November 8, 2018 CATHOLIC NEW YORK 19 Religious Jubilarians 2018 the life of Mother Clelia.” Four days before Mother Clelia’s Nov. 3 beatification at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, CNY visited Our Lady of Pompeii School. “For me, the part that is elevating my level of excitement is the fact that after this, she doesn’t belong to us anymore—she belongs to the Church,” Sister Kath- ryn said. “It’s no longer just about her daughters in this congregation that she founded; instead, it’s about other people that are deriving hope and strength in their faith life because of her witness.” Born in Cincinnati and raised in At- lanta, Sister Kathryn entered the con- gregation in 2009. She was drawn to the order’s charism by observing that the sisters were “women of the heart, that their way of loving just imbued everything that they did.” The sense of a child’s belonging in a classroom and school is affirmed by being taught “from the heart,” Sister Kathryn said. Whatever subject is be- ing discussed “can touch their heart and can make a difference in their life. And so for me, teaching these students is also like, in some ways, teaching their parents,” teaching the students’ future children, “teaching their grandchildren.” And that could include her no-non- Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Blessed sense example of gently reprimanding a mischievous student who playfully soared a paper airplane through the By Beatification of Foundress classroom, as one youngster did when CNY visited Sister Kathryn’s fifth- By CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE grade math class Oct. 30. Sister Rita Marie Milano, A.S.C.J., here is much jubilation among 66, teaches second grade ELA, math the Apostles of the Sacred and religion, and first grade religion. THeart of Jesus who are in grate- She also prepares students for the re- ful awe that their foundress, Mother ception of the sacraments of recon- Clelia Merloni, has been beatified by ciliation and First Holy Communion. the Church. She applies lessons about the life of That includes a contingent of sis- Blessed Clelia in ways the youngsters ters who serve at Our Lady of Pompeii can relate. “How she lived is a very School in Manhattan’s Greenwich Vil- good message for our world today,” lage. The order, founded in Viareggio, Sister Rita Marie said. “I try to make Italy, in 1894, has had a presence at the them understand that they need to be school since 1930, four years after the kind all the time” regardless of the congregation first arrived in the Arch- situation, and helpful, she said, “and diocese of New York. that God will help them if they’re in a Mother Clelia’s beatification year is difficult circumstance.” Courtesy of apostles of the saCred photos by Maria r. bastone especially poignant to Sister Kathryn heart of Jesus A native of New Haven, Conn., Sis- Press, A.S.C.J., 35, who made her final ter Rita Marie entered the congrega- vows as an Apostle of the Sacred Heart ‘WOMEN OF THE HEART’—the nov. 3 beatification of Mother Clelia Merloni, tion in 1970 and made final vows in of Jesus in August. She teaches fifth foundress of the apostles of the sacred heart of Jesus, above left, has been 1978. “I’m very happy being a woman grade math and ELA as well as religion cause for celebration by her congregation, including, top, from back left: sister religious. I wouldn’t want to be any- for the fifth, sixth and seventh grades. rita Marie Milano, a.s.C.J., sister Colleen therese smith, a.s.C.J., sister bridget thing else. It’s a blessing that God has “Ultimately, my life is an imita- Mary smith, a.s.C.J. and, in front, sister Kathryn press, a.s.C.J. the sisters as- called me to Himself and I’m grateful tion of Jesus Christ,” Sister Kathryn sembled on the rooftop of our lady of pompeii Convent and school in Manhattan for that all the time.” said, “but it’s flavored because of our oct. 30. the same day, above right, sister Kathryn assisted a student during fifth Although the principal of the school, charism, and that is our modeling of grade math class at our lady of pompeii school. continueD ON page 30 20 CATHOLIC NEW YORK November 8, 2018 CARMELITE SISTERS FOR THE AGED AND INFIRM tive of Brooklyn, has served at Carmel Richmond, Sister Monica Griffi n, S.C. 70 Years Staten Island, since 1999. Trained as a social worker Sister Madeleine Maria Mahoney, S.C. Sister M. Anthony Rosarie DiOrio, O.Carm. and licensed nursing home administrator, she is the Sister Eileen Martin, S.C. prioress and executive director. She has also served Sister Kathleen McAvoy, S.C. 60 Years at Mary Manning Walsh Home, Manhattan. Sister Margaret C. McEntee, S.C. Sister