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Remembering Sister Cecila Soreghan

March 19, 2012, 10:44 am
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Sr Cecilia Soreghan

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sister Cecilia Soreghan

(11/21/1923 - 2/23/2012)

A Sister of Mercy for 70 Years, Musician, Teacher

Sister Cecilia Soreghan was born in Portland, OR, daughter of Frank and Rozella (Carberry) Soreghan. She attended elementary school at St. Agatha's in Portland, before her family moved to Ames, Iowa, where she then coincidentally attended St. Cecilia School. Sister Cecilia graduated from Ames High School in 1940. She entered the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Community in 1942. She attended Mount Mercy Junior College in Cedar Rapids and Loras College in Dubuque. Her love for music at an early age led her to receive both a bachelor's and master's degrees in music from the University of Iowa, resulting in a lifetime ministry in music.

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Remembering Sister Virginia Gillis

March 19, 2012, 10:48 am
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Sister Virginia (Mary Francella) Gillis, RSM
in San Diego on March 9, 2012, at the age of 78.

Born in Los Angeles, Sister Virginia was the youngest of the four children of Francis and Mary Gillis. Growing up with three older brothers, early on she developed the independent spirit that informed her life. After graduating from Bishop Conaty High School and attending college for a year, Virginia entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, Ca, in 1952, professing her vows as Sister Mary Francella in 1955.

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Remembering Sister Alice Mary Reinhart

May 2, 2012, 5:00 pm
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Alice Mary Reinhart, RSM 

(9/19/1916 - 4/20/2012)  

A Sister of Mercy for 78 Years! 

Sister Alice Mary Reinhart was born Sept. 19, 1916, to Eugene L. and Kathryn (Hyde) Reinhart in Fairmount, MO. She was a middle child - one of seven.  Devout Catholics, her parents made sure all of the children received a Catholic education. She attended St. Ann's Grade School and then graduated from St. Agnes Academy in Kansas City. Both were staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. A year after graduating from high school, she entered the Community in Council Bluffs, IA. Alice Mary received her bachelor's degree in education from College of Saint Mary (1956) in Omaha and her master's degree, also in education, from Creighton University (1960), also in Omaha.

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Remembering Sister Georgia Purk

May 7, 2012, 12:52 pm
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Repose of the Soul of

Sister Mary Georgia Purk
(8/15/1927 - 4/28/2012)
Dedicated teacher, principal and assistant administrator
Sister Georgia Purk, of Aurora, IL, died peacefully on Saturday, April 28, at Provena McAuley Manor. A multi-talented woman, she will be remembered for her strength of character, hearty determination, energetic dedication to ministry and for living the motto in her profession ring: "God alone-through Mary." She was a Sister of Mercy for 66 years.

Sister Mary Georgia was born in Chicago on the Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15, 1927). Her parents, George and Alvine (Strauch) named their only child, Mary Catherine. Her parents wanted her to grow up unspoiled and to be aware of the needs of others. This, no doubt, influenced Mary during her high school years at Mercy High. That is where she first met the Sisters of Mercy, who had educated both of her parents at St. Patrick High School.
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Remembering Sister Rita Marie Brennan

July 2, 2012, 4:13 pm
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Sister Rita Marie Brennan
Sister Rita Marie Brennan, RSM 
(3/15/1924 - 5/6/2012)

Born in 1924, Sister Rita Marie Brennan (Johann) was destined to be a Sister of Mercy. The daughter of an Irish father, she was taught by Sisters of Mercy at Saint Joachim grade school and Mercy High School in Chicago and was preceded into the convent by her sister, Sister Sebastienne. She literally danced her way to the convent in 1943.

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Remembering Sister Irenaeus Chekouras

July 2, 2012, 4:20 pm
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Sister M. Irenaeus Chekouras

Sister Mary Irenaeus Chekouras 
4/8/1922 - 5/22/2012 

Dedicated Administrator  Beloved teacher  Advocate for the Homeless 

Sister Mary Irenaeus Chekouras, RSM, Ph.D., age 90, died suddenly of complications after surgery on Tuesday, May 22, at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, Ill. Sister Marion Johnson, RSM, her dear friend for many decades, was at her side.

