Oct. 10, 2012 Ten religious Woman and one religious brother are celebrating significant anniversaries this year. They were honored at the annual Religious Jubilee Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. In recognition of their 70, 65, 50, 40 and 25 years of religious life, the North Country Catholic presents autobiographical profiles of the jubilarians. 70 years I attended a country school for grades one through five, and Augustinian Academy in Carthage until graduation in 1941. I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in September 1941. Following my novitiate, I attended Marywood College in Scranton, PA, graduating with a BS degree in Education. I received my MS degree from Plattsburgh State University. Graduate studies were pursued at Ypsilanti State University in Michigan, and Notre Dame University, Indiana. I taught in several diocesan schools: Bishop Conroy, Ogdensburg; Champlain Academy, Port Henry; St. Joseph's, Dannemora; as well as Holy Family and Sacred Heart Schools in Watertown. I have been in community and school administration, and served as Secretary of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal. My final years were spent ministering to the shut-ins at St. James Parish in Carthage. Now that I'm retired I appreciate the time to pray, read, knit and telephone shut-ins.
Sister Mary Paula Richard, RSM In 1942, I entered the Sisters of Mercy in Tarrytown, New York and after final profession; I began my professional career by becoming a student nurse in Mercy Hospital Watertown, New York. From there, I was privileged to render nursing care to the people in Tupper Lake, Port Jervis, Watertown and British Guiana. After my retirement, I spent several years with the Sisters of Str. Joseph in Watertown and those years are remembered with great joy and affection. In 2007, I relocated to St. Margaret Convent in Lake Placid and became a Friendship Volunteer for Mercy Care for the Adirondacks. Currently, I live in Uihlein Living Center, Lake Placid and spend my days in prayer and with wonderful memories of my life as a Sister of Mercy and as a nurse. Precious to me are the recollection of my family and my time in British Guiana.
65YEARS Until the mind 1930’s Piercefield was a prosperous town. They made the best of paper – bond paper. If the pulp wasn’t just right, they shipped it down the river. (It was the Racquet River by the way). When the mill closed they intended to re-open it, so they kept my father on as a night watchman for a year, but it never opened. We moved to a rented farm outside of Bombay, NY. We bought our own farm after seven years. It is still in the family now. My brother Glenn bough the farm from my mother and he planted evergreen trees so that it would not grow up to brush. We had a lot of simple fun growing up –sliding down hill, skiing, skating in winter. In spring, summer and fall, we enjoyed softball as a family. My father got out there and played with the rest of us, hooting and hollering with all of us. My mother was on the sidelines holding one or two of the babies. She was our cheerleader. My little brothers didn’t like to go to bed at night. I could run fast then and I would catch them for her. I had a lot of responsibility growing up. I helped my mother a lot in the house as well. When I was only eight years old, my mother had me babysitting while she weeded the garden. We would sit where she could see us and she would check back every so often. As I told you before, there were 13 children in our family. A (D) follows the names of those who are deceased. Members are Evelyn (myself), Ruth (D), Donald (D), Gerald, Robert, Joyce, Glenn, Stanley, Lawrence (D), Brian (D), Helen (D), Bruce, Theresa (D). When I would come home for vacation, my little brothers and sisters were intrigued by me. I guess they couldn’t figure out what I was. They would follow me all over and they would giggle! One little guy couldn’t say all his words plain when he was little. I would ask him, “Who is your favorite aunt?” He would say “Aunt Thusie”. I would ask him “Who is your favorite uncle?” He would say “Uncle Wobert”. I would ask him again just to hear his response. He was so cute. My parents were hard workers. Our mother was always there for us – cooking, baking, cleaning, washing, ironing, gardening, looking after us. My father was a carpenter at Alcoa and worked on the farm at night. They taught us to work hard. Someone asked my mother once, “How do you handle all those children?” She answered, “They are good children.” They taught us responsibility and how to be busy. During summer, our biggest past-time was going berrying. We loved it. We did it as a family. My mother loved it too. We all had our duties on the farm, doing much before we went to school in the morning. During my high school years, I had charge of the hens. They were so cute and so tame. I did a lot of the milking of the cows too. God was a big part of our lives. We went to church regularly and we received the sacraments. Catechism classes were held on Saturday’s. When we moved to Fort Covington, our parish was St. Mary’s of the Fort. The church in Piercefield was closed when the mill closed. I think it was torn down. The bell is found in a little park there. I graduated from Fort Covington High School in 1946. Our principal, Mr. Harry Weir, was a fine Catholic man and saw to it that we went to Mass on Holy Days. I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in the Fall of 1946 and I received the habit July 1, 1947 with four other sisters. We received our training in religious life at the Motherhouse in Watertown from Sr. Mary Louis. We received some college courses from our Sisters in Watertown and from Mater Dei College. I graduated from Villanova University with a BS in Education, from the College of St. Rose in Albany with an MS in N through 6 in Education and also Special Education, and AA in Religious Studies from Mater Dei College. I served God’s people in Holy Family, St. Patrick’s and Sacred in Watertown, in AuSable Forks two times, Port Henry, Ticonderoga, Malone two times, Morristown and Carthage all in Elementary Schools. I was involved several years at St. Patrick’s Children’s Home. For almost 40 years I have ministered to God’s Special People in Special Religious Education. Our family has had many tragedies, but we have managed to weather the storms. When tragedy strikes we have tried to stick together and support one another. My 65 years have been very fulfilling. I thank God for all His blessings. The people who I have been involved are blessings. My parents and my siblings are wonderful. I pray for all of the and I hope they pray for me.
Sister Helen Mary McKeever, SSJ Following eight grades in a one room country school, I attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Clayton, NY. I was valedictorian of my class of fourteen students. After attending the Watertown School of Commerce, I was employed as a secretary to Sprague Chevrolet Car Company for a short time, and at Bagley and Sewell Company for several years, until my entrance to the Sisters of St. Joseph, in December 1946. Following my education at the normal school of the Sisters of St. Joseph, I attended the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY, where I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. During the time I was teaching third grade in our diocesan schools. I attended summer sessions at Syracuse University, completing my Masters Degree in library Science. I was assigned after that time to Mater Dei College as Assistant librarian to Sister Mary Joseph Meichelbeck, from 1969-1975. In 1975, I became Assistant librarian to Sister Anna Marie Snyder at Immaculate Heart Central High School until her retirement, after which I was appointed Director of the Library. In 2001 I retired from IHC, and am now at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph appreciating the time that I have for prayer. How the years fly by! Here I am now celebrating 65 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of Watertown, NY. I thank God that my health is holding out, even though I am confined to a walker or wheel chair. I get where I want to go, mainly by using my feet to propel my wheel chair.
Sister Gabriel Marie Meyer, SSJ I taught the intermediate grades in various schools of the diocese before attending St. Patrick's School of Social Work, Ottawa, Canada to obtain my Masters in Social Work degree. My ministry continued at St. Patrick's Children's Home, Catholic Charities and as pastoral associate at St. James Parish, Carthage, St. James Parish, Gouverneur and St. Martin/St. John, Port Leyden/Lyons Falls. I am now retired and living at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in Watertown. God has blessed me with a joyful, fulfilling life in His service.
Sister Mary Kateri Rose, SSJ As I reflect on this my 65th Jubilee year of religious life, my parents, two brothers and my sister were God's first gracious gifts to me. In the years that followed, the Sisters of St. Joseph gifted me with excellent academic credentials that would support my future teaching career in the school system of the Diocese of Ogdensburg. I earned a BA from Marywood College, a MS from Buffalo State and a MA from La Salle University. For several summers I had the opportunity to do graduate study at St. Michaels, VT. and St. Paul University, Ottawa. My teaching career covered many levels of education from primary, junior and senior high and college level courses. When Mater Dei College opened, I taught courses in the Fine Arts, Religion, Business, English and Philosophy Departments on campus and at the Gouverneur, Massena and St. Regis Mohawk extension sites. For several semesters, I taught evening courses at the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility. After many years at Mater Dei, I became the Director of the Brownville, Dexter Religious Education Program under Rev. Joseph Elliott, pastor. This religious education program covered grades one through ten and was well supported by the parents. Thanks to the pastor, parents, teachers and students for their goodness and faith that continues to be alive in this region of our North Country. It was a pleasure to be a part of this community. I designed and completed a ceramic wall relief, six by twenty-four feet honoring the life of Mother Immaculata, SSJ. Using glass mosaic imported from Italy and a diagram from a NY artist some parishioners and myself transferred the design to the front wall of the foyer of St. John's School, Morristown. Not too many years ago, I held my own 'One Woman Art Exhibits' in the areas where I lived and worked. Several oil and acrylic paintings and a bronze sculpture are now in various collections. Travel opportunities were on my doorstep in the '80's sending me to Rome, Italy for the Beatification of Kateri Tekawitha; then in 1981 to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a Native American Conference; a few years later I traveled to Russia as the sponsor for a group of women tourists. The year 1989 found me traveling to Israel with my sister Jane and her husband Howard. Now in my 'retirement years' I maintain active membership in the Altar and Rosary Society, Brownville/ Dexter; Legion of Mary Immaculate Medal Praesidium, Sacred Heart Church, Watertown. I recently completed two terms as secretary and continue as part time Spiritual Director for the Legion of Mary. At our SSJ Motherhouse, I maintain the monthly Archives Report ... and now and then dust, mop, here and there. I am a trained and active volunteer tutor for the Literacy Program of Northern, NY. Recently I began Jail Ministry visitation and continue my ministry to hospitals and nursing homes. I am an active member on our SSJ Social Justice Committee. Before many more days pass, my sketch pads and watercolor paints need to be taken from the shelf, dusted off and put to color again .... and .... violin practice is next in line. Throughout my life so many blessings and opportunities have surrounded me! I continue to hold in prayer my family, students and parents, faculty, friends, and SSJ Community. May life follow the goodness of your spirit and your dreams and never stiffle the beauty that glows in your heart and soul.
