Cornelia Connely was the wife of an American clergyman. They became Catholics, and as her husband wanted to become a priest they agreed to separate, and Cornelia became a nun. She later started a successful teaching order in England, endured much personal anguish, but her faith remained firm. The Society of the Holy Child Jesus, which she founded, has continued to spread throughout the world.

Gown Style 101 uses an heirloom technique called fagoting, a decorative stitch used to join together two fabric sections. This techique is symbolic of Saint Cornelia's secular life as a married woman and her religious life as a nun.