From 1972 until 1982, Sister Irenaeus served as president of Saint Xavier College, founded in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy, During her tenure there, Sister Irenaeus led many changes, including directing the transition from an all-women's college to a co-educational institution.

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Remembering Sister Mary Ann Scofield

July 2, 2012, 4:26 pm
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Mary Ann Scofield

Sister Mary Ann (Mary Annette) Scofield, RSM

in Burlingame on June 3, 2012 at the age of 86.

Born in Williston, ND, the second of the four children of Harold and Dorothy Holland Scofield, Mary Ann spent her childhood there. The family moved to Los Angeles where she graduated from Catholic Girls High School (now Bishop Conaty/Loretto High School) in 1944. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1947 and professed vows as Sister Mary Annette in 1949. Mary Annette taught elementary and high school at Holy Name School and St. Stephen's School in San Francisco, and St. Catherine's School and Mercy High School in Burlingame for the next 10 years, earning a Ph.D. in Theology from St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana in 1964.

With her background in teaching and theology, Mary Ann was appointed as a director of the formation program for young women entering the Sisters of Mercy, serving in this capacity for 10 years. She tried to make the formation process responsive to the needs of the women entering during the 1960s. "I felt these women could not live in a hot house," she said. "I had them doing apostolic work at Hunters Point, teaching CCD in parishes, making visitations of the sick. Then before they made profession they had home visits."

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Remembering Sister Charla Gannon

July 2, 2012, 4:29 pm
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Sister Charla Gannon

Sister Charla Gannon
(5/4/1922 - 6/8/2012) 

 

Teacher, Principal, Minister of Care - and a Sister of Mercy for 71 Years! 
 

Sister Mary Charla Gannon grew up in her beloved state of Iowa. She was the second oldest of four children born to Elmer and Rose (Gallagher) Gannon. Father Charles was the eldest, Larry was second youngest, with Sister Laurus, also of Chicago, as the youngest.   

Sister Charla graduated from Brooklyn (IA) Public High School in 1940 and in September she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Des Plaines, IL. She earned a bachelor's and a master's in history from Saint Xavier College and Loyola University, respectively.  

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Remembering Sister Mary Justine Sabourin

July 2, 2012, 4:31 pm
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Sister Justine Sabourin 

Sister Mary Justine Sabourin
10/28/1910 - 6/13/2012

Mistress of Novices, College Dean, Provincial, Councilor, Researcher, Chronologist, Writer,
and a Sister of Mercy for 85 Years! 

Sister Mary Justine Sabourin, 101, died early this morning (Wednesday, June 13) at McAuley Center in Farmington Hills, Mich., surrounded by her beloved Sisters of Mercy and nursing staff.   

Baptized as Winifred Anne, she was born in Alpena Township (Millersburg), MI, on Oct. 28, 1910, to Joseph and Mary E. (Sheehan) Sabourin. At the time of her birth, life expectancy for women was 51.8 years. She beat those odds during a life-long dedication to service.   After she completed high school at St. Andrew's in Saginaw, she joined the Sisters of Mercy in Grand Rapids on Aug. 28, 1927. She made perpetual vows at Mt. Mercy Motherhouse on Aug. 15, 1933.

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Remembering Sister Pauline Fields

July 11, 2012, 1:06 pm
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Repose of the Soul of 
Pauline Fields, RSM 

Sister Pauline Fields  
(1/9/1927 - 7/5/2012)  

 
A Sister of Mercy for 67 Years

Sister Mary Pauline Fields was born Jan. 9, 1927, in Loogootee, IN, to Charles and Inez (Smith) Fields. She was welcomed into the world by her parents and brother, Leo. Little did her parents know that their baby girl would grow up to become a Sister of Mercy. Plus, they surely had no way of knowing that Pauline's two sisters would also become Sisters of Mercy.

