Mother Alphonse Marie Eppinger, the woman who founded the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer religious order in 1849 is in line for canonization and sainthood. A ceremony of Beatification will take place in Strasburg Cathedral (Alsace) on Sunday, September 9, 2018 and on these shores on the site of the Little Flower Institute, Springfield Road in Darby at 4:00 pm the same day. "The site has become a County park," said John Haigis of the Friends of Woodburne. "It is behind Little Flower Nursing Home which is no longer connected with the order. The Sisters of the Divine Redeemer gave refuge to orphans and displaced persons for many years." He continued,"We are celebrating that tradition of service and compassion as we work to help the County find a feasible adaptive reuse for the magnificent Mansion designed by noted architect Horace Trumbauer in 1906."
The Mansion, known at various times as Woodburne and as Little Flower Institute, was purchased by the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer from the estate of Edgar Thompson Scott in 1936 and sold to Delaware County in 2016. The Friends of Woodburne are working to make it a school to teach heritage building arts and create new life and opportunities for buildings, people and communities. Haigis said, "Becoming a Saint is an important thing and it is always good to have friends in high places."
The brief ceremony with music will take place at 4:00 PM on Sunday, September 9th at the grotto/chapel near the Mansion. The event is free but donations toward the Mansion's restoration will be appreciated.
Additional information can be found at www.DarbyHistory.com/Woodburne , and here http://www.alfonza-maria-eppinger.com/?p=2639 and here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lisabeth_Eppinger
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