Religious Jubilarians 21
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October 6, 2011 CATHOLIC NEW YORK • Religious Jubilarians 21 Celebrating Our RELIGIOUS JUBILARIANS A CATHOLIC NEW YORK SPECIAL SECTION TEACHER AND STUDENT—Sister Janice McLaughlin, M.M., president of the Maryknoll Sisters, oversees the prog- ress of a seminarian at St. Paul’s Seminary in Juba, South Sudan, who was one of her students in a peace-building workshop over the summer following the independence of the new nation. Sister Janet, who has served as a mission- er in several African countries, made the trip in celebration of her golden jubilee of religious life. Courtesy of Maryknoll Maryknoll Sister’s Jubilee Gift Was Sharing Tools of Peace in South Sudan knoll Sisters, are supporting the venture with per- southern Africa. By JOHN WOODS sonnel and funds. A total of 24 sisters, brothers and Her students were seminarians of St. Paul’s Sem- priests from 14 congregations have begun working inary in Juba; nursing students, including religious aryknoll Sister Janice McLaughlin cel- in the new country. sisters, at a Catholic health training institute; and ebrated her golden jubilee by returning When Sister Janice arrived in South Sudan on employees of Radio Bakhita, a Catholic station. Mto Africa this summer to help the people July 25, the nation had become independent little Lessons utilized various methods of instruction of the continent’s newest nation, the Republic of more than two weeks before. She found a land with including role-playing exercises, journaling, case South Sudan, learn valuable lessons about how to very few paved roads or buildings. Poverty is a fact studies, films and music. Sister Janice called her be peace-builders in their homes, workplaces and of life for many of its people, who have suffered the students “vibrant young people” who were eager to society. effects of almost four decades of war and conflict. participate. In class, they discussed how they would For Sister Janice, the president of the Maryknoll Despite the obstacles, Sister Janice said the peo- “plant” seeds of peace in their own lives and work- Sisters since 2009, the return to Africa was like a ple she met possessed “a spirit of optimism.” They places. homecoming, because she has spent most of her 50 were buoyed by the results of the referendum that “We looked at what they had experienced,” Sister years in religious life serving featured high voter turnout Janice explained. “Most of them had lived in war on the African continent, first Despite the obstacles, Sister and was close to unanimous their whole lives. Many had been refugees in Kenya in Kenya and then in Zimba- Janice said the people she met in its support of the decision and Uganda.” bwe and Mozambique, or on possessed “a spirit of optimism.” to break away from the North Her own history in Africa gave Sister Janice behalf of the people there. and form a new nation. a wealth of experience to draw upon for her les- “I felt right at home there They were buoyed by the results “They are hopeful they sons. She first served in Kenya as communications from the moment I arrived of the referendum that featured can do it…They feel like, ‘We director for the Church there. In 1977, she began in 1969. The African people high voter turnout and was close have our opportunity,’ and serving as press secretary of the Catholic Commis- have a way of welcoming they are (determined) to do sion for Peace and Justice in then-Rhodesia. After you,” said Sister Janice, a na- to unanimous in its support of the it well,’’ Sister Janice said. only three months, she was arrested, detained and tive of Pittsburgh, Pa. “They decision to break away from the In the Archdiocese of Juba, deported for documenting the war crimes of the are rich in culture, in faith North and form a new nation. the capital city, and the Dio- government. and in their love of God.” cese of Wau, Sister Janice She would return to Africa two years later, serving Her three-week visit in July led workshops she called in Mozambique before being invited to return as ed- and August was part of a larger initiative, Solidarity “Planting Seeds of Peace.” The goals included the ucational consultant in the President’s Office in the with Southern Sudan, which was launched by the introduction of basic concepts of conflict transfor- newly independent Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia. Union of International Superiors General in 2008 at mation, improving listening and communication She helped to build nine schools for former refugees the request of the Catholic bishops of Sudan. Some skills, learning how to negotiate positively and 150 religious congregations, including the Mary- sharing lessons from her previous experiences in (Continued on Page 25) 22 