Sister Alithea, born shortly after Pauline, and Sister Robertus, born two years after Alithea, explained that they both worked at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Aurora, IL. They were each greatly influenced by the Sisters of Mercy at the hospital and they, too, felt drawn to join the Community.

The Fields family grew, including Bob, Theresa, James and Gertrude. Sisters Alithea and Robertus said that the siblings always had a special bond with each other. They affectionately referred to Pauline as "the angel."   

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Remembering Sister Mary Gallagher

August 20, 2012, 11:29 am
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June 23, 1931 to July 13, 2012

The youngest of seven, Sister Mary Gallagher came from a family of Scots. Since she was the only child born in the U.S., her siblings called her "The Yankee." Although she spent time in Scotland as a child, she returned to the U.S. to attend St. Dorothy elementary school and Mercy High in Chicago where she met the Sisters of Mercy.

Hispanic culture drew her in during almost 30 years of teaching at schools in the Dioceses of Milwaukee and Chicago. She had wanted to go to Peru on mission, but fragile health prevented her. Instead, she attended the University of Illinois and received her master's in Spanish. She was a gift to schools such as Precious Blood Elementary in Chicago where English was a second language in many of her crowded classrooms. At Mother McAuley High School she was a teacher of Spanish and art while also serving as the school's business manager.

Her business skills became more evident as she served as administrator at Mercy Manorin Aurora, St. Margaret Mary Parish in Naperville, Il., and then again in Aurora at St. Joseph Parish.

Her years as pastoral coordinator of St. Nicolas Parish in the Rockford Diocese prepared her for what was to come.

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Remembering Sister Bernice Kurt

August 20, 2012, 11:36 am
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Bernice Kurt RSM

Sister Bernice Kurt, RSM

11/9/1933 to 7/26/2012 

Teacher, Principal, Chaplain, Woman of Deep Faith

Sister Bernice Kurt, RSM, age 78, died on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at Mercy Hallmar Care Center in Cedar Rapids after a short battle with cancer.

Sister Bernice was the seventh child of 12 children born to John G. and Ella (Moorman) Kurt in Bernard, Iowa on Nov. 9, 1933. She attended St. Patrick School in Garryowen and graduated from Mount Mercy Academy in Cedar Rapids in 1952. In August, 1950, just before her 17th birthday, she entered the Sisters of Mercy where she joined her sister, Mary.

Sister Bernice spent 26 years in education, 14 years as a teacher in parochial schools in Ames, Decorah, Cedar Rapids, and Fairfax, Iowa. She also served 12 years in administration serving as teacher and principal at Our Lady of Grace School in Edina, Minn., and at St. Patrick's, Fairfax, Iowa; and as principal at All Saints in Cedar Rapids, at St. Nicholas, Evansdale, and St. John's, Waterloo.

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Remembering Sister Anne Fiala

August 20, 2012, 11:42 am
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Sister Anne Fiala RSM

 

Teacher, Librarian, Pastoral Associate, Sister of Mercy for 69 years 

Sister Anne Fiala, RSM, age 89, died on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at Caritas Center in Dubuque, IA, after a lengthy illness.

 Sister Anne was born in Karlin, MO, on Dec. 10, 1922, the daughter of Frank and Marie Herot Fiala. When she was an infant, her family moved to the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, IA, while her father worked on the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. She attended St. Wenceslaus School in Cedar Rapids and entered the Sisters of Mercy Community in Cedar Rapids just after her high school graduation in 1943. 

Sister Anne earned her bachelor's degree from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, WI, majoring in History with a minor in English. For 10 years she taught grade school at St. Joseph, DeWitt; St. Patrick, Garryowen; Immaculate Conception, Cedar Rapids; and at St. Joseph, Marion. In 1958, she earned a master's degree in Library Science at Rosary College in River Forest, IL, and spent 13 years as the librarian at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids. In 1970, Sister Anne received an advanced certificate in Religious Education from St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI. She went on to teach religious education at Immaculate Conception Parish, Cedar Rapids; Sacred Heart Parish, Oelwein, and served as director of religious education at St. Mary Parish in Marshalltown.

