Sister Geraldine McNamara, OP (1927 – 2014) Sister Geraldine McNamara was born on March 27, 1927, in Chicago to John and Bertha (Monahan) McNamara. She was the fifth of their six children, preceded by James, John, Jerome and Robert and followed by William. The McNamaras were a large extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins who often gathered at their home for Sunday dinners and holiday celebrations. Geraldine and her brothers attended Catholic elementary schools on the south side of Chicago. After graduating from Aquinas High School in 1944, Gerry attended Siena Heights College (now University) in Adrian at her father’s urging. She wanted to attend Mundelein College so she could be home on weekends because her older brothers were in military service overseas. But her father prevailed and Gerry attended Siena Heights for three semesters. At the mid-point of her sophomore year, Gerry entered the Congregation on February 2, 1946. She was given the name Sister Jean Immaculate at her reception and on August 14, 1947, she made first profession. From 1947 to 1959, Sister Geraldine was assigned to teach in the following elementary schools: two years at Visitation in Detroit, five years at St. Brendan School in San Francisco, one year at St. Laurence in Chicago, two years at St. Kilian in Chicago and two years at St. Edmund in Oak Park, Illinois. In the fall of 1995, the St. Brendan newsletter, Voyager, included an article about the school’s Alumni Faculty. Sister Gerry recalled teaching fifth grade at the school 40 years ago by saying, “I remember the beauty of St. Brendan School, the students and the parents. The folk-dancing festival was always beautiful and it brought many parents to the school. I have such fond memories of my former students.” Summers during those years were spent at Siena Heights College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in history in 1952. In 1960, she completed her graduate studies in history at Loyola University in Chicago and received a master’s degree. From 1959 to 1965, Sister Geraldine was appointed principal and teacher at St. Mary School in Georgetown, South Carolina. In addition to being her first experience as a school administrator, those five years in South Carolina left an indelible memory for another reason. In her autobiography she wrote, “My years in South Carolina introduced me to the problems of poverty and racism in the United States.” After six years in South Carolina, Sister Geraldine was assigned to Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she was both teacher and principal. In 1967, she returned to Illinois where, for the next nine years, she was missioned to the following elementary schools: Queen of Apostles in Riverdale, St. Patrick in Joliet and St. Denis in Chicago. These years ended her ministry in the Midwest. 1 In 1976, Sister Geraldine traveled to California, where she continued to live and minister for the next 36 years. Her first 11 years were at Junipero Serra School in Carmel, where she was principal. After a one-year study sabbatical she accepted the management position at Dominican Oaks, the new residential community for older adults located on property adjacent to Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. She and Sister Celeste Bourke, who was hired as her assistant manager, were responsible for establishing a supportive social and physical environment for the residents, which would eventually include several Adrian Dominican Sisters. “Let me tell you about my experiences at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Seaside, California.” With these words, Sister Gerry introduces the reader of her autobiography to the next ministry. She continues, “I was between ministries and Father Jerry McCormick came to me and [asked] me to do a big favor for him by coming to his parish for a few months while he looked for an office manager.” Those “few months” eventually became four years. Her experience at St. Francis Xavier Parish left a lasting impression, one that she would treasure the rest of her life. In 1993, Sister Geraldine wrote an article that appeared in the Observer, the Diocese of Monterey Catholic newspaper, entitled “Outside the Pulpit: Reflections on a Unique Community of Worship.” The following are excerpts from her article. During the past months, I have reflected frequently on my ministry to the people of St. Francis Xavier Parish community, and how I have changed in my understanding and acceptance of multi-ethnic people in the three years since Father Jerry McCormick hired me to be a member of the parish staff. This is my first ministry with so vast a multi-ethnic cultural community, so I had, and still have, much to learn about cultural differences. The people have been patient and more than willing to explain the origins and reasons for certain cultural practices and customs that I have come to appreciate and respect. Actually, my life has been greatly enriched and I have learned to be more accepting and understanding of differences in races and ethnic backgrounds. When one stops to think about it, the differences are really not so broad. They love God, their families, and each other. If this micro-community with its many differences can live and work together peacefully, wouldn’t it be remarkable if the global community could do likewise? While preparing to leave parish ministry in Seaside, Sister Gerry received a call from Agnes Leonardich, the Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Monterey, asking if she would be willing to be principal of Good Shepherd School in Santa Cruz during a transition period. Several years ago, Good Shepherd, a tri-parish school, had discontinued seventh and eight classes and now the school was preparing to reinstall these grades. Sister Gerry agreed to serve as principal during this transition. During her term from 1994 to 1997, the school not only reinstalled the seventh and eighth grades, it completed the required self-study and received a full-term accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. 2 During her last three years of active ministry, Sister Gerry was secretary/assistant to Sister Jane Robert Stuckel, Chapter Prioress of Pacific West Chapter. As her health declined, she moved into Dominican Oaks in October 2000, the facility she had managed 10 years earlier. While a resident at the Oaks, she volunteered as Eucharistic Minister for hospital patients and became a friend and listener for many residents. Sister Geraldine returned to Adrian in May 2012, and resided at the Dominican Life Center/Maria until she died September 28, 2014, at the age of eighty-seven. During the wake/remembrance service, Sister Jo Gaugier, Chapter Prioress of Holy Rosary Chapter, spoke of Sister Gerry’s gratitude for her many blessings. In her autobiography, Sister Gerry had written, “I am grateful for my vocation and am happy that I responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. There were times that I questioned my choice, but always weathered the storm with God’s grace and was stronger for having gone through it.” Carole Dawson Webber, the former Sister Agnes Henry, sent the following message about Gerry’s influence in her life. I left the community in 1952, but always remained connected in friendship with “my crowd,” who continued to monitor and nurture me over the years. Gerry did exactly that. I will always remember her joy, support, twinkling eyes, constant sense of humor. Thank you, Gerry, you are a gift. Sister Shirley Cushing, friend and member of her crowd, remembered Sister Gerry as a “woman of unquenchable joy that was infectious and often flowed into laughter, often loud laughter.” In her homily at the Mass of Christian Burial, Sister Molly Nicholson reflected on Gerry’s preaching by joy. Forty years spent in a classroom or as an administrator and office manager can be seen as a rather heavy and serious ministry; however, the twinkle in Gerry’s Irish eyes welcomed those who came to visit in her home or in one of the many offices in which she worked or most recently, her room here at Maria. Smiles and laughter often emanated from these rooms as friends shared faith and life together. Not only was each person welcomed warmly but each seemed to have left an indelible mark in Gerry’s heart for she remembered and called us each by name whenever she met us, regardless of the passage of time. Father Jim Hug, S.J., opened the funeral liturgy with the following prayer We have come together today from far and near to celebrate our sister, Gerry to thank you for the wonderful gift of her time with us, a time of loving attentiveness and wise humor, prayer, thoughtful caring, and deep joy, 3 a time of grace and service. Let the shape and loving care of our lives join with hers in compassionate service and sensitive commitment to the needy in joy, laughter and a hopeful spirit, in courage and commitment to You, the saving Mystery of our lives. 4 .