Sister Catherine Rowe, Maryknoll Sister for 53 Years Dies

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Catherine Rowe, M.M. missioner and nurse died on March 12, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 75 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 53 years.

She was born in Stamford, CT on March 7, 1942 to Verna (Kielty) and Harold J. Rowe. She had three brothers: Peter, Fred and William.  Her parents and her brother Peter have predeceased her.

Catherine’s family moved to Florida when she was a teenager and she graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names, Tampa, FL in 1960.  From 1960-1963, she attended St. Vincent’s Hospital Nursing School in Jacksonville, Fl where she earned a nursing degree and graduated as an RN.  In October 1963, she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO from Christ the King Parish in St. Petersburg, Fl. At her Reception of the Habit, she received the religious name Sister Michael Elizabeth and made her First Profession of Vows on June 24, 1966 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. During her stay at the Sisters center, she attended Mary Rogers College from 1965 –1967 and earned an A.A. degree.

In 1968, Sister Catherine was assigned to Hong Kong where she studied Cantonese for one year and did bedside nursing as a staff nurse at Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital in Kowloon. On June 2, 1974 she made her Final Vows in Hong Kong. In 1978, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center where she worked in the Sisters Nursing Facility until 1981; she then returned to Hong Kong where she took a refresher course in Cantonese for seven months before joining the Pastoral Ministry Team at Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital. She remained in this ministry until 2000, when she returned to the United States to care for her elderly father until his death in 2008. From 2013-2015, Sister Catherine served at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in the Residential Care Unit, ministering to the congregation’s elderly and infirmed Sisters. She also visited the inmates at Sing Sing Prison on a weekly basis.

After fighting a debilitating illness for several years, she herself became a patient of the Maryknoll Sisters Center Home Care Unit where she died on the night of March 12, 2017. Sister Catherine generously donated her body to science.

Sister_Catherine_Rowe- from Maryknoll Sisters on Vimeo.

 Sister Noel Marie Doescher, a Maryknoll Sister for 68 Years Dies

Maryknoll, NY: Sister Noel Marie Doescher died on February 12, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY.  She was 91 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 68 years.

Born on January 10, 1926, in Rochester, NY to Louise (Hartigan) and George Doescher, she was baptized Dorothy Louise.  She had two sisters, Mrs. Thomas Fox, (Virginia) and Mrs. John E. Grace, (Carol).  Her parents and her sister Carol have predeceased her.

In 1943, she graduated from Nazareth Academy, Rochester, NY and worked as a clerk at Eastman Kodak Company until 1948.  She attended night school at Nazareth College for one semester during 1947-1948.

On September 4, 1948, Dorothy entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Rochester, NY at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.  At the Reception of her habit she received the religious name, Sister Noel Marie.

Sister Noel made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1951 and her Final Vows on March 7, 1954 all at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

From 1950-1951, she attended Maryknoll Teachers College.  She then studied at St. Catherine Laboure Hospital, Dorchester, MA earning her RN in 1954. Following graduation she was assigned to Kandy, Ceylon, (Sri Lanka) from 1954 to 1962.  When the mission was closed, she returned to the United States to work at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in the nursing facility for a year.  The following year she moved to Monrovia, CA and worked at the Maryknoll Sisters hospital for tuberculosis patients.  In 1968, Sister Noel was assigned to Kenya, Africa and after a year of language study worked in the government hospital in Malindi until 1971.  In 1972, she moved to Kitale at the invitation of the Bishop of El Doret Diocese where she and her closest friend Maryknoll Sister, Sr. Paula Kuntz, opened a clinic, trained health workers for the clinic and provided Public Health Programs. They also initiated work with women in literacy classes and income producing projects.  From 1986-1994, their work included pastoral work in the parish.

In 1994, Sr. Noel returned to the United States to give service at the Maryknoll Sisters Center until 1999.  She then returned to Kitale where she did clinic work, helped establish a woman’s knitting group and began working with handicapped children and the elderly. She returned to Maryknoll, NY in 2007 where she did clerical work in the Congregation’s Communications Office up until the very last days of her life.  Typical of her generous nature, Sister Noel donated her body to science.

