September 30, 2022

Sisters of St. Joseph celebrate jubilarians, special anniversaries of religious life

REGIONAL
By Sharon Roulier

 

HOLYOKE – More than 100 Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield gathered in the chapel at Mont Marie in Holyoke Sept. 21 for the first time since March 2019.

It was a jubilant occasion honoring more than 60 sisters marking jubilees and special anniversaries.

After 2 ½ years without a celebration, it was time for dancing, as together the Sisters of St. Joseph reflected on 4,145 combined years of service to God and their neighbor.

A jubilee celebration marks a golden anniversary: 50 years of service since formally entering religious life. Sisters Irene Fontaine and Susan Swasey were the only two in the order marking this milestone.

Sisters who entered religious life 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 years ago also celebrated special anniversaries. Due to the pandemic, all who marked these special occasions for the last three years were honored.

It was a long time coming for the two golden jubilarians who entered religious life in 1970.

Sister Swasey, a graduate of Elms College, was a longtime math teacher at Blessed Sacrament School in Holyoke. She said she most enjoyed showing Christ’s love to others.

“To me it’s working with other people and showing the love that the sisters showed me when I was at the college,” she said. “I didn’t know any sisters when I went to the college. So that is what inspired me, their dedication, their love.”

Sister Fontaine spent many years teaching and later moved to pastoral ministry at the Dominican Monastery in West Springfield.

“I loved both. I loved teaching like Sue,” said Sister Fontaine. “I taught in grades five to 11, mainly math and religion. But I did also like the pastoral ministry part.”

Elms College chaplain Father Mark Stelzer celebrated the anniversary Mass, reflecting on what the Sisters of St. Joseph mean to him personally.

“It’s personally a great day for me to be back here because I was educated by the Sisters of St. Joseph at Cathedral (High School) and have worked with them in every one of my assignments as a priest, beginning in St. Patrick’s in Chicopee, St. Joseph’s School, the Catholic Schools of Pittsfield, and throughout my years at the Elms, the sisters have been a very important part of my life,” said Father Stelzer.

The following Sisters of St. Joseph marked their golden jubilees and special anniversaries:

2020 JUBILEE AND SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRANTS

50 Years: Entered in 1970
Irene Fontaine and Susan Swasey

60 Years: Entered in 1960
Anne Carroll, Judith Carvalho, Ann Marie McKenna, Marlene Mucha, Dorothy Pilkington, Cornelia Roy, Maxyne Schneider

65 Years: Entered in 1955
Shirley Davis, Kathryn Flanagan, Diane Gaudet, Shirleyanne Greene, Mary Harvey, Kathleen Kirley

70 Years Entered in 1950
Claire Belforti, Mary T. Shea, Mary Magdalen Ward

 

2021 JUBILEE AND SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRANTS

60 Years Entered in 1961
Maureen Broughan, Barbara Faille, Joan Magnani, Elaine Moskal, Judith Carvalho, Janet Provost, Julia Sullivan

65 Years Entered in 1956
Mary Lou Brennan, Eileen Joseph Christopher, Mary K. Dutko, Maryanne Gertin, Joan Hawkins, Arlene Kalin, Ann Lynch, Margaret McDevitt, Margaret O’Neil, Claudette Samson, Kathleen Wallace

70 Years Entered in 1951
Mary Behan, Mary Gallagher, Irene Mizula, Joan Pollock, Vivian Pyne

75 YEARS ENTERED IN 1946
Frances Barry, Mildred Marengo, Estelle Santarpia

2022 JUBILEE AND SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRANTS

60 Years: Entered in 1973
Natalie Cain, Barbara Hesselton, Kathleen Knowles, Paula Robillard, Maureen Sheehan, Elizabeth T. Sullivan, Frances White

65 Years: Entered in 1957
Mary Joyce Culverwell, Maureen Kervick, Mary McGeer, Mary Petisce, Patricia Quinlan, Mary M. Shea

70 Years: Entered in 1952
Winifred Butler, June Fanti, Kathleen Keating, Marilyn Logan, Maureen Martin

75 Years Entered in 1947
Irene Comeau

80 Years: Entered in 1942
Therese L’Heureux