her family, spanning from 1927 until Lyrl’s death in 1973.  A large portion of the correspondence occurs during World War II between Lyrl and her son Tom, who served as an Air Force pilot.  Other items in the collection include Lyrl’s journals, books from her library, photographs, and some three-dimensional objects. For the Lyrl Clark Van Hyning finding aid, please click, here.

Patricia A. Crowley Papers, OSB, 1937-2007, n.d.

In a continuation of papers already held at the WLA related to the Crowley family, in 2007 Sr. Patricia (Patsy) Crowley, OSB donated 12.75 linear ft. of her personal and professional papers to the archives. We are proud to announce that they are now available to researchers.  A former Executive Director of the Howard Area Community Center and Deborah's Place, Crowley also served the City of Chicago as Executive Director of for the Chicago Continuum of Care (CCC) and oversaw its consolidation with the Partnership to End Homelessness in Chicago. Sr. Crowley papers clearly reflect her longtime support of human rights and dignity and includes family, personal, professional, speeches, and audio-visual series. The bulk of the collection reflects her work with the CCC. For the Patricia A. Crowley, OSB Papers finding aid, please click here. 

 Mary DeCock, BVM, Papers, 1932-2005, ND

A long time educator and supporter of Mundelein College, Sr. Mary DeCock, BVM, donated 2.5 linear ft. of material to the WLA in April, 2009. We are proud to announce the collection is now open. Sr. Mary joined Mundelein in 1955 and was an active faculty member in English and later Religious Studies in the long course of her career. Her collection mainly reflects her interest in theology, women's education, and her time at Mundelein. For the Mary DeCock, BVM Papers finding aid, please click here.

8th Day Center for Justice Records, 1968-2008, N.d

As of March 2009, the records collection for the 8th Day Center for Justice is open for research. This extensive collection spans five decades and reflects the organizations roots and growth over that time period. Spurred bya call from the Urban Apostolate of Sisters in Chicago, for a center for peace and justice, six Catholic religious communities founded the center in 1974. To this day, the center's core mission, "to envision a world of right relationships in which all creation is seen as sacred and interconnected. In such a world all people are equal and free from oppression, have a right to a distribution of resources, and to live in harmony with the cosmos" remains unchanged. The records reflect that mission and contain administrative and program files, flyers and posters, news articles, research files, newsletters, publications, and conference materials. There is also a large audio-visual component consisting of photographs, slides, audio tapes, and video tapes, as well as memorabilia and oversized items. For the 8th Day Center for Justice finding aid, click here.

Sheli Lulkin Papers, 1972-2007, n.d. 

In September, longtime activist and feminist Sheli Lulkin added 5 linear ft of material to her existing collection at the Women & Leadership Archives.  Lulkin's prior donation related primarily to her work for the Teacher's Union and Coalition of Labor Union Women. The newer material relates to her work at the East Edgewater Chamber of Commerce, Roger's Park and Uptown neighborhoods, the Rosehill Cemetery Committee, Friends of the Parks, and northside political elections especially for the 48th Ward. The collection also includes photographs with Chicago politicians and activists. For the Sheli Lulkin finding aid, click here.

Suellen Hoy Papers, 1810-2006, n.d.

The Suellen Hoy, PhD., Papers are now open for research use at the WLA. Dr. Hoy is a guest professor and independent scholar at the University of Notre Dame and has published several articles and books on the history of women religious, with particular focus on their work in Chicago in the 19th and 20th centuries. Her publications include From Dublin to New Orleans: The Journey of Nora and Alice and Good Hearts: Catholic Sisters in Chicago's Past.

The Hoy Papers consist of forty-nine boxes of research files which includes information on individual religious orders, Catholic schools and churches in Chicago, charitable organizations, immigration of Irish nuns, and social activism. Most of the materials consist of newspaper articles, biographical and organizational records, scholarly articles, and theses, and correspondence. The collection also includes a selection of photographs, audio tapes, compact discs, and videocassettes. For the Suellen Hoy finding aid, click here

Margaret "Peggy" Roach Papers, 1927-2006, n.d.

Born in Chicago and a graduate of Mundelein College, Peggy Roach's
contributions to the civil and political rights movements were truly inspiring. A tireless organizer, liaison, editor, writer, spokeswoman, administrator, and leader Roach was very active in Civil Rights, poverty, interreligious cooperation, equal pay, and fair housing issues.  

She participated in organizations such as the National Council of Catholic Women, Wednesdays in Mississippi, Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry, the Catholic Interracial Council of Chicago, National Women's Committee on Civil Rights, Citizen's Crusade Against Poverty, Women's Pay Equity Committee, National Catholic Social Action Conference,  Church Women United, Women in Community Service, and the Contract Buyers League.

From the latter 1960s and for over thirty years, Peggy worked closely with Msgr. John Egan. Her impact was noted during Msgr. Egan's funeral as "...the supportive presence in the shadow of his great work...has been something everyone counted on even when her name did not roll in the credits."

The third and largest addendum to the Roach papers is now processed and available for research. Nearly thirty boxes of material, the collection is comprised of personal and professional correspondence, reports, photographs, awards, artifacts, and articles relating to her large body of work. 

For the Margaret Roach finding aid, click here