Connections Fall/Winter 2010 (PDF) - Sisters of St. Joseph of ...

Standing on Holy Ground
his is holy ground. We’re standing
“Ton holy ground,” sang the nearly
200 sisters, associates, friends and family
gathered for a blessing of the new
plot for the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Carondelet at Resurrection
Cemetery in Affton, Missouri.
The blessing on July 31 was the
conclusion of a process that began
in June 2009 when the Sisters of
St. Joseph began working with
Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese
of St. Louis to transfer
the remains of 1,278 sisters from
Nazareth Cemetery in south
St. Louis County to Resurrection.
The Sisters of St. Joseph closed
the Nazareth Cemetery deciding
that it was essential to have a
perpetual care cemetery to lovingly
care for their sisters who have gone
before them.
“We’re motivated by love of
everybody and everything, particularly
the dear neighbor...and these sisters lived
that out their whole lives,” says Province
Leader Sister Helen Flemington, CSJ. “We
realized for the future that we might not
be around to care for them the way they
CSJ Associate Sharon Hayes prayerfully reflects on the lives of the
“sisters saints” at the blessing ritual of the new CSJ plot at Resurrection
Cemetery in Affton, Mo.
deserve...It ties into us being good to our
dear neighbor and respecting what they’ve
done.”
The ceremony included the reading of
a letter by CSJ founder Mother St. John
Fontbonne, a blessing of the graves and
gravestones, and a blessing of the
cemetery workers.
“The workers wanted to do
the best job possible for the families
and the community and we are
grateful for their great care and
compassion,” says Province Leader
Sister Suzanne Wesley, CSJ who
oversaw the project for the CSJs.
The service poignantly closed
with the peaceful sound of sisters
ringing hand chimes. “It was the
culmination of the 18-month story
of together planning, moving, marking
and landscaping the beautiful
blessed spot at Resurrection for our
‘sister saints,’” says Wesley.
To find the location of a
sister’s grave at Resurrection visit
www.archstl.org/cemeteries/ and
click “Search” on the menu to access the
search engine. y
St. Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute, Ind., and The
Ecumenical and Cultural Institute connected with St. John’s
University in Collegeville, Minn.
In addition to her books, she has contributed multiple
articles to a variety of professional and popular religious
journals. She continues to work in areas of women’s spirituality
through the Norbertine Center for Spirituality in De Pere,
Wisc.
Sister Patrice Coolick Honored by
St. Teresa’s Academy
Sister Patrice Coolick, CSJ, RN is the recipient of
St. Teresa’s Academy’s 2010 Distinguished Alumnae Award.
The award is presented to an alumna whose extraordinary
achievements have had positive and substantial influence
on her profession, her community or issues affecting society
at large.
During her more than 40 years in nursing and health
care, Coolick (’58) has provided quality and compassionate
care to patients in the United States as well as in missions
in Peru, Asia and Africa. Today, as an oncology nurse at
O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, Calif., she is an esteemed
leader and mentor in her field.
“I don’t see my work as a job,” says Coolick. “I see it as
a mission—to be totally present to people and give them the
most loving, compassionate, kindest care I can possibly offer.”
The award will be presented at the St. Teresa’s Homecoming
event on September 25.
St. Teresa’s Academy, located in Kansas City, Mo., is a
college preparatory high school sponsored by the Sisters
of St. Joseph of Carondelet. For more information visit
www.stteresasacademy.org.
Co n n e c t i o n s • Fa l l/Wi n t e r 2010 13