July 4, 2005 VOL. 43, NO. 13Oakland, CA

Religious share jubilee reflections

The Catholic Voice joins with Catholics throughout the diocese in paying tribute to religious women and men who have served in the Oakland Diocese and are celebrating their jubilees this year. Some communities honor their members from their year of entrance, some when they receive the religious habit, and others from their year of profession of vows.

80 YEARS

Sister Matilda Carmel
Berryessa, SNDdeN

Birthplace: Berryessa, California
Religious profession: Aug. 11, 1927
Present ministry: Prayer and service at Mercy Retirement and Care Center, Oakland.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Joseph Elementary School, Alameda; superior, principal and teacher, St. Philip Neri School, Alameda.

It was a great gift from God to have a religious vocation and to give my life to God to serve his people. Praying, teaching and spreading God's word are all such an important part of my vocation.
Working with little children that Jesus loves so much, planting the seed of love for God and service to his people in their hearts, preparing them for the sacraments...all has been a great joy. I really loved the children. They were my delight.
This has been my life as a Sister for 80 years. I have so many happy memories of the children I have taught and I still hear from some of them. One of my students wrote to say that he still prays for me daily in gratitude for what he received in the first grade. Teaching young children was one of my greatest gifts as a religious Sister.

Sister Mary Wilma King, SNDdeN
Birthplace: Vallejo, California
Religious profession: March 19, 1928
Present ministry: Prayer and service at Mercy Retirement and Care Center, Oakland.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda.

Mary's Magnificat was a burst of joy for what God had done for her. In my own life's journey I feel great joy for what God has done for me and with St. Julie my constant prayer is her love call: How good is the good God! I have read that we dwell in our spirituality much more than we profess it and my faith and love shows me that God can bring good out of suffering.

All through these long years it has been a privilege to have come in close contact with many people and I pray that my reverent acceptance of all has brought them close to the good God.
When younger, I was filled with wonder and discovery and, now that I am older, I am filled with wonder and experience and am trying to weave them together in a joyous thanksgiving for the love and goodness of God.

70 YEARS

Sister M. Helena Boss, SHF
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: July 19, 1936
Present ministry: Prayer at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Catechist for Corpus Christi and Holy Spirit parishes in Fremont, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Union City; and St. Edward Parish, Newark; registrar for Holy Family College, Fremont. Volunteered for the California School for the Blind in Fremont working with the children and taping for blind students.

Serving God's people for 70 years, along with my ministry as a religious education teacher, has included, in my retirement, working with the homeless on the streets of San Francisco and performing volunteer ministry in many forms at the California School for the Blind in Fremont. These ministries have brought challenges and moments of joy, happiness and sadness. Some things have only strengthened my devotion to God.

Sister M. Norinne Clifford, SHF
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: Feb. 12, 1937
Present ministry: Prayer at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Religious education in Piedmont and Berkeley; principal at Assumption School in San Leandro and St. Joachim School in Hayward.

My love for teaching religion to children and being called by God to be a member of the Sisters of the Holy Family have always been the most important and rewarding blessings in my life. I am grateful to have been able to serve God and all those with whom I have come in contact these past 70 years.

Sister Margaret Hewelcke, OP
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: Aug. 12, 1935
Present ministry: Library cataloging assistant, Queen of the Holy Rosary College, Fremont. Bookkeeping assistant, Dominican Kindergarten, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Elizabeth High School, Oakland.

I have been very happy in religious life. I never wanted anything else since I was eight years old. During all my life, I have tried to be a good religious. I am a quiet person. I love going to the redwoods and enjoy trips to wherever there is beauty in nature.
I look forward to our prayer life each day as we celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours and participate in the Eucharistic sacrifice.
In 1945 I was sent to St. Louis University, Missouri, to achieve a Master of Science Degree in zoology. At the conclusion of my studies, I was assigned to St. Elizabeth High School in Oakland where I taught science and some math classes from 1947 to 1954.

Now in my retirement years, I do a little bookkeeping in our Dominican Kindergarten and also help with cataloging in our college library.
I thank God for all His goodness to me.

60 YEARS

Sister M. Jeanne Creager, SHF
Birthplace: Edna, California
Religious profession: Aug. 8, 1946
Present ministry: Prayer at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Childcare and teacher, Piedmont. Principal at St. Barnabas School in Alameda, Mary Help of Christians in Oakland and St. Joseph the Worker School in Berkeley.

I have always loved teaching catechism to the children knowing that I was serving God. I am grateful for all those who have touched my life throughout my 60 years as a Holy Family Sister.

Sister M. Timothy Cronin, SHF
Birthplace: Richmond, California
Religious profession: Aug. 8, 1945
Present ministry: Actively retired at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Assistant treasurer and bookkeeper/congregational treasurer of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Fremont.

