September 14, 2010

Nine Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield celebrate 50 years of service

 

REGIONAL

(Photo courtesy of Sisters of St. Joseph)

Iobserve staff report

 HOLYOKE – A group of nine Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield celebrated 50 years of religious life with a Mass and private reception at Mont Marie on Sept. 12. The liturgy included a renewal of vows taken by the sisters in 1960. 

Sister Anne Carroll (Jeanne Lawrence) was born in Woonsocket, R.I., and entered the community from St. Augustine Parish, Millville, Mass. She first ministered in schools in the Springfield Diocese and later in Newport and Middletown, R.I. She served as principal of Central Catholic School in Worcester, Mass., for 11 years and then for six years as a teacher at Trinity Catholic Academy in Southbridge, Mass. She went on to minister through the South Central Massachusetts Rehabilitation Resources in Sturbridge and South Central Massachusetts Elderbus in Charlton, both in Massachusetts. Currently she continues her ministry with SCM Elderbus, Inc., in Southbridge.

Born in Newport, R.I., Sister Judith Carvalho (Irene Manuel) entered the Sisters of St. Joseph after graduating from St. Catherine Academy in 1960. She taught in schools in the Worcester Diocese for nine years including St. Mary School in Uxbridge, St. Stephen’s in Worcester and St. Mary’s in Milford. In 1974 she was appointed principal of St. Agnes School in Dalton, where she served for 14 years. After the sudden death of her father, she returned to Rhode Island to manage his potato farm, which she continues to operate today.

A native of Rutland, Vt., Sister Sheila Daly (St. Mark) entered the community from Christ the King Parish there. She spent many years in education ministry in Rutland at St. Peter and Christ the King schools, in Fair Haven, Vt., at St. Mary School; and in Brattleboro, Vt., where she worked as both principal and teacher at St. Michael School. She is retired and lives at Mont Marie.

Sister Ann Marie McKenna (James Rita) was born in Springfield and entered the community from Blessed Sacrament Parish there. She taught at the Sacred Heart School and Blessed Sacrament School in Holyoke, the former Immaculate Conception School in West Springfield and the former Annunciation School in Florence. She also taught at St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Springfield and at the former Holy Name School in Springfield. She spent three weeks every year from 1968-2002 serving at the Summer School of Religion in Sheffield, teaching first Communion classes. She currently serves as a member of the support staff at the Mont Marie Health Care Center.

Born in Whitinsville, Mass., Sister Marlene Mucha (John Anastasia) entered the community from St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge, Mass. She began her teaching ministry at Marianhill High School in Southbridge. Then, beginning in 1969, she went on to minister as a secondary teacher at Holyoke Catholic High School in Holyoke. She received the Harold Grinspoon Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award in 2004 and has been recognized by the National Youth Leadership Forum. She continues her work at the new Holyoke Catholic in Chicopee.

A native of Middletown, Conn., Sister Dorothy Pilkington (Theresa Eugene) entered the community from St. Mary Parish in Windsor Locks, Conn. She began her teaching ministry at St. Joseph Central High School in Pittsfield and the former Holy Family School in Springfield and served also at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She served as a missionary and lecturer at Kisii College in Kenya, Africa; director of the lay associate program at the Passionist Monastery, coordinator for religious organizations at Bread for the World in Silver Spring, Md., and, as special project officer for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Kenya and Uganda. She currently lives with the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Tanzania, East Africa where she serves as the coordinator of St. Anna’s Orphanage for Infants with HIV/AIDS.

Sister Cornelia Roy (Margaret Charles) is a native of North Adams, and entered the community from St. Francis of Assisi Parish in North Adams. She taught at the former Immaculate Conception School, West Springfield; the former Sacred Heart High School and Holyoke Catholic High School, both in Holyoke; and served as associate retreat director at the Passionist Monastery and as campus minister at the Newman Center at UMass, Amherst. She also has worked at various times for diocesan offices, including the Office of Youth Ministry and the Diocesan Schools Office, where she served as director of religion curriculum K-12 and assistant superintendent of schoos.12. She was principal of Holyoke Catholic High School for six years and is currently the director of education at Homework House in Holyoke.

Born in North Adams, Sister Maxyne Schneider (Dorothy Mathias) entered the community from St. Patrick Parish in Williamstown. She began her teaching ministry at Cathedral High School in Springfield and went on to teach at Elms College in Chicopee, where she served for a time as academic dean. She was a guest lecturer at Springfield College, a visiting lecturer at Fitchburg State College, and taught at Regis College in Weston, Mass. In 1996, she co-founded the House of Peace and Education (HOPE) in Gardner, Mass., and served both as a staff member and director for 12 years. She currently works as the grant writer for Weston Center for Women at Mont Marie.

Sister Judith Smeltz (Margaret Robert) was born in Kingston, N.Y., and entered the community from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Syracuse, N.Y. She taught at the former Our Lady of the Rosary School in Holyoke, the former Holy Family School in Springfield and at St. Mary School in Milford, and later worked in the Spanish Apostolate in Holyoke and Springfield. She also did pastoral work at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Springfield for many years, and served as the director of the Diocesan Renew Program, as director of Jericho Homes in Holyoke for a time, and as director of the Office of Pastoral Ministry for the Diocese of Springfield. Currently, she ministers through Home Instead Senior Care in Springfield and is a chaplain-on-call for the Springfield Police Department.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield is a congregation of approximately 280 women who have taken vows to serve the people of God, “our dear neighbor,” in dozens of communities throughout New England, Louisiana and Africa.