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Remembering Sister Betty Carr

August 20, 2012, 11:46 am
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Betty Carr RSM

Sister Betty Carr

(11/11/1923 ~ 8/13/2012)

Sister Betty Carr was born in Farley, IA, on Nov. 11, 1923, to Joseph and Callista (Moran) Carr. She was the second youngest of nine children. She grew up in Iowa, attending St. Joseph School in Farley until she was 12 when her family moved to Cascade. Betty graduated from St. Martin School in Cascade in 1941. After graduation, she went to Chicago for what she intended to be a two-week vacation. Instead she remained there for three years. She worked at Stouffer's Restaurant until World War II broke out. She then worked at International Harvester as an overhead crane operator helping to put tractors together for war use. Betty returned to Dubuque, IA, in 1946. There she entered the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Community.

Sister Betty taught first grade for 47 years in various schools in Kalispell, MT; Edina, MN; and in Iowa. She returned to Kalispell for the last 15 years of her ministry where she served at St. Matthew's School for two years and the remaining 13 years she was at St. Matthew's Parish visiting the home-bound. In 2005, she retired to Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids.

Sister Julie Brown of Joplin, MO, said, "Betty loved life in spite of the ups and downs - she'd tell you just what was on her mind and, yet, she had a soft spot for those she loved. I am going to miss her -  I can imagine her watching her beloved White Sox, Bears and Hawkeyes from her box seat in heaven!"

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Remembering Sister Martin dePorres Smukowski

August 20, 2012, 11:53 am
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Sister Martin dePorres Smukowski
July 17, 1931 to Aug. 4, 2012

Born in Milwaukee, WI, Sister Martin de Porres Smukowski entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1949 after graduation from Milwaukee's Mercy High School. Already an accomplished pianist, "Marty" as she was later affectionately called, first taught in schools in Milwaukee and the Chicago area from 1952 until 1974.

In 1974 she moved into parish music ministry, first at Holy Apostles in Milwaukee. Music posts at St. Patrick in Racine, WI; St. Mary in Hales Corner, WI; St. Albert the Great in Burbank, Il, Chicago; Elm Grove, WI, and St. Clotilde in Chicago, followed. In 1986, Sister Regine Fanning, then pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Parish in Palo Hills, IL, knew the parish needed a music director and contacted Sister Martin. The fit was perfect.

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Remembering Sister Mary Irene Burns

August 20, 2012, 12:57 pm
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Sister Mary Irene Burns

(7/1/1932 ~ 8/11/2012)

A Sister of Mercy for  62 Years! 

Sister Mary Irene Burns was born July 1, 1932, in Lawler, IA, to Edwin and Irene (Meyer) Burns. She attended school in Lawler and then graduated from Mount Mercy Academy in Cedar Rapids in 1950. Following graduation, she entered the Sisters of Mercy Community in Cedar Rapids. She received a bachelor's degree in history from Mount Mercy College.  

Sister Irene's lifelong ministry of teaching music, reading and working in education administration took her all over Iowa, as well as Montana. In between her years of teaching, Sister Irene earned her master's degree in reading and psychology from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wis. She retired from full-time teaching in 2001, but she continued to tutor students at the Catherine McAuley Center in Cedar Rapids. She also served as an assistant archivist for the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community at Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids.

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Remembering Sister Kathleen McCarthy

September 17, 2012, 12:31 pm
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Kathleen McCarthy 

  Sister Kathleen McCarthy

(4/6/1936 ~ 9/12/2012)

A Sister of Mercy for  59 Years! 