To be a woman religious in the Church today is the same as it as been through the ages: to reach out to those in need of our services and to bring the Good News to everyone whose lives we touch.

Besides my Sisters, I hold in special love and gratitude the many dedicated lay catechists and lay catechist assistants who shared this ministry with me over the years.

Sister M. Georgette Roeder, SHF
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: Jan. 28, 1947
Present ministry: Retired, Pleasant Hill.
Past service in diocese: Director, Religious education at St. Mark Parish in Richmond, St. Benedict Parish and St. Paschal Baylon parishes in Oakland.

The past 60 years have been a time of change and challenge in religious life. I am grateful for God's blessings, the help of my Sisters in religion and my friends who sustained me in the challenges, shared in my joys, and are my strength for the future.

Sister Mary Henry Williges, OP
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: Aug. 30, 1945
Present ministry: Making articles for the annual Dominican Sisters boutique at the Motherhouse, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Mary of the Palms School in Fremont, St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony schools, Oakland. Presided on the diocesan religion courses of study committees and science book evaluation committees. Teacher, Dominican Kindergarten, Fremont. Fine Arts instructor, Queen of the Holy Rosary College, Fremont.

Sixty years ago I accepted unconditionally the call to live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the years the Gospel counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, prayer, study and ministering to God's poor have been supported by my contemplative lifestyle.

Daily, I rely on God's grace for the wisdom and courage to pass on the spirit of St. Dominic through my consecration to the Lord. This unites me to my Sisters, the Church and the entire world.

Am I afraid of what the future of religious life may be? No. I trust that God will always be there for me and He will continue to call other women to religious consecration.

My daily prayer is that they will respond and will find the happiness I have enjoyed being wed to Him for 60 years.

It is a beautiful call and comes with a promised heavenly hundred-fold reward.

50 YEARS

Sister Sylvia Conant, OP
Birthplace: Louisiana
Religious profession: Feb. 2, 1955
Present ministry: Superior, Queen of Peace Community, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Ministered to the sick in our infirmary, Fremont. Sacristan at the Motherhouse, Fremont.

I am grateful to God for my vocation, and to the many wonderful people in my life -- my family and Sisters in religion, some of whom I cared for in their last hours on this earth, and many others.

Sister Ann Maureen Murphy, SHF
Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Religious profession: July 14, 1959
Present ministry: Development director, Saint Vincent's Day Home, Inc., Oakland.
Past service in diocese: Kindergarten teacher, executive director, Saint Vincent's Day Home, Oakland; congregational vice president, Fremont.

Mother Dolores, a strong woman with great foresight, founded our congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family in San Francisco in 1872. We began, as we continue, to address the needs of the times by seeking out the poor, especially families, and assist each in any way possible.

It has been my great privilege to serve in our Day Home ministry almost all of my life, initially educating children during their formative years and their parents while trying to enhance positive self-esteem. Administration in our ministry has enabled me to have a greater impact on social needs of our working poor, our homeless, assisting families back to receiving sacraments, networking with colleagues, always with the goal of striving for human rights and dignity for all.
My patrons are Mother Dolores, Archbishop Oscar Romero and Joseph Cardinal Bernardin.

Sister Shirley Sexton, SNJM
Birthplace: Oakland, California
Religious profession: Aug. 15, 1955
Present ministry: Information and Assistance Office, Senior Center, North Oakland.
Past service in diocese: Director of residents, Holy Names University, Oakland; principal, St. Augustine School, Oakland; pastoral associate, Sacred Heart Parish, Oakland.

Life as a Holy Names Sister has had many changes over these past 50 years and the Spirit has continued to flow in our community through the lives of our Sisters. Their dedication, commitment and service to the people they are serving continue to be a source of inspiration to me.

My own life has been very full and rewarding, whether it be in teaching, residence hall work, or in parish ministry. In all of these areas, it has always been the people whom I am serving, who are the witnesses in faith. I consider it a privilege to have ministered to, and worked with, so many God-loving people.

In recent years, this has been primarily with the elderly, whose love and faith are deep and whose concern for others is outstanding. They are my models and teachers!

I am grateful for my years as a Holy Names Sister, where I have grown spiritually, had tremendous support of my community, and enjoyed ministering to the people of God.

Sister Dorothy Elaine Stack, CSJ
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona
Religious profession: Aug. 15, 1957
Present ministry: Director of community services, Carondelet High School, Concord.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Jarlath School, Oakland.

Fifty years ago seems like yesterday and yet decades of changes have shaped us all. Someone asked, “Do you have any regrets about your 50 years of being a Sister?” The answer is always a definitive “NO!”