Sister Jean Snyder, Maryknoll Sister for 60 YearsSister Jean Snyder, M.M. died on January 28, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, in Maryknoll, NY. She was 91 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 60 years.

She was born in Reading, PA, August 3, 1925 to Alice M. (Schwartz) and Effinger L. Snyder. Both parents have predeceased her. She has one step-sister, Jean.

In 1943, Jean graduated from Reading High School in Reading, PA and then studied at Bucknell University from 1943-1946 earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology Degree. From 1946-1947, she attended George E. Geisinger Memorial Hospital, Danville, PA where she earned a Medical Technician Training Certificate. In 1966, she took courses at Mt. Sinai Hospital, in Chicago, IL. From 1981-1982, she took additional courses at Maryknoll School of Theology, in Maryknoll, NY.

Jean worked at Reading Hospital in Reading, PA for nine years before entering the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at the Maryknoll Sisters Center on September 2, 1956. She entered from Sacred Heart Parish in West Reading, the diocese of Allentown, PA. At her Reception of the Habit she received the religious name Sister Rose Benedict. She made her First Profession of Vows on June 24, 1959 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center and her Final Vows on June 24, 1965 in Valley Park, MO.

From 1960-1966, Sr. Jean was assigned to Queen of the World Hospital in Kansas City, MO as Medical Technologist. In 1966, she was assigned to the Philippine Region at St. Paul’s Hospital, Manila and to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Manapla until 1969. In that same year she returned to the Eastern U.S. Region of the Maryknoll Sisters and worked at Reading Hospital again as Head Technologist until 1976. In 1976, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center and served on the Sisters Center Council and in the research and planning department until 1979 as well as in the nursing home/activities center until 1981. In 1982, Sr. Jean was assigned to Hawaii where she worked at the Spiritual Life Center in Oahu and as Liturgy Director at St. Pius X Church in Honolulu. In 1992, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center and worked in the center nursing home until 1996. In 1997, she retired to the Maryknoll Sisters Residence in Monrovia, CA. In 2000, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

A Vespers service will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on Friday, February 3, 2017 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.

Sister Jennie Burke, Maryknoll Sister for 72 YearsSister Jennie Burke, M.M. died on January 22, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, in Maryknoll, NY. She was 92 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 72 years.

She was born in Nova Scotia, Glace Bay, Canada on November 5, 1924 to Catherine McDougall and Joseph Burke and became an American citizen in 1926. She had three brothers and three sisters: J. Raymond, John, Joseph P. Jr., Mary, Catherine and Margaret. Her parents and siblings have all predeceased her.

Jennie graduated from East Boston High School, in Boston MA in 1942. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, in Maryknoll, NY on September 6, 1944 from Sacred Heart Parish in the Diocese of Boston, MA. At her Reception of the Habit she received the religious name Sister Miriam Terza. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1947 and her Final Vows on March 7, 1950, all at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. She earned two college degrees: a Bachelor of Education Degree at Maryknoll Teacher Training College in Maryknoll, NY and a Masters of Arts Degree in Religious Education at Seattle University, in Seattle, WA. In addition, she earned a certificate in Creation Spirituality at Holy Names College, in Oakland CA.

In 1949, Sister Jennie taught for one year at St. Anthony’s School in the Bronx, NY and was then assigned in 1950 to Hawaii where she taught in various diocesan schools until 1970. Following this, Sister Jennie became Religious Education Coordinator and sixth, seventh and eighth grade teacher at Maryknoll Girls School, Punahou, HI until 1975 when she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center and worked in Mission Education until 1978.

In 1978, she was assigned to Tanzania, East Africa where she did pastoral ministry and Christian Community Development in Dar Es Salaam from 1979 – 1981 and served as co-pastor of Sinon Church, Arusha, TZ from 1981 – 1986 . Following a year of renewal at the Maryknoll Sisters Center she went to Zimbabwe and Mozambique in 1988. She returned to Newburgh, NY in 1989 where she served as Community Development Coordinator and as a teacher in Adult Basic Education until 1990. From 1991 – 1993, she was a caregiver and counselor at ‘Arche Home in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. In 1993, she moved to Detroit, MI as a Special Education teacher at Mangrove College Learning and Writing Center until 1999. She retired in 2000 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. Sister Jennie died peacefully on January 22, 2017 and donated her body to science.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Jenny on January 27 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on January 28 at 9:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Center.