M. Dolores Courtney, O. Carm., is from Sister Mary Anne Dennehy, O. Carm., has served Sister Gabriel Miriam Obraz, S.C. Pittston, Pa., and has been stationed at Carmel at Carmel Richmond, Staten Island, since 2013. A Sister Theresa Rybarik, S.C. Richmond Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, registered nurse, she is the parish outreach repre- Sister Katherine Seibert, S.C. Staten Island, since 2009. She serves residents by sentative for ArchCare. The New York City native Sister Helen Maureen Wade, S.C. assisting them with crafts in the activities depart- also served at Ferncliff Nursing Home, Rhinebeck, Sister Mary Edward Zipf, S.C ment and during individual room visits. She previ- and Mary Manning Walsh Home, Manhattan. ously served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. 60 Years Sister Angelica Rose Marie Mora, O. Carm., SISTERS OF CHARITY OF NEW YORK Sister Margaret Dennehy, S.C., formerly known is from Brooklyn and serves residents of Carmel 75 Years as Sister Mary Teresa, spent all her years of minis- Richmond, Staten Island, where she has been sta- Sister Marita Regina Bronner, S.C., a native of try in education. The New York City native taught tioned since 2008. She also served there, 1995-2000. New York City, spent 51 years in education. She at St. Peter, Yonkers; and Epiphany and St. Brigid, Her ministry includes assisting in the chapel and taught at Visitation School, the Bronx; St. Agatha both in Manhattan. She served as librarian and distributing Communion to residents. Home, Nanuet; St. Patrick, Manhattan; Blessed development director at St. Brigid before becom- Sister M. Virginia Aloysius Russo, O. Carm., was Sacrament, Staten Island; and St. Elizabeth Ann ing librarian and library consultant at St. Aloysius, stationed at Carmel Richmond, Staten Island, where Seton, Shrub Oak. She served as teacher, principal Manhattan. She volunteers in the library at Mount she endeared herself to the residents, 1984-2016. The and administrator at SS Peter and Paul, the Bronx. Carmel Holy Rosary School, Manhattan. native of Jersey City, N.J., has served at Mary Man- She also served as administrator at St. Patrick Villa, Sister Eileen Gallagher, S.C., a native of Jersey ning Walsh Home, Manhattan, since 2016, with her Nanuet, where she is now retired. City, N.J., was a Little Sister of the Poor before current ministry one of prayer and sacrifi ce. entering the Sisters of Charity of New York in 1982. 70 Years She was a staff nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, Yon- 50 Years Sister Marie Irene Breheny, S.C. kers, and Schervier Home Health Care, the Bronx. Sister Mary Suzanne Sapa, O. Carm., a native of Sister Gloria Degnan, S.C. She is director of nursing at Mount St. Vincent Brooklyn, has served residents of Carmel Rich- Sister Rita King, S.C. Convent, the Bronx. mond, Staten Island, since 2008, and is now the di- Sister Margaret Mary Kelly, S.C., formerly known rector of pastoral care. She served two terms as the 65 Years as Sister Maureen Patrick, began serving as a teacher superior general of her congregation, 1996-2008. Sister Alice Maureen Darragh, S.C. at St. Peter School, Haverstraw. After teaching at St. Sister Maureen Theresa Murray, O. Carm, a na- Sister Thérèse Maria Dunne, S.C. Denis, Yonkers, she returned to St. Peter where she Congratulations to all the Jubilarians! 70years Dominican SiSterS of Hope Praise be to God for the life and ministry of The Sisters, Associates, Fr. James Lloyd, C.S.P. and Companions of the Ordained a priest on May 1, 1948, Fr. Lloyd, age 97, is Divine Compassion the first Paulist Father to celebrate a 70th ordination congratulate and thank our anniversary. Learn more at paulist.org/FatherLloyd. Could God be calling YOU, Jubilarians or someone you know, to for their many years of service. serve His Church as a priest “Empowered by God’s love, we are called to be the compassionate presence of God in the world.” in religious life? If so, please DivineCompassion.org visit paulist.org/vocation. November 8, 2018 CATHOLIC NEW YORK 21 served in parish ministry. She later taught at Our closed in 2015. She volunteers at Nyack Home Care Lady of Mount Carmel, White Plains. She served Lady of Angels, the Bronx, before transitioning to and Seton Village Senior Housing, Nanuet. in Cameroon, Africa, 2001-2017. She was president nursing. She spent 26 years at St. John Riverside Hos- Sister Inez Mela, S.C., formerly Sister Marietta of St. Jean Baptiste High School, Manhattan, 1998- pital, Yonkers, in nursing, nursing education and ad- Anne, was born in New York City. In Yonkers, she 2001, and was a reading teacher and campus minis- ministration.