Day Five...breakfast...squirrels...research library visit.
After lunch The Colonel and I take a short break from research and visit the Father Miguel O'Reilly House Museum.
The house is located in the oldest part of St. Augustine (founded in 1565) and was built in 1691.
In 1784 Father O'Reilly purchased the house to live in. He was St. Augustine's parish priest from 1784 to 1812.
In 1866 it became the first convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph who came from France upon the request of St. Augustine's first bishop, Bishop Verot (also from France) to educate the liberated slaves after the Civil War. The museum displayed a portrait of Verot as well as his Miter (hat) and Crosier (staff).
The last class conducted in the house was in 1956.
As a museum the house holds Catholic Church and The Sisters of St. Joseph memorabilia among other items like the "Hurricane Lady" statue.
The story is told that the statue was aboard a cargo ship bound for the Port of St. Augustine and during the voyage the ship encountered a fierce hurricane. The Captain and crew feared all would be lost when the statue was brought up from the hold and they all prayed for their deliverance. The storm quieted and the cargo ship limped into port. The statue is hundreds of years old.There is also a small, authentic, historic garden beside the house in the walled yard.
It was back to the research library after our O'Reilly house tour.
One day left.
As a native born and raised in St. Augustine, I attended school at Cathedral Parish just across the street from the Sisters of St. Joseph convent. In fact the Sisters were some of my teachers. The catholic high school was once located on the convent grounds, but moved several years before I graduated to 9th grade.
ReplyDeleteAnother insightful blog sister, I like the statue of Mary...
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