CATHOLIC NEW YORK • Religious Jubilarians October 6, 2011 Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt 80 YEARS zens programs. She retired to St. Martin bia University. She served at St. Peter’s Bronx, 1980-1985; and Encore, St. Mal- Sister Francis Jerome Melody, de Porres Infirmary in 1997. School, Liberty, 1939-1943; Holy Spirit, achy’s, Manhattan, 2000-2006. She has O.P., entered religious life from St. Je- the Bronx, 1943-1947; Our Lady of the had various assignments outside the rome’s parish, the Bronx. She served 75 YEARS Blessed Sacrament Academy, Goshen, archdiocese, including Long Island; Vir- at the following schools: Holy Cross, Sister Anne Thomas McMahon, 1947-1951; Our Lady of Victory, the Bronx, ginia, Florida, Michigan and Massachu- Manhattan, 1933-1936; and in the Bronx O.P., entered from St. Luke’s parish, 1951-1952; St. Dominic’s Home, Blauvelt, setts; and Italy and South Africa, where at St. Luke’s, 1936-1940; St. Pius V, 1940- the Bronx. She served at St. Dominic’s 1954-1955 and 1990-1991; St. Anselm’s, she taught English as a second language, 1946; Holy Spirit, 1946-1951; Our Lady School, Blauvelt, 1938-1941; St. Nicho- the Bronx, 1955-1963; St. Luke’s, the 2009-2010. She also served the congre- of the Assumption, 1951-1963 and 1977- las of Tolentine, the Bronx, 1941-1949; Bronx, 1963-1966; Dominican College, gation in leadership positions including 2001; St. Benedict’s, 1963-1969, and St. St. Benedict’s, the Bronx, 1949-1956; St. 1967-1982 and 1994-2001; St. Catharine’s councilor, 1971-1972; community board Mary’s, 1969-1977. In 2001 she retired Anselm’s, the Bronx, 1956-1960; Our parish, Blauvelt, 2005-2007. She leads member, 1972-1979; director of religious to St. Dominic’s Convent, Blauvelt, and Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Acad- Bible study at St. Catharine’s, and at St. development, 1974-1979; formation di- she now resides at St. Martin de Porres emy, Goshen, 1960-1967; St. Peter’s Augustine’s parish, New City. rector, 1979-1980, and administrator of Infirmary. School, Liberty, 1968-1970; St. Catha- the Wellness Center, 1995-1998. She now Sister Ann Louise Byron, O.P., en- rine’s, Blauvelt, 1970-1971; Our Lady of 60 YEARS volunteers at the motherhouse. tered from St. Mary’s parish, the Bronx. the Sacred Heart, Tappan, 1970-1971, and Sister Cleopha Kelly, O.P., entered Sister Dominic Marie McDonnell, She ministered at the following schools: Dominican College, Blauvelt, 1971-1976. from St. Luke’s parish, the Bronx. She O.P., entered from St. Pius V parish, the Holy Cross, Manhattan, 1932-1933; Holy She also served at a school in Daytona served at St. Dominic’s Home, Blauvelt, Bronx. She served in the dining room at Spirit, Bronx, 1933-1939; St. Benedict’s, Beach, Fla. She was director of house- 1954-1956, 1969-1975, 1977-1982 and 1996- St. Dominic’s Convent, Blauvelt, 1953- Bronx, 1939-1945; Immaculate Concep- hold at St. Dominic’s Home, 1976-1979, 2000; St. Benedict’s School, the Bronx, 1955; in the Bronx at St. Anselm’s School, tion, Amenia, 1945-1951; Our Lady of the and served the congregation as director 1956-1963; Holy Spirit, the Bronx, 1963- 1955-1961 and 1968-1973; Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Academy, Goshen, of the diet kitchen, 1979-1986; commu- 1965; St. Aloysius, Livingston Manor, Victory, 1961-1967; and St. Nicholas of 1951-1954; Lavelle School, Bronx, 1954- nity historian, 1986-1993, and performed 1965-1967, and St. Luke’s, the Bronx, Tolentine, 1967-1968; St. Benedict’s, 1959; St. Dominic’s, Blauvelt, 1960-1969; volunteer services and prayer ministry, 1967-1969. She has served the congrega- 1973-1981; and at a school in Closter, N.J, St. Martin de Porres, Poughkeepsie, 1994-2004. She resides at St. Martin de tion as director of food services, 1982- 1981-1997. Since 1997 she has served as 1969-1970; St. Margaret’s, Pearl River, Porres Infirmary. 1996; coordinator of support services, director of religious education at a par- 1970-1981. She served at St. Mary Star of Sister Dorothy Wieting, O.P., en- 1996-2000; motherhouse administrator, ish in Emerson, N.J. the Sea parish, City Island, 1981-1997, as tered from Our Lady of Perpetual Help 2000-2004, and director of resident life, Sister Ann Connolly, O.P., entered director of religious education, parish parish, Brooklyn. She holds a doctor- since 2004. from St. Nicholas of Tolentine parish, minister and director of the senior citi- ate in speech pathology from Colum- Sister Margaret Mary Gleeson, the Bronx. Her ministries included St. O.P., entered from St. Luke’s parish, the Dominic’s School, Blauvelt, 1954-1955; Bronx. She holds a doctorate in psy- St. Luke’s, the Bronx, 1955-1962 and 1968- chology from Fordham University. She 1972; St. Margaret’s, Pearl River, 1972- served at St.