Sept. 11, 2013

Watertown - The Sisters of St. Joseph celebrated the Jubilees honoring Sisters Monica Flaherty and Sister Teresa Magdalen Nichols on July 27 at the Motherhouse as well as  Sister Bernadette Marie Collins, Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin, and Sister Noel Chabanel Hence Aug. 17 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church and at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse.

Profiles of the jubilarians follow:

Sister Monica Flaherty
Sister Monica Flaherty celebrated 65 years in religious life.  A native of Ogdensburg, she is the daughter of the late Augustine and Mary Lawrence Flaherty. 

She graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Ogdensburg and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 8, 1947, receiving her habit on April 11, 1948, and final vows on August 27, 1953.

She received a bachelor's degree in education from Villanova University in PA and a master's degree with certification in social studies from Potsdam State University College. 

Sister Monica taught at various schools including Holy Family and Sacred Heart in Watertown, Holy  Name in AuSable Forks, St. Patrick's in Port Henry, St. Mary's in Ticonderoga, and St. Mary's in Fort Covington (where she also served as principal and superior), St. James School in Gouverneur, St. Joseph's School in Massena, Mater Dei College in Ogdensburg, and at the Ogdensburg and Riverview correctional facilities in Ogdensburg. 

Sister Monica also did pastoral ministry at St. Cecilia's in Adams, St. Martin's in Port Leyden, St. John's in Lyons Falls, St. Mary's in Constable, and served at St. Patrick's Children's Home in Watertown.  She now resides at the Motherhouse.

Sister Teresa Magdalen Nichols
Sister Teresa Magdalen Nichols celebrated 65 years in religious life.  A native of Harrisville, she  is the daughter of the late Homer and Mary Lagasse Nichols and a graduate of Harrisville Central School. 

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on November 29, 1947, received the habit on May 19, 1948, and made final vows on August 27, 1953.

Sister Magdalen studied elementary education with a focus on social work at the St. Joseph Teacher Training Institute and at Mater Dei College. 

Her ministry included Holy Family, St. Patrick's Children's Home, and Sacred Heart in Watertown, St. Joseph's in Massena, and at the Motherhouse. 

Sister Teresa Magdalen also served as a Green Thumb volunteer at the Malone Adult Center and prepared meals for the Meals on Wheels program while residing at St. Joseph’s, Malone. 

She now resides at the Motherhouse.

Sister Bernadette Marie Collins
Sister Bernadette Marie Collins celebrated 50 years in religious life.  A native of Watertown, she is the daughter of the late Francis and Glenda Collins and a graduate of Immaculate Heart Academy. 

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 7, 1962, received the habit on June 24, 1963, and made final vows on August 28, 1968. 

She received her BA in Interdisciplinary Science from SUNY Potsdam and an MA in Education and Administration at Villanova University, in PA. Sister Bernadette Marie has served in St. Mary's School in Fort Covington, Holy Name School in AuSable Forks (where she returned later as principal), St. Joseph's in Dannemora, Holy Family and St. Patrick's Schools in Watertown, Augustinian Academy in Carthage (where she later returned as principal), Sacred Heart School in Watertown and Trinity Catholic in Massena where she served as principal.

Sister Bernadette Marie also served as Director of Faith Formation of the Diocese, on the Leadership Council and as the Major Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

At present, she is the local superior at the Motherhouse in Watertown. 

Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin
Sister Ellen Rose Coughlin celebrated 50 years in religious life.  A native of Watertown, she is the daughter of the late Lt. John F. Coughlin and Mrs. Walter P. Cummings and a graduate of Immaculate Heart Academy. 

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 7, 1962, received the habit on June 24, 1963, and made final vows on August 28, 1968.  She received her BA in Education at SUNY Potsdam.  She did graduate work in religious studies in Rome, Italy, first at Regina Mundi Pontifical University and then at the Gregorian University, where she obtained a MRS degree.

Sister Ellen Rose has served in St. James School in Gouverneur, St. Patrick's in Port Henry, Immaculate Heart Central, and as principal at Holy Family School in Watertown. 

Sister Ellen Rose has served as Trustee for Wadhams Hall Seminary College in Ogdensburg, Director of the Junior Sisters program for the Sisters of St. Joseph, as Assistant to the Major Superior, and currently serves on the Leadership Council of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

She continues to serve as the Director of Catholic Education Superintendent and Director of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

Sister Noel Chabanel Hence
Sister Noel Chabanel Hence celebrated 50 years in religious life.  A native of Watertown, she is the daughter of the late Leo and Kathleen Hentz and a graduate of Immaculate Heart Academy.

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 7, 1962, received the habit on June 24, 1963, and made final vows on August 28, 1968.  She received her BA in Interdisciplinary Science at SUNY Potsdam and an MS in history at St. Bonaventure University in Olean.

Sister Noel Chabanel has served in Augustinian Academy in Carthage, St. Agnes School in Lake Placid as Principal, St. Patrick's School in Port Henry, St. Mary's School and St. Joseph's School in Massena, Holy Name School in AuSable Forks, St. John the Evangelist's School in Morristown, Holy Family School and St. Patrick's School in Watertown. 

She currently serves as assistant in the Watertown Special Education Religion Office in Watertown.

The Sisters of St. Joseph held two jubilee celebrations this summer. At left, Sisters Monica Flaherty and  Teresa Magdalen Nichols, who celebrated 65 years of religious life,were honored  July 27 at the Motherhouse in Watertown with Father Leo Wiley as the celebrant and homilist. At right are 50-year jubilarians Sisters Noel Chabanel Hentz,  Ellen Rose Coughlin and Bernadette Marie Collins. They were honored Aug. 17 at  Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church with  Bishop Robert Cunningham, Bishop of Syracuse, as the main celebrant and Missionary of the Sacred Heart Father Richard Kennedy as the homilist.