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Notes for Using this List:
● The Tribal Nations impacted are listed as they appear in historical documents and may not reflect the names used by the Nations today.
● An asterisk next to the name of a religious community means that the community has verified the dates as accurate.
● This list was last updated on May 5, 2023
Nazareth College
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1903–1909
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1903–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1909
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Brothers of the Sacred Heart, 1903–1909*
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Cherokee; Choctaw; Creek; Muskogee
Notes: The Nazareth Institute in Muskogee was both a boarding school for girls and a co-ed day school. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart were invited to Muskogee to open a commercial college for older boys, which they named Nazareth College. The two schools operated on the same property until 1909, when the Brothers purchased 10 acres a mile and a half from the city. That same year they opened St. Joseph’s College at the new location. Brothers continued to teach at the Institute until 1916. See the entries for Muskogee, Nazareth Institute, and Muskogee, St. Joseph College for more information.
Muskogee Oklahoma
Nazareth Institute
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1896–1928
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1896–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1928
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Joseph, 1896–1899 (see notes)
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (St. Louis Province), 1900–1928*
Brothers of the Sacred Heart, 1903–1916*
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Cherokee; Choctaw; Creek; Muskogee
Notes: The school included a boarding school for girls and a co-ed day school. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart were invited to Muskogee to open a commercial college for older boys, which they named Nazareth College. The two schools operated on the same property until 1909 when the Brothers purchased 10 acres a mile and a half from the city. That same year they opened St. Joseph’s College at the new location. Brothers continued to teach at the Institute until 1916. See the entries for Muskogee, Nazareth College and Muskogee, St. Joseph College for more information.
Note about the Sisters of St. Joseph: In 1893, Sr. Virginia Joyce, formerly a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brooklyn (now Brentwood), left New York for Oklahoma. Along the way, they visited the Sisters of St. Joseph in Concordia, Kansas and picked up two sisters and a novice, who accompanied them to Muskogee. Once in Muskogee, Sr. Virginia created her own religious community with no connection to the sisters in Brooklyn or Concordia. In 1899, the bishop insisted that the sisters in Muskogee affiliate themselves with a canonically established congregation or leave the vicariate. Four of the women joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Louis and at least one returned to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, KS. Sr. Virginia and some of the others left for Texas.
Muskogee Oklahoma
Sacred Heart Academy
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1897–1967 (see notes)
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1897–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1967
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Benedictine Sisters (St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith, AR), 1897–1901*;
Sisters of Mount Carmel, 1899–1904*;
Congregation of Divine Providence (San Antonio, TX), 1903–1967*
On a Reservation: Cherokee Nation
On the Department of the Interior List: No
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Cherokee; Creeks; Miami; Osage; Peoria; Quapaws
Notes: In 1897, the pastor of Holy Ghost parish in Vinita built the school named Sacred Heart Institute. In 1903, the Congregation of the Divine Providence took charge of the school, which continued to operate as a parish school. In 1907, the Sisters took over ownership of the school grounds and building. The school became a private school, and the name was changed to Sacred Heart Academy.
Vinita Oklahoma
Sacred Heart Institute (St. Benedict’s Industrial School, 1887–1895)
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1877–1924 (see notes)
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Prefecture Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1877–1891
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1891–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1906
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Order of St. Benedict (St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, OK), 1877–c1906
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Potawatomi
Notes: The school was named Sacred Heart Institute, except for 1887 to 1895, when it received a government contract for the education of Native American boys and was known as St. Benedict’s Industrial School. In 1901, a fire destroyed almost the entire Benedictine complex, including the abbey and the school. The abbey was rebuilt, and the school reopened. Eventually, the boarding section closed and continued as an elementary school until 1924. The school was located in the unincorporated community of Sacred Heart. Konawa is the mailing address for Sacred Heart, so the school is sometimes listed as being in Konawa.
St. Agnes Academy
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1897–1945
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1897–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1945
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Joseph, 1897–1898 (see notes)
Sisters of St. Rose of Lima (Texarkana, TX), 1898–1901
Congregation of Divine Providence (San Antonio, TX), 1902–1945*
On a Reservation: Choctaw Reservation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Choctaw
Notes: The school was established by priests from the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory.
Note about the Sisters of St. Joseph: In 1893, Sr. Virginia Joyce, formerly a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brooklyn (now Brentwood), left New York for Oklahoma. Along the way, they visited the Sisters of St. Joseph in Concordia, Kansas, and picked up two sisters and a novice, who accompanied them to Muskogee, OK. Once in Muskogee, Sr. Virginia created her own religious community with no connection to the sisters in Brooklyn or Concordia. In 1899, the bishop insisted that the sisters in Muskogee affiliate themselves with a canonically established congregation or leave the vicariate. Four of the women joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Louis, and at least one returned to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, KS. Sr. Virginia and some of the others left for Texas.
Antlers Oklahoma
St. Agnes Academy for Girls
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1898–1949
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1898–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1968
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas*, 1898–1949
On a Reservation: Chickasaw Reservation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Chickasaw; Choctaw
Notes: Boys were taught at the school from 1922 to 1932. St. Agnes was destroyed by fire in 1949, and the boarding school closed. St. Mary’s Catholic School replaced the boarding school, and the Sisters of Mercy continued to staff the school until it closed in 1967 and provided catechetical instruction until 1968.
Ardmore Oklahoma
St. Elizabeth School
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1888–1948
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Prefecture Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1888–1891
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1891–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1948
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, 1888–1948*
Order of St. Benedict (St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, OK), 1888–1905
On a Reservation: Chickasaw Reservation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Chickasaw; Choctaw
Purcell Oklahoma
St. John’s School
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1888–1913
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Prefecture Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1888–1891
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1891–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1913
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, 1888–1907*
De La Salle Christian Brothers (Midwest District), 1907–1913*
Order of St. Benedict (St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, OK), 1889–1913
On a Reservation: Yes
On the Department of the Interior List: Possibly (see notes)
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Osage
Notes: The school was founded by Katharine Drexel (later Mother Katharine of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament) and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions. The Department of the Interior list has St. John’s School for Osage Indian Boys in Blackburn, Oklahoma. Blackburn is close to Hominy Creek, so this might be the same school.
Hominy Creek Oklahoma
St. Joseph’s Academy
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1899–1968
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1899–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1968
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, 1899–1968*
On a Reservation: Chickasaw Nation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Chickasaw
Notes: A new building was constructed in the 1920s. It appears that the boarding school was closed at that time, and the school’s name was changed to St. Joseph’s Academy.
Chickasha Oklahoma
St. Joseph’s College
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1909–1955
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Oklahoma, 1909–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1955
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Brothers of the Sacred Heart, 1909–1955*
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List:
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Cherokee; Choctaw; Creek; Muskogee
Notes: The Nazareth Institute in Muskogee was a boarding school for girls and a co-ed day school. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart were invited to Muskogee to open a commercial college for older boys, which they named Nazareth College. The two schools operated on the same property until 1909, when the Brothers purchased 10 acres a mile and a half from the city. That same year they opened St. Joseph’s College at the new location. Brothers continued to teach at the Institute until 1916. The Brothers eventually changed the name of the college to St. Joseph Preparatory School. At the end of the 1954–1955 school year, the Brothers sold the property to the Diocese of Tulsa. For more information, see the entries for Muskogee, Nazareth Institute, and Muskogee, Nazareth College.
Muskogee Oklahoma
St. Louis School for Osage Indian Girls (renamed St. Louis Academy, 1942)
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1887–1949
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Prefecture Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1887–1891
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1891–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1949
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, 1887–1915*
Sisters of Loretto, 1915–1942*
Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, 1942–1949*
On a Reservation: Yes
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Cherokee; Osage; Potawatomi; Quapaw
Notes: The school was founded by Katharine Drexel (later Mother Katharine of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament) and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions.
Pawhuska Oklahoma
St. Mary of the Quapaws
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1894–1897; 1904–1927
Current Diocese: Tulsa
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1894–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1927
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Joseph, 1894–1897 (see notes)
Congregation of Divine Providence (San Antonio, TX), 1904–1927*
On a Reservation: Quapaw Reservation
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Miami; Osage; Ottawa; Peoria; Quapaw
Notes: The school was established by priests from the Vicariate Apostolic of the Indian Territory and continued operation as a parish school after the formation of the Diocese of Oklahoma in 1905. The school opened in 1894 and closed three years later. It reopened in 1902 with a lay teacher until 1904, when the Sisters of Divine Providence took over the school. They remained there until it closed in 1927.
Note about the Sisters of St. Joseph: In 1893, Sr. Virginia Joyce, formerly a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brooklyn (now Brentwood), left New York for Oklahoma. Along the way, they visited the Sisters of St. Joseph in Concordia, Kansas, and picked up two sisters and a novice, who accompanied them to Muskogee. Once in Muskogee, Sr. Virginia created her own religious community with no connection to the sisters in Brooklyn or Concordia. In 1899, the bishop insisted that the sisters in Muskogee affiliate themselves with a canonically established congregation or leave the vicariate. Four of the women joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Louis, and at least one returned to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, KS. Sr. Virginia and some of the others left for Texas.
Quapaw Oklahoma
St. Mary’s Academy
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1880–1946
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Prefecture Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1880–1891
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1891–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1946
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Order of St. Benedict (St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, OK), 1880–1946;
Religious Benedictines of the Perpetual Adoration, 1880–1884;
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, 1884–1946*
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Potawatomi; Shawnee
Notes: The school was located in the unincorporated community of Sacred Heart. Konawa is the mailing address for Sacred Heart, so the school is sometimes listed as being in Konawa.
Sacred Heart (Konawa) Oklahoma
St. Patrick Indian Mission
Details:
Dates of Operation: 1892–1965
Current Diocese: Oklahoma City
Previous Dioceses Involved:
Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory, 1892–1905
Oklahoma, 1905–1930
Oklahoma City and Tulsa, 1930–1965
Religious Orders who worked at the Parish / School:
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, 1892–1965*
Order of St. Benedict (St. Gregory’s Abbey, Shawnee, OK), 1892–1965
On a Reservation: No
On the Department of the Interior List: Yes
Tribal Nations Impacted (as listed in historical documents):
Apache; Caddo; Comanche; Kiowa
Anadarko Oklahoma