2005 Golden Jubilarians

They were known as St John Berchmans' Circle . They entered the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mount St. Vincent on September 8, 1955 , eager and enthusiastic to give all to God.

Twenty of them returned to the same chapel on Saturday, September 10, 2005 to celebrate their 50 th anniversary as Sisters of Charity of New York. Three more will celebrate in heaven:

• Sister Patricia McLoughlin (Sr. Bridget Miriam, 10/31/98 )
• Sister Kathleen Cassidy (Sr. Honoria Marie, 3/12/96 )
• Sister Frances Bones (Sr. Regina Josephine, 1/31/99 )

These twenty sisters never dreamed in 1955 where the road ahead would take each one of them. On this special anniversary, they turned around and looked back on where they have been and the memories that life has given them.

•  Sister Maureen V. Alexander (Sr. Thomas Marietta) spent sixteen years as an educator in elementary and high schools in Manhattan , Rye , and the Bronx . She then moved on to become a medical technologist in 1976. For the past twenty-nine years, Sr. Maureen has worked in this field and is presently head of the lab at St. Joseph 's Medical Center in Yonkers .

•  Sister Margaret E. Angelovich (Sr. Regina Margaret) has a varied background in ministry over the past fifty years. She has been involved in education on all levels - elementary, high school, college and has mentored beginning teachers. With training as a spiritual director, Sr. Margaret guided women interested in entering the congregation. She is presently an adult spirituality educator and facilitator.

•  Sister Helen T. Bryant (Sr. Helen Marian) has devoted all her ministry years to elementary education in White Plains , Haverstraw, East Elmhurst and Rye , New York . In 1997, she obtained a masters degree in Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality. Sr. Helen is presently at Sacred Heart School in Hartsdale , New York .

•  Sister Margaret Ellen Burke (Sr. Margaret Marita) has responded to many needs in ministry from elementary school to college to hospital pastoral care. Twenty years ago she obtained training in spiritual direction and has trained and supervised spiritual directors. At present, Sr. Margaret Ellen is director of the Center of Renewal and Education in Harriman , New York .

•  Sister Ann Rose Connell (Sr. John Marita) has given many of her ministry years to elementary education in the Bronx , Manhattan , Staten Island and Rye . Later she became a high school guidance counselor in New Rochelle . For five years she served as a religious education coordinator. After a sabbatical at St. Stephen's Priory, Sr. Ann now serves the sisters at the Convent of Mary the Queen in Yonkers , New York .

•  Sister Martha Cummings (Sr. James Carmita) began her years of ministry as a teacher and principal in schools in Manhattan and the Bronx . Twenty-five years ago she changed careers and began nursing studies. She has used her nursing skills in the emergency room of Bellevue and in the administration of the Convent of Mary the Queen. Sr. Martha is presently the administrator of St. Martin de Porres Infirmary in Orangeburg , New York .

•  Sister Mary A. Duane (Sr. David Mary) has moved easily in the field of education for most of her years in ministry. She has taught almost all grades in elementary school from Beacon to Staten Island , New York . On the high school level, she has served in the classroom, administration, and as guidance counselor. For six years, she served the retired sisters at the Convent of Mary the Queen. Sr. Mary is presently at St. Patrick's Villa in Nanuet , New York .

•  Sister Kathleen E. Fitzgerald (Sr. Marie Assumpta) has devoted most of her ministry years to the children of St. Patrick's School in Bedford , New York . She has been a classroom teacher in almost every grade, one through eight. She promoted St. Patrick School as Director of Development for two years. Today she is a teacher of religion and computer at St. Patrick's.

•  Sister Dorothy Gallant first entered the Felician Sisters in 1955. She transferred to the Sisters of Charity in 1979. At that time, Sr. Dorothy was working as a counselor in the Religious Consultation Center in Brooklyn . In 1986, she began ministering to homeless persons on the streets and in the shelters of Manhattan . With some formerly homeless persons, she has formed the Life Experience and Faith Sharing Association which continues to work with homeless persons in New York City .

•  Sister Kathleen Gilmartin (Sr. Thomas Marita) worked for several years in New York City before entering the Sisters of Charity. In the first fourteen years of ministry, she taught the upper grades of elementary school in Brooklyn , Manhattan , Stony Point and the Bronx . Later she became a teacher of business and then a volunteer at Grace Institute in New York City . She continued volunteer services at St. Vincent 's Medical Center and Mary Manning Walsh Home, both in Manhattan .

