Cornelia Connelly
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Cornelia Connelly (1809 - April 18, 1879) was an American-born founder of a religious order. She was born in Philadelphia in 1809, began her conversion to Roman Catholicism in the southern US, and eventually founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in England. In 1846, she founded the first of many Holy Child schools.
Born Cornelia Peacock, she married Pierce Connelly, an Episcopal priest, in December 1831, and the two moved to Natchez, Mississippi, where Pierce had accepted the rectorship of the Holy Trinity Episcopal church. Within years, the couple converted to Catholicism, and soon afterward Rev. Connelly elected to enter the Roman Catholic priesthood. Despite their young family - the couple eventually had five children - Cornelia agreed to move to Rome, where in July 1845 Pierce was ordained.
After considerable prayer and soul-searching, Cornelia too found a calling to serve God, and relocated to England where, further inspired, she founded the Society of the Holy Child Jesus religious order. The order, whose constitution is based on that of the Jesuits, is devoted to teaching young women, and operates schools primarily in the US.
Sister Cornelia was further challenged when her former husband renounced the priesthood and came to England to regain custody of their two daughters. The courts rejected his claim. She died on 18 April 1879, at St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, where she had established a school.
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, founded by Cornelia Connelly, has produced many great students due to her beliefs.
