Founded in 1942, PACA is a national American society to promote study and research in the history and social background of Americans of Polish descent. In addition to the quarantine, there was the time-bending illness. But no one will be going to the store anytime soon. A Detroit native, she entered the Felician community after high school graduation in 1969 and professed final vows in 1978. A teacher, organist, librarian and director of volunteers at Angela Hospice Home Care, Sister Celine Marie led a very active life. They couldn't see them, talk to them or comfort them. "We all knew if it hit the place, it would be bad," Sr. Mary Ann Smith. She served as a principal at schools in Garden City, Detroit and Hamtramck, as well as in Pomona, California, and taught foreign languages at Madonna for 15 years as well. Learn more. [[{"fid":"134283","view_mode":"one_third_width","fields":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"14":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"style":"margin: 12px; float: left;","class":"media-element file-one-third-width media-wysiwyg-align-left","data-delta":"14"}}]]Sr. Mary Janice (Margaret) Zolkowski, 86, a member of the Felician Congregation for 68 years, died Wednesday, April 22, in Livonia, Michigan. [[{"fid":"134280","view_mode":"one_third_width","fields":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"11":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"style":"margin: 12px; float: left;","class":"media-element file-one-third-width media-wysiwyg-align-left","data-delta":"11"}}]]Sr. Thomas Marie Wadowski, 73, a beloved member of the Felician Congregation for 54 years, died Wednesday, April 15, in Livonia. Sister Mary Auguste Biache, who served in education in the Diocese of Wilmington, died July 21 in Lodi, N.J. She was 75 and had LODI, N.J. Felician Sister Mary Alphonse Stachowski, a former educator in the Diocese of Wilmington, died Sept. 5 in Lodi, N.J. She was LIVONIA, Mich. -- They were teachers. The causes of the other deaths could not be immediately confirmed. Morris, Michigan, she was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary Church in Mt. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman), Select any of the newsletters below, then enter your email address and click "subscribe", Stories of climate, crisis, faith and action. Together for Communion. "I look at it like an accordion that can open and close, and right now, that accordion is still really tightly closed," Sister Noel Marie said. There is a problem with your email/password. "I said, 'I need to know. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Sister Mary Alphonse Stachowski, former teacher in Diocese of Wilmington, dies One awful month Felician sisters lose 12 to COVID-19 Our Lady of Grace Village will help continue Felician Sisters legacy Salesianum School graduate Zach Spence receives athletics academic award at Maryland commencement: Photo gallery. Felician Sisters - Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Felix of Cantalice "They weren't giving us numbers," Sister Andrew said. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman). Mary Szyperski Obituary (2021) - Chicago, IL - Chicago Tribune - Legacy.com Sister Mary Martinez earned a limited teaching certificate in 1953 and earned a bachelor's degree from Madonna University in 1959 with majors in French and English and minors in history and social science. See what new members are saying about why they donated to Bridge Michigan: If you want to ensure the future of nonpartisan, nonprofit Michigan journalism, please become a member today. She began her career as an elementary teacher, then moved to teaching high school business education and served as a principal for 14 years. That became a pattern. Beloved member of Felician Sisters Community for 71 years. All aspects of community are still either prohibited or severely limited. Resend Activation Email. Felician Sisters Cemetery in Pennsylvania - Find a Grave At least five of their deaths were linked to COVID-19. Hartford County, Felician Sisters Archives - The Dialog "The faith we share with sisters as they are dying, the prayers we share with sisters as they are dying: We missed all that. The first floor of the care center looks like the hallway of any nursing home in America. She taught primary grades at schools in Wyandotte, Kawkawlin and Detroit, then was principal of schools in Garden City, Jackson, Bay City and Clinton Township. Click here to read the complete 13 obituaries. 8 cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Felician Sisters Cemetery. Remembering 11 Felician Sisters in Livonia who died in April LIVONIA A big change is coming to the Felician Sisters convent at Madonna University. Michigan, "That whole part of the closure process has yet to be realized," Sister Joyce said. She oversaw nurses at the convent and in 1997 joined the nursing faculty at Madonna University, where she was professor in the nursing department until her death. Because that's who we are.". Within the convent, she served as an advocate for other sisters needs and provided vigil ministry to dying sisters. ", Local minister Sr. Mary Andrew Budinski looks at the memorial to remember the 12 sisters who died in one month from COVID-19 that sits in the gardens outside the Felician Sisters' convent in Livonia, Michigan. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman), Send your thoughts to Letters to the Editor. Organist, librarian and director of volunteers at Angela Hospice Home Care, Sister Celine Marie had a primary mission of education, having earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1960 from Madonna University, and a master's degree from Wayne State University. Those days are just gone.". She formally retired in 2016. She entered the congregation in 1960 and professed final vows in 1968. Active in the Polish American Historical Association (PAHA), she wrote about the Felicians and Madonna University in a number of publications. March 15, 1926 - May 4, 2023 Ruth Hannan Jones, 97, of Monrovia, California passed away on May 4, 2023. On Friday, March 10, a member of the Felician Sisters of Moon Township, for 65 years, at the age of 83, died at St. Anne Nursing Home, Greensburg, PA, after an extended illness. No grave photo. Because most sisters on the first floor are hard of hearing, visitors in the doorway must speak loudly or shout. Throughout her ministry in education and pastoral ministry, Sister Alice Ann served as local ministry for 14 years. 