Sister Kathleen McCarthy (known in her early years as Sister Mary Robert) died peacefully at Our Lady of Mercy Convent, in Auburn, on Sept. 12. Born April 6, 1936, in Lombardstown, County Cork, Ireland, she was the daughter of Joseph and Johanna McCarthy. She entered the Sisters of Mercy on March 13, 1953, and professed final vows on Sept. 20, 1960.

A gifted teacher with a gregarious personality, she spent her first 15 years in education ministry as an elementary school teacher and principal in Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Sacramento, including St. Joseph, Redding; Sacred Heart, Anderson; St. Joseph, Auburn; St. Joseph and Sacred Heart, Sacramento.

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Remembering Sister Marita Cunningham

October 22, 2012, 11:22 am
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 marita cunningham 

Sister Marita Cunningham

Aug. 7, 1917 to Oct. 5, 2012

Sister Marita Cunningham (also known as Sister Mary Ita) died peacefully at Our Lady of Mercy Convent, Auburn, CA, on Friday, October 5, 2012. She was born on August 7, 1917 in Longford, Ireland, the eldest of six children of Peter and Elizabeth (Mahon) Cunningham. She was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in elementary and secondary schools in Longford, something that gave her great pride.

In reflecting on her life on her 75th jubilee, she shared the beginning of her vocation story: "When I was 18 years old and praying for others to discern whether they would enter religious life, I suddenly realized that I was being called and my choice never wavered from that time on."

In 1935, Marita joined eleven other young women, who had been recruited throughout Ireland, and together they made their way by boat across the Atlantic and then by train across the country to enter the Sisters of Mercy at St. Joseph Convent, Sacramento on October 10, 1935. She was professed on May 14, 1938 and made final vows on September 8, 1941.

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Remembering Sister Marian Curran

October 22, 2012, 11:28 am
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 Marian Curran  

Sister Marian Curran, RSM    

In Oakland, CA on October 13, 2012, at the age of 90.

A native of San Mateo, CA, Bernice Curran arrived at Mills Hospital in 1922. She was the eldest of four siblings. Ruth, Jeanne and George soon followed. There was no Catholic school nearby, so Bernice attended Park School and Peninsula School, graduating in 1936. She entered Mercy High School and remembers Sister M. Charleta Barry, Sister M. Athanasius Sheridan, and Sister M. Martin having a great influence on her.

Upon graduation in 1940, she spent a semester in college, then worked at IBM where she learned business skills. She was then ready to enter, but December 7, 1941, intervened and upon the advice of her parents, she postponed her entry until 1943. It wasn't long before Bernice, now called Sister Marian, was put to work developing her business and accounting skills assisting Sister M. Baptista, even commuting in the coach to St. Mary's Hospital to work in the business office. She was next assigned to the newly opened Notre Dame Hospital for six years.

In 1953 she began a 14-year ministry at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, first as accountant and local councilor, than as superior/administrator from 1959-1966. She spent most of these years assisting in the rebuilding of the hospital after the 1952 earthquake, her practical no-nonsense nature and business experience standing her in good stead.

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Remembering Sister Patrick Conlin

May 13, 2013, 4:59 pm
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Sister Patrick Conlin

(4/17/1921 - 1/17/2013)

A Nurse, Administrator and a Sister of Mercy for 68 Years!

Sister Mary Patrick Conlin was born April 17, 1921, at Mercy Hospital in Williston, ND, to Edward and Elizabeth (Dolan) Conlin. She was given the baptismal name of Terese Marie.

The Sisters of Mercy were always prominent in the life of the Conlin family. In addition to being born at a Mercy hospital, Terese received early religious instructions from the Sisters of Mercy. She entered Mercy School of Nursing in Williston following graduation from Williston High School in 1939 and, six years later, she entered the convent of the Sisters of Mercy Omaha Province at Mount Loretto, Council Bluffs, IA. In 1945, she was received into the Community of Mercy and was given the name of Sister Mary Patrick. She made perpetual vow on Aug. 16, 1950.

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