 

 

 

 

 

Sister Agnes Miriam Donovan, Maryknoll Sister for 77 YearsMaryknoll, NY: Sister Agnes Miriam Donovan died on January 18, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. She was 95 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 77 years.

She was born in Auburn, NY on September 22, 1921 to Mary and Thomas Donovan. She had four brothers and two sisters: Thomas Jr., Joseph, James, Harry, Ethel and Esther who also was a Maryknoll Sister. Her parents and siblings have all predeceased her. Agnes graduated from Auburn High School, in 1939. She joined the Maryknoll Sisters in Maryknoll, NY on December 8, 1939 from her home parish, St. Mary’s, Auburn, NY in the diocese of Rochester, NY. At her reception of the habit, she received the religious name Sister Miriam Anthony. She made her first Profession of Vows on June 30, 1942 and her final Vows on June 30 1945, both at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. She then earned three degrees: a Bachelor of Education from Maryknoll Teachers College, a Masters of Arts Degree in Religion from Notre Dame and a Masters in Education from Iona College.

Sister Agnes was assigned to St. Bernadette’s School in St. Louis, MO where she taught kindergarten from 1946 –19 47. She was then assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO as Assistant Novice Mistress from 1948 – 1952 and then as Novice Mistress from 1953 – 1963. She then served as the Novice Mistress at the Maryknoll Sisters Center from 1964-1969. In 1969, she received her first overseas mission assignment to Colegio Monte Maria in Guatemala City, Middle America. Sister Agnes remained in Guatemala City as a guidance counselor, trained teachers and taught child psychology classes until 2001 when she retired to the Maryknoll Sisters Center.

She died peacefully on the morning of January 18, 2017.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Agnes on January 23rd at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on January 24th 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.

Sister Margaret Lyons, Maryknoll Sister for 69 YearsMaryknoll, NY: Sister Margaret Lyons, missioner to Chile and El Salvador, died on January 3, 2017 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, in Maryknoll, NY. She was 95 years old and a Maryknoll Sister for 69 years.

She was born in South Boston, MA on March 16, 1921 to Margaret Mary (Davitt) Lyons and John Joseph Lyons. She received the name Marjorie Ann at baptism. She had two brothers, John J. and Paul and three sisters, Dorothy, Elizabeth and Marie. Her parents and siblings have predeceased her. Marjorie Ann graduated from No. Quincy High, in No. Quincy, MA in 1939. After graduating high school she worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Boston from 1939 to 1947.

Marjorie Ann entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation from Sacred Heart Parish, No. Quincy, MA in the Archdiocese of Boston on September 6, 1947 at the “Venard” the Maryknoll Preparatory Seminary in Pennsylvania. She received her religious habit six months later at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY and received the religious name Sister Margaret John. She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1950 and her Final Vows three years later both at Maryknoll Sisters Center. She was assigned to work in the Treasurer’s Office, and in 1952 to the Booking Department at the FIELD AFAR office (now the Maryknoll Magazine). From 1954 to 1957 she studied at the Maryknoll Teacher’s College and graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree. In 1957, she was assigned to her first overseas mission in Chile, South America where she worked for 24 years in parish elementary and high schools. From 1971 until 1984, she worked in poor squatter areas of Chile, with other Sisters, helping to train leaders and forming basic Christian Communities.

In 1984, Sister Margaret was called back to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to serve as Assistant Treasurer until 1988. She was then assigned to El Salvador, Central America where she did pastoral work until 2004. She was then assigned to Monrovia, CA where she did volunteer work at the Monrovia Civic Community. She returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to retire in 2006.

A Vespers service will be held for Sister Margaret on January 6 at 4:15 p.m. in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. A funeral Mass will follow on January 7 at 11:00 a.m. also in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center. Interment will follow in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery on the Center grounds.

Memorial Video for Sister Margaret Lyons