•  Sister Doris Heinlein (Sr. Mary Bede) began her early ministry in the field of education. She taught almost all grades in elementary school in the Bronx , Manhattan and Brooklyn . These years were followed by teaching English on the high school level. After obtaining a degree in Library Science, she served the information needs of various organizations, such as Xavier Society for the Blind. Presently, Sr. Doris is a canonical consultant for the Tribunal Office of the Archdiocese of New York.

•  Sister A. Jean Iannone (Sr. Jean Carmel) spent her early years in ministry in elementary schools in Haverstraw, White Plains , Saugerties and Nassau , Bahamas . After serving as executive secretary to the president of the congregation, Sr. Jean pursued studies in Media, Photography, Computer Engineering and Web Design. With this background, she taught at ITV Center for the Archdiocese, Elizabeth Seton College , Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers , and at The College of New Rochelle where she also directed the computer facilities. Sr. Jean is presently director of Information Systems at the Sisters of Charity Center.

•  Sister Constance Kelly (Sr. Marian Bernard) taught on both the elementary and high school levels in Brooklyn and the Bronx . She heard the call to missionary work and devoted four years in Chile and fifteen years in Guatemala . Since returning from Guatemala , she has ministered to the Hispanic community in St. Peter of Alcantara parish in Port Washington , New York .

•  Sister Eileen T. Kelly (Sr. Vincent Rosaire) spent her first five years of ministry in elementary education in Brooklyn and Manhattan . Her next thirty-one years were devoted to teaching and guidance work in high schools both in New York and Nassau , Bahamas . Sr. Eileen later became Administrator of the Catholic Communities on Cat Island , Bahamas , for nine years. After a sabbatical at Harvard Divinity School , Sr. Eileen has joined the staff of the Center of Renewal and Education.

•  Sister Kathryn E. McDermott (Sr. Kevin Maureen) dedicated her first fifteen years of ministry to caring for and teaching young children in Nanuet, Yonkers , Brooklyn and the Bronx . She then worked with older students in high school and college. Sr. Kathryn's later years in ministry brought her back to the young children in the lower grades of elementary school.

•  Sister Patricia A. Morgan (Sr. Marie Ursula) has spent her ministry years in education. For her first six years, she taught in elementary schools in Manhattan and Queens . After receiving a degree in library science, she dedicated her ministry years as a librarian on both the high school and college level from New Rochelle to Staten Island . She presently donates her time as a library volunteer.

•  Sister Sheila Normoyle (Sr. Marie Grace) traveled from County Clare , Ireland to enter the Sisters of Charity in 1955. Her years of ministry have been dedicated to infants at the New York Foundling and senior sisters at Mary the Queen in Yonkers . For the last forty-six years, Sr. Sheila has worked devotedly at St. Agatha Home , Nanuet. She has cared for the young children and adolescents and coordinated the work of the volunteers at the Home.

•  Sister Mary Catherine Sugrue (Sr. Ellen Maria) devoted sixteen years of ministry to elementary education in Port Chester and the Bronx . After becoming a certified social worker, she worked at St. Vincent 's Medical Center and Encore Community Services in Manhattan . Sr. Mary presently does social work at Euclid Hall, a single-room occupancy hotel in New York City .

•  Sister Kathleen T. Sullivan (Sr. Kathleen Dolores) has dedicated her years of ministry to elementary education. She began as a first grade teacher; twelve years later, she became a principal. This service was followed by ten years as Superintendent of Schools on Staten Island and then Associate Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York. Sr. Kathleen is presently coordinator of Professional Development at St. Mark the Evangelist School in Manhattan .

•  Sister Catherine Marie Walsh (Sr. Stephen Dolores) has dedicated over twenty years to elementary school education from Haverstraw to Brooklyn to the Bronx and back to Haverstraw. After providing services for the senior sisters at Mary the Queen, she worked as an assistant to the librarian in St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers . Sr. Catherine is presently the Public Services Manager for St. Joseph Seminary library.

20 sisters X 50 years each = 1,000 years of service -- that's a formula for success!

The Catholic Encyclopedia has a profile of St. John Berchmans. He was noted for his piety and was canonized in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII.