Marie Helene Franey


Mother Marie Helene Franey, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1948-1953. In 1952, she was appointed by the Sacred Congregation of Religious in Rome to serve on an International Commission of 40 superior generals. She was one of three superior generals from the United States to serve on this Commission.

Early life

She was born Helena Agnes Franey on July 29, 1898 in Galesburg, Illinois, to Michael D. and Margaret Franey. Helena was one of six children. Because of Michael's occupation as superintendent of workshops of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the family moved often. They spent some time in Jackson, Michigan, moved to Columbus, Ohio, and settled for a time in Elkhart, Indiana. She attended Edinboro State Normal School in Edinboro, Pennsylvania before the family sent Helena to attend high school in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Both Michael and Margaret had sisters who were Sisters of Providence, so sending Helena there was a sensible decision. However, it was still a surprise when Helena decided to enter the convent herself.
Helena entered the congregation on September 24, 1918, professed first vows in 1921 and took final vows in 1926, taking the religious name of Sister Marie Helene. She taught high school from 1920 through 1944 at Marywood Academy in Evanston, Illinois; Providence High School in Chicago; St. Augustine in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Academy. From 1928-1929, Franey took a break from teaching to study Latin at Indiana University and earn her master's degree. She would later study at the Institute of Canon Law at Saint Louis University in Missouri.

In administration

In 1944, Franey was elected a councillor of the Congregation. In 1948, she succeeded Mother Mary Bernard Laughlin as the community's general superior, earning the title of Mother Marie Helene.
As general superior, Franey established Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School in Clarksville, Indiana, and furnished sisters to minister in Indianapolis; Somerville, Massachusetts; Chicago; Plainfield, Indiana; and Terre Haute, Indiana.
Franey and another Sister of Providence, Sister Francis Joseph, visited Rome during the Holy Year of 1950. In 1952, Franey and Sister Catherine Celine became the first Sisters of Providence to travel by air when they flew from Washington, D.C., to Indiana. That year, Franey was one of six general superiors to plan the First National Congress of Religious, held at University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
Franey died in office on November 23, 1953, of an acute heart attack following a short illness. A shrine to Our Lady of Fatima on the motherhouse grounds at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is dedicated in her honor.

Works