Warde, Mother Mary Francis Xavier

Warde, Mother Mary Francis Xavier (b. Frances Teresa Warde) (1810–84) religious leader; born in Mountrath, Ireland. A wealthy Dubliner, she did charitable work and joined the newly formed Sisters of Mercy in 1831. In 1843 she brought a group of these nuns to the U.S.A., where she founded institutions and led religious communities in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and elsewhere. She was a pioneer in adult religious education.