50 YEARS Subsequent to getting certification as a Physician’s Assistant in 1977, she served in the Hospital Emergency Room and Lisbon and Waddington Medical Groups until 2004. Since that time her ministry has focused at the Claxton Hepburn Medical Center as a member of Team Health in the Emergency Department. In gratitude for her service at the Waddington Clinic, she was the recipient of the DeWitt Clinton Public Service Award presented by the Waddington Masonic Lodge in 1992. Sister Joan is a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at Notre Dame Church and a member of the Diocesan Council of Religious of the Diocese of Ogdensburg. When asked to comment on the last 50 years, Joan characterized them as grace-filled years, when she has cherished the opportunity to pray in community with her sisters and have time for personal prayer. She expressed gratitude for being able to continue in the health care profession her great love, and for the free time this gives her to garden and provide homegrown vegetables for her sister companions and friends.
Sister Carolyn Parker, RSM After graduating from Beekmantown High School I entered the Sisters of Mercy in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. on September 22, 1962. While there, I attended Mercy College and received a B.S. in Biology, followed by medical technology training at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, N.Y. In 1970 I was assigned to Mercy General Hospital in Tupper Lake where I spent nineteen years. During this period I was Medical Technician, Supervisor of the Laboratory, Assistant Administrator and Board Member. In 1991 I became Director of the pastoral Care Department at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Yonkers and after fourteen years I retired due to illness. My next address was St. Joseph's Nursing Home in Yonkers and while there, became President of the Resident Council. In November 2010, I returned to the North Country and now reside at Uihlein Living Center in Lake Placid. The location makes family visits easier since travel time is much shorter. Among my activities at Uihlein, I am a member of the Resident Council. Reflecting on the past fifty years as a Sister of Mercy, I have a great gratitude to God for my vocation for my family and for all the friendships forged and for my community of Mercy.
Brother Charles Thomas, FIC Charlie has enjoyed his teaching career which was primarily spent at Denis Hall Junior High School – a boarding school in Alfred – and in Plattsburgh, NY. Always willing to go where the superiors though his talents were needed, he was seen as genuinely interested in the well-being of the students either as a teacher, coach or administrator. In his dealing with people he continues to show much concern and care. Br. Charles’ life has been enriched by his attendance at several renewal sessions and in benefitting from continuing education opportunities. He possesses enhanced computer skills and maintains a great interest in reading. Of the many projects he undertook, the one that influenced him the most was his compilation of the history of Notre Dame Province, We remember: the Brothers in the US 1903-2003. IN delving into the early years of the Brothers’ work in the US, Br. Charles developed a great admiration for his heroes among the province’s pioneering Brothers: Salvius, Boniface, Benjamin, George and Clementien, models of dedication to work and of exemplary living of religious commitment. With this interest in historical accounts, he willingly accepted to take over the province archives. He aims to maintain a quality and user-friendly growing collection of documents, records and memorabilia. The work is done sporadically when visits to Alfred from Plattsburgh are possible. With careful attention to his diabetic condition, Brother Charles fills his retirement days rending service in his Plattsburgh community as housekeeper, bursar and cook. He is involved with several weekly Bingos and volunteers at the city hospital twice a week.
40 YEARS In 1989, I facilitated the merging of Malone schools Bishop Smith and Notre Dame, which became Holy Family School. In 1994 I was made Administrator of St. Helen's Parish in Chasm Falls, with missions at St. Mary's Church, Lake Titus, and St. Joseph's Church at Owls Head. From 2004 to 2010, I served as Pastoral Delegate of St. Augustine's Church in North Bangor and St. Edward's Church in West Bangor.
25 YEARS My parents gave me a strong faith which was a background for my religious vocation. My father was an occupational therapist and my mother sang for funerals and weddings in church and played the piano at home with friends and neighbors. I was in the Junior and Senior Sodality with the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement and went on many trips with the Sodality. 1 worked at a Jewish-German home for people who were on special diets. In 1957, 1 married Sheridan Lashway at St. Joseph's Church in Dannemora and raised three children: Mary, Richard and Vicky. Now I have three grandchildren: Heather, Cole and Michael, Jr. Two years after the death of my husband I worked for Father Martin as a cook. Then I entered the Sisters of Charity of Saint Louis in Plattsburgh, NY. During my postulancy I took care of an elderly sister and then I went to Clifton Park, NY for my novitiate. For my apostolic work, I worked with the Albany Tri-City area as a home health aide. In 1987 I made my First Profession and was transferred to Brookfield Center, CT from 1987-1992. I was then transferred to Plattsburgh, NY where I made my Final Profession in 1994. In 1994-2001 I was assigned to Clifton. Since 2001 I have been in Plattsburgh. My mission works included: nurses' assistant, social service designee, childcare teacher, home health aide, working in Alzheimer’s home, OLV clothing store, Coordinator of Gabriel Project, and Hospice volunteer.
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