Maryknoll, NY: Sister Camille Marie Black, M.M. died on October 29th, 2019 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 96 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 74 years.
She was born in Andover, NY on September 27th, 1923 to Mildred (Hower) Black and Paul Black. She had one brother, Paul and one sister, Virginia; both of whom have predeceased her.
Camille Marie attended Dansville Central High School in Dansville, NY from 1935-1939. After graduating, she studied at St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Elmira, NY from 1942-1945, where she earned an RN License.
On September 6th, 1945, she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY (from St. Patrick’s Parish, Danville, NY, in the Rochester Diocese). At her Reception she received the religious name, Sister Camille Marie. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7th, 1948 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows in Manila, Philippines on March 7th, 1951.
In 1948, Sister Camille Marie received her first overseas mission assignment to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Manapla, Philippines where she served as a Nursing Supervisor. In 1955, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to serve as a nurse in the center’s nursing home wing until 1959. She was then assigned to Guatemala to serve as a nurse and religion teacher in Colegio Monte Maria, Guatemala City from 1959-1963.
Sr. Camille Marie remained in Guatemala, but relocated to San Pedro Necta to serve again as a nurse and religion teacher for six months; she was then called to Jacaltenango to help set up an operating room and train the nursing staff from 1963-1966. In 1967, she returned to the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Manapla, Philippines to serve as a staff nurse for one year.
Sister Camille Marie then decided to further her studies at the Maryknoll Colleges located on the property of the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She first attended Mary Rogers College from 1968-1972, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. Later, she went on to earn a Master’s of Arts Degree in Religious Studies at the Maryknoll School of Theology in 1980. While attending school she worked in various positions at the Congregation such as, Assistant Director, Librarian and Assistant Editor of Maryknoll Society’s Overseas Extension Service Program from 1972-1984.
Sister Camille Marie remained at the Maryknoll Sisters Center for many years, serving as a volunteer in various departments such as: the Maryknoll Sisters Photo Archive Department, the Development Department, and the Mission Awareness Promotion Team until 2001. She retired in 2006, but remained active serving in the Sacristy and in the New York Archdiocese Catechetical Program.
A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Camille Marie on Tuesday, November 5th, 2019 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.
A Funeral Mass will follow on Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.
Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.