How fortunate and blessed I've been to experience the gift of lifelong friendship, numerous companions on this journey of 50 years to challenge, comfort and strengthen me when life seemed a bit much…always having the opportunity for the best of education…degrees and credentials to support my love of teaching…always receiving strong support to help promote issues of equality and justice to confront Cardinals and slum lords, inner-city uprisings and now struggles to help our “dear neighbors” 10 minutes from us to receive the food and help they need.

Life has unfolded in mysterious and grace-filled ways through all the years. I give thanks to all and especially remember two CSJ's from my academy days at St. Joseph's in Prescott, Arizona, -- Sister Denis Anne and Sister Mechtilde -- young vibrant Sisters in the mid and late 1940's who taught and cared for the resident students at our school for day scholars and boarders.

These women modeled for me the dedication, joy and selfless giving that was so attractive to a young girl. Yes, these women enlivened the desire in my heart to always try and have my eyes open, ears attentive, spirit alert and, of course, sleeves rolled up for ministry.

Each period of the day now when our high school seniors walk out of the community service door to minister to our local area in need, they are loving the dear neighbor without distinction and learning the blessedness of receiving much more than they give to our young children, those with special needs and our elderly and the very poor among us.

Thank you for supporting my call to be a Sister of St. Joseph. You help me live my vows each day.

40 YEARS

Sister Nora Schaefer, OP
Birthplace: Oak Park, Ill.
Religious profession: Nov. 21, 1965
Present ministry: Administrative assistant, director of Stephen Ministries, Santa Maria Parish, Orinda
Past service in diocese: Assistant campus minister, Holy Names College, Oakland; associate director of faith formation, Diocese of Oakland.

To be a religious woman in today's world is to be very counter- cultural, which is both an adventure and a challenge. It has been an adventure to have lived through so very many changes in the Church. In fact my religious life has been all about change. This has led to many opportunities to be of service in Illinois, Colorado, Nebraska, Wisconsin and California. Along the way I learned to “change with the times”.

I entered the convent on the cusp of Vatican II and perhaps will live long enough to be on the cusp of Vatican III or IV. I am still pondering whether I am challenged by the Church or whether I am called to challenge the Church. That may be discerned and acted upon in the next 40 years of religious Life

My membership in the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation has enabled me to pursue truth, to study Scripture, to teach well, to play joyfully, to pray fervently and hopefully to act justly, all with companions who are also questing for God. This has been true gift.

25 YEARS

Sister Denise Lazaro, OP
Birthplace: Seria, Brunei, North Borneo
Religious profession: Aug. 9, 1980
Present ministry: Teacher, St. Joseph School, Fremont.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Oakland.

Sister Anna Oven, OP
Birthplace: Monterey, California
Religious profession: April 20, 1980
Present ministry: Congregational councillor, Leadership Team of the Oakford Dominican Sisters, U.S. Area, San Leandro.
Past service in diocese: Teacher, Saint Vincent's Day Home, Oakland; regional prioress, U.S. Region of the Oakford Dominican Congregation, San Leandro.

I come to this jubilee year with deep gratitude to God, to my Oakford Dominican Sisters here in the U.S. area and throughout the world, and to my family and friends. Over these last 25 years I have been privileged to serve the Church in the dioceses of Oakland, Tuscan and Phoenix.

I am grateful to all those with whom I have ministered and those to whom I ministered. These have been my greatest teachers. My hope is to continue to deepen my relationship with God, to keep growing into the person God has called me to be.

“Glory to be God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.”

Brother Rufino Zaragoza, OFM
Birthplace: Los Angeles
Religious investiture: Aug. 3, 1980
Present ministry: Liturgical music consultant, in residence at St. Elizabeth Friary, Oakland; volunteer at San Quentin Prison
Past service in the Oakland Diocese: Music ministry and administration, St. Paul Parish, San Pablo; liturgy and music coordinator, San Damiano Retreat Center, Danville.

Once when Francis of Assisi was walking down the road with some companions, he picked up two sticks and, pretending they were a violin and bow, joyfully played and sang to his beloved, the God of all Goodness. Francis had an incredible journey, from ministering to outcast lepers to his final days in hermitage.

The past 25 years have also been incredible. A simple “yes” has taken me to places and situations I could never have imagined when I first received the Franciscan habit. Incredible Franciscan men and women have been supportive companions, but the ones who continually call me to conversion are those our society most often wants to ignore: prison inmates, immigrants, and the marginalized.

In gratitude to family, friends, and lay ministers who have supported me on this journey, up and down California, through Mexico, and now to Vietnam…what else could the Source of all Love have in store? What sticks on the road will the Master Musician give me next to play?

Other jubilarians

60 years

Sister Nora Christian, SNJM
Sister Stephen Sartoris, OP
Sister Alice Tobriner, SNJM

50 years

Sister Barbara Darby, OP
Sister Patricia Layman, OP
Sister Joan Mulvihill, PBVM
Sister Maureen Hester, SNJM
Sister Claire Marie Williams, CSJ

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