Maryknoll Sisters

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Janet Carroll died on May 28^th, 2019 at Cedar Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ossining, NY. She was 85 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 67 years.

Janet was born in New York City on July 22^nd, 1933 to Ethel Rita (Waters) Carroll and Raphael Peter Carroll. She had two brothers, Raymond and Arthur. Her parents and her brother Raymond have predeceased her.

She graduated from St. Barnabas High School in the Bronx, NY and entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on September 2^nd, 1952 from (St. John the Evangelist Parish, Kingsbridge in the Archdiocese of New York).

At her Reception into the Congregation, she received the religious name, Sister Mara Francis, but returned to her baptismal name after Vatican Council II. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7^th, 1955 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. In 1961, she made her Final Profession of Vows on March 7^th, in Taiwan.

After making her First Profession of Vows in 1955, Sister Janet worked at the Maryknoll Society kitchen and Field Afar magazine until 1956.  She then received her first overseas mission assignment to Changhua, Taiwan where she studied the language until 1957. From 1958-1962, her missionary work included: pastoral ministry, religious education, youth work, leadership training, and socio-economic development in the villages of PoLi, Changhua and Houlung. She was also the House Superior from 1962 – 1965 and served on the language school staff for seven months in 1965.

Sister Janet then returned to Maryknoll, NY in 1966, where she studied for one year at the Congregation’s Mary Rogers College before transferring to New York University in 1967. There she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Science/Cum Laude in 1968.  She later earned a Master of Arts Degree in International Affairs at Yale University, New Haven CT in 1989 and was awarded an Honorary Degree for Doctor of Humane Letters at Siena College in 1996.

Her Professional Services included:

-1968 – 1972   Executive Secretary, Institute for Social Action – Hsinchu

-1972 – 1979   Maryknoll Sisters Research and Planning Director

-1979 – 1987   United Nations Advisor to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, Asean States and China and was awarded the Papal Honor: Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for her service to the Holy See Mission in 1987

-1989 – 2003   Maryknoll – Executive Director of U.S. China Bureau; Editor: China Church Quarterly; Coordinator: National Catholic China Annual Conferences; and Leader of eleven Religious Study Tours to China

-2004 – 2009   Senior Associate of the U.S. Catholic China Bureau: Primary responsibilities were: research, writing, lectures, seminars, media contacts, educational and China service outreach

-1991 – 2019   Maryknoll Society’s China Project: Consultant

Sister Janet was also closely associated with and actively a part of the Overseas Ministries Studies Center (OMSC) at Yale University, a vibrant, international and ecumenical community from 1980-2010.

In 2014, Sister Janet received the American Missiology Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for serving the people of Taiwan and China since 1956.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Janet on Monday, June 3^rd, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at Maryknoll Sisters Center. 

A Mass of the Resurrection will follow on Tuesday, June 4^th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Sisters Center.

Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters cemetery.

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Mary Gertrude Naab, M.M. missioner and social worker died on May 17th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 97 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 78 years. She was born in Passaic, NJ on November 27th, 1921 to Grace (Donovan) Naab and Joseph Naab. She had two sisters, Peggy and Patricia. She is survived by her sister Patricia.

In 1938, Mary graduated from St. John Cathedral High School in Paterson, NJ. After graduating, she began her college studies at Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA until 1940. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Maryknoll, NY on July 2nd, 1940. At her Reception she received the religious name, Sister Grace Mary. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1943 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. After completing her novitiate, she was sent to study at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology in 1944.

Sister Mary then received her first mission assignment to Hawaii, where she made her Final Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1946. When she first arrived to the island she worked as a case worker at the Catholic Social Services in Honolulu and then as Executive Secretary and Supervisor until 1950. During this time, she also attended the University of Hawaii Graduate School of Social Work, where she earned a certificate in Social Casework.

In 1954, Sister Mary was assigned to Stockton, CA to develop the Catholic Social Services in that Diocese. There, she served as Executive Secretary and Supervisor until 1960. She then served as Survey Director of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, CA. At that time, Sister Mary also enrolled at the University of California in Berkeley, CA earning the positions of Medical Social Worker at Stanford/Palo Alto Hospital and as a Psychiatric Social Worker at Langley – Porter Neuro Psychiatric Institute, San Francisco, CA.

For the next several years, Sister Mary served between New York and Hawaii in many different roles. In 1962 she returned to Honolulu, HI to continue to serve as Executive Secretary and Supervisor. She also served as Chairman of the Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers until 1969. She was then appointed as Superior of the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. Returning to Hawaii once again, Sister Mary served as the Planning Coordinator for the Diocese of Honolulu as a member of the Board of Education until 1971. From 1971-1975, she worked as the Unit Administrator for Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Centers situated on five Hawaiian Islands. At the same time, she served as a member of the Sisters Regional Governing Board and Regional Planning Coordinator.

From 1988-1992, Sister Mary was appointed as Co-Personnel Director for the Sisters and Lay Employees at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll NY. She was then invited by Bishop J. Quinn Weitzel, M.M. to the U.S. territory of American Samoa, to help facilitate the development of Catholic Social Services in the Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago from 1993-1997.

In 1997, Sister Mary was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters retirement house in Monrovia, CA where she did volunteer work at Santa Anita Family Service. In 2006, she was awarded a certificate as American Senior of the Year for her volunteer work there.

In 2007, Sister Mary returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll NY where she fully retired.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Mary on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at Maryknoll Sisters Center.

A Mass of the Resurrection will follow on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Sisters Center.

The interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters cemetery on the Center grounds.

Maryknoll, NY — Sister Genevieve Tresa Zampedri, M.M. died on May 11^th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York. She was 89 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 71 years.

Velia Elena was born in Rupert, Idaho on October 15^th, 1929 to Angela (Steneck) Zampedri and Joseph Zampedri; she had eight siblings. She is survived only by her brother Duane Zampedri.

In 1947, Velia graduated from Rupert High School in Rupert, Idaho. She then entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO (from St. Nicholas Parish in Rupert) on October 31^st, 1947. At her Reception ceremony, she received the religious name Sister Genevieve Tresa.  Sister Genevieve made her First Profession of Vows on May 8^th, 1950, in Valley Park and her Final Profession of Vows in Bolivia on the same day in 1953.

She was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York after making her First Profession of Vows, where she studied dietetics and earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Westchester Community College in 1952. Sister Genevieve then received her first overseas mission assignment to Bolivia after earning her degree, there she studied language for six months. After language study, she worked at the hospital in Riberalta as a dietician, she also taught in the grade school and high school in San Jose.

In 1961, Sister Genevieve returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, New York where she studied part-time at Maryknoll Teachers College and gave service working in various departments where help was needed: the kitchen, housekeeping, nursing home, portress, laundry and infirmary.

From 1974-1981, she joined the U.S. Mission Region and moved to Monrovia, California to the Maryknoll Sisters Retirement home; there she assisted the elderly Sisters. In 1982, Sister Genevieve returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, New York due to health needs, but still remained an active volunteer around the center. In 2006, she fully retired.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Genevieve on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at Maryknoll Sisters Center. 

A funeral Mass will follow on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Center. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.