2023 Bridge Michigan. ", Felician Sr. Mary Ann Smith climbs a staircase in the order's convent in Livonia, Michigan, where 12 sisters died from COVID-19 in one month. Click here to read the complete 13obituaries. Later workshops in archival training and an interprovincial archives workshop prepared Sister Janice for further congregational responsibilities. Following the completion of her teaching ministry in 2006, Sister assisted in the patient development office in the central convent, was clerical assistant to the local communicator, and was an aide to the finance office until she retired. A native of Bay City, Michigan, she was taught by Felician Sisters at St. Hedwig school and then attended Felician Academy in Detroit, after which she was accepted as a postulant in 1964, professing final vows in 1973. " Sister Mary Ann said. A Detroit native, she completed a bachelors degree at Madonna University and a master's degree in religious education at Aquinas College. What name did they just say? They had dedicated their lives to serving others. A Funeral Mass will take place at 10:30am, 9:30am instate with 10:00am prayer service on September 14, 2021 at the Felician Sisters Convent located at 36800 Schoolcraft Rd., Livonia, MI. "One sister said she lost three days," Sister Nancy said. Visitation Monday 6-8pm at the Felician Convent, 36800 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia. At first, there was no Mass, only Communion services, because the priest was not allowed to enter the convent. She served as an elementary and middle school teacher in 13 schools throughout the state of Michigan. She was born in South Bend, Indiana. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1960 in English, with an elementary education certificate, from Madonna University. "It was the classic case of what we had heard about the virus," Sister Nancy said. She also worked in its treasury office for 14 years. She was admitted to the postulancy in 1939 and while still in novitiate, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Sister Mary Martinez (Virginia) Rozek taught elementary, middle and high school at several schools in Detroit and, with a degree in French, also taught foreign languages at Madonna. The end of April saw the loss of three more sisters. Arriving in Livonia in 2018, she assisted with the Felicians Montessori school, listening to the children read and joining in school activities and evening programs. The community had 65 sisters before the pandemic. She served as organist at St. Mary Church and at St. Francis Church in Flint. All rights reserved. She also earned a master's degree from Wayne University. Were the deaths announced over the intercom really happening? The second floor is for assisted living, and the third floor, independent living. The Felician Sisters of North America are creating plans to transform the western portion of . She taught primary school and worked at St. Joseph Home in Jackson, Michigan. Sister Noel Marie said it helped not to think about it. Then it hit sisters on the second floor, and it went through like wildfire.". But they're empty.". [[{"fid":"134271","view_mode":"one_third_width","fields":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"style":"float: left; margin: 12px;","class":"media-element file-one-third-width media-wysiwyg-align-left","data-delta":"2"}}]]Sr. Mary Madeleine (Frances) Dolan, 82, a beloved member of the Felician Congregation for 59 years, died Sunday, May 10, in Livonia, Michigan. Felician Sisters of Livonia, Michigan. [[{"fid":"134273","view_mode":"one_third_width","fields":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"4":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"style":"margin: 12px; float: left;","class":"media-element file-one-third-width media-wysiwyg-align-left","data-delta":"4"}}]]Sr. Mary Alice Ann (Fernanda) Gradowski, 73, a beloved member of the Felician Congregation for 55 years, died Saturday, April 25, in Livonia, Michigan. The last person came out of a 28-day isolation June 8, but there are still many restrictions. "Because we learned what to do, we were able to save all those sisters from this. Please reset your password. "There are some days when I say, 'God, we have 12 sisters up there, just like the 12 apostles," Sister Nancy said June 10, before the community's death toll rose to 13. Published by. She taught at schools in Livonia and Detroit and was responsible for several yearbooks during her 19 years at Marywood High School in Livonia. "You were caught between the Twilight Zone and la-la land. Sister Joyce said when faith is rooted in tradition, a break in those traditions seems to change everything. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. She was 83 years old and had been a Felician Sister for 66 years. In the United States, the 13 Felicians lost in Livonia may be the worst loss of life to a community of women religious since the 1918 influenza pandemic. She earned her bachelors and master's degrees in education, retiring in 2008. Obituary | Sister Agnese | Shook Funeral Home, Inc. Sister Danatha was elected to the Provincial Council (1988-1994) as Vicar in charge of Formation and Spiritual Life. Because of her scholastic abilities, she was accepted after 7th grade into the Seminary of the Felician Sisters in Detroit, graduating in 1940. From Poland to North America: The Felician Sisters' History Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (626) 964-1291 She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Madonna University in Livonia in 1967 and a Master of Arts degree in special education from Eastern Michigan University in 1974. When sisters fell ill with COVID-19, the other sisters could not take care of them. Arrangements made by the Dearborn Chapel of the Howe-Peterson . Then, staffers started getting sick. The convent of the Felician Sisters in Livonia, Michigan, where 12 sisters died of COVID-19 in one month. A native of South Bend, Indiana, she joined the order after high school, where she served in the convent caring for Sisters and in prayer ministry. "You started to become numb," Sister Nancy said. Semi-retired for years, Sister Mary Clarence became the co-director of the St. Philip Outreach Center in South Carolina,. In her later years she taught Spanish and English as a Second Language at South Bend, Indiana, and continued with Hispanic ministry in Pontiac and Clinton Township, teaching English skills to Hispanic immigrants after returning to the convent in Livonia in 2007. ", Felician Sr. Bernadette Marie Jimkoski on June 10 in the order's convent in Livonia, Michigan (GSR photo/Dan Stockman). But all the other restrictions still apply. Sisters could not attend the funerals. From 1943-1946 Sister was assigned to St. Louis the King School in Detroit to teach 3rd and 4th graders. During 33 years of ministry in education, she taught in elementary schools in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson and Orchard Lake, Michigan, and served 16 years as principal in St. Jude School in Grand Rapids, St. Valentine School in Redford, St. Damian School in Westland and St. Florian School in Hamtramck. Celebrating 2021 Jubilees in Michigan : News|Felician Sisters The number of cards and letters we've received is unbelievable.". Leelanau County, Select any of the newsletters below, then enter your email address and click "subscribe", Stories of climate, crisis, faith and action, 'Prayer is life': Sisters share how they pray, and how that prayer evolved, Monday Starter: Wisconsin congregation sells motherhouse to developers, Living on a prayer: A nun's guide to self-help, Allegations of adultery and abuse of power embroil Texas bishop, Carmelite monastery in complex scandal, Praying with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the inexhaustible source of love, After cyclone's destruction, Peruvians face dengue epidemic, Sts. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Sister Theresa Mary died on Monday, December 16, 2019 in Lodi. Felician Sisters of North America - Felician Sisters Interactive timeline of events (click the arrows to scroll a slideshow or click on specific dates in the timeline): Closing the convent was anathema to the sisters. LODI, N.J. Sister Marie Victoria Bartkowski, a Wilmington native who spent 61 years as a member of the Felician Sisters, died Feb. 22.. Obituaries. Sister Mary Ann Alice Gradowski was an educator for 36 years, having been taught by Felicians. Sister Mary Raymond Kasprzak, 82, headed worldwide community of 243 memorials. Southfield, She earned a master's degree in education in 1967 at what is now St. Marys University. Private. Plans began for celebrations in April to praise God for their many years of religious commitment, but God smiled at these plans and determined an alternate way of . What to know, Michigan to receive $1.5B to extend internet to 210,000 in rural areas, College grads: We left Michigan for jobs. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman), The chapel at the Felician sisters' convent in Livonia, Michigan, can again host Mass, but only for small groups of sisters at a time, who must maintain strict social distancing. They don't know what the celebration will entail or even when they'll be able to have it, but they know how important it will be. 0:04. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Page 1. Obituary | Sister Mary Tarcilia Juchniewicz - Shook Funeral Home, Inc. In 1940, Sister entered the Seminary of the Felician Sisters in Detroit and was admitted to the postulancy following graduation, pronouncing final vows in 1952. Secondary schools were the next assignments where from 1946 through 1955 Sister taught biology at St. Stanislaus, Detroit; Catholic Central, Alpena; St. Florian, Hamtramck. Noel Marie Gabriel, "Like the rest of the elder-care populations, we struggled with getting appropriate [personal protective equipment]. Active in the Polish American Historical Association (PAHA), she contributed to the establishment of the Polish-American Encyclopedia with an article on the Felician Sisters in America. [[{"fid":"134269","view_mode":"one_third_width","fields":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"3":{"format":"one_third_width","alignment":"left","field_cut_line[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"style":"float: left; margin: 12px;","class":"media-element file-one-third-width media-wysiwyg-align-left","data-delta":"3"}}]]Sr. Mary Clarence (Adeline) Borkoski, 83, a beloved member of the Felician Congregation for 64 years, died in Livonia, Michigan, on Monday, April 20, after a brief illness. Moved here for family, nature, Long COVID remains a debilitating medical mystery for Michigan sufferers, When will the smoke clear in Michigan? "The faith we share with sisters as they are dying, the prayers we share with sisters as they are dying: We missed all that," she said. She formally joined the sisters, professing final vows in 1957. "I surrendered to that. So March 13, the day before the doors were shut to the outside world, 10 of the sisters went to the chapel steps and held up a banner to the Livonia community that said, "We're lifting you up in prayer. "But we never anticipated how quickly it would go.". "That's what I'm proud about," Sister Noel Marie said. "We all have post-traumatic stress," Sister Noel Marie said. In 2007, Sister was granted an honorary Doctor of Humanities from Madonna University. Felician Sisters of North America bring effort to local area Those who still live on the first floor are coping with additional loss.