Sr. Patricia Marie Donnelly

TEACHER, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Patricia Marie Donnelly, 87, died March 6.

A native of Michigan, Sister Patricia entered the congregation in 1941 and was a Sister of Charity for 69 years, serving in education in the dioceses of Chicago, Cincinnati and Detroit.

In Chicago, Sister Patricia Marie taught at St. Sebastian School (1942-1952). Her later career included a 31-year stint as an awardwinning elementary school principal in Michigan.

Sr. M. Leonard Kania

TEACHER

Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth M. Leonard (Adeline) Kania, 88, died Feb. 25 in Des Plaines.

A Chicago native, Sister Leonard grew up in St. Hyacinth Parish where she was taught by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

She joined the CSFN congregation in 1939, later earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from DePaul University.

Sister Leonard began her 65-year teaching career in 1941, teaching primary grades at St. Blase in Argo. She later taught at Holy Trinity, St. Ladislaus, St. Michael (South Shore), St. Valentine in Cicero, St. Emily in Mount Prospect and St. Patricia in Hickory Hills, where she spent almost 30 years as a teacher.

Sr. Barbara Bowe

PROFESSOR, BIBLICAL SCHOLAR

Sacred Heart Sister Barbara Bowe, 64, died March 14.

She was a biblical scholar, respected professor at the Catholic Theological Union, author and beloved guide to the Holy Land.

Sister Barbara joined the Religious of the Sacred Heart in 1967 in her native New York and made her final profession there in 1975.

Among her many contributions at CTU, Sister Barbara served as director of the Masters of Divinity program, director of the Biblical Spirituality Certificate program and assistant, associate and full professor of Biblical Studies.

Sister Barbara was the author of “Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame” and co-editor of “Silent Voices, Sacred Lives: Women’s Readings for the Liturgical Year.”

Sr. Ann Kathleen Brawley

TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR

Sister of Providence Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley, 90, died March 12.

A Chicago native who attended St. Mel School and Providence High School, Sister Ann entered the Sisters of Providence in 1937, receiving her final vows in 1946.

In her 72 years of religious life, she ministered in education for 14 years in three states, including a stint in Chicago at Our Lady of Sorrows School (1949-1951). Much of her religious career, however, was spent as an administrator in the Sisters of Providence Congregation.

She served as general secretary and council member of the congregation before becoming the congregation’s historian and archivist in 1978, a position she held until her 1991 retirement.

Sr. Margaret Mary Murphy

TEACHER, WRITER AND EDITOR

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Margaret Mary Murphy (Madeleine Barat), 80, died March 13.

Sister Margaret Mary made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1950 and her final profession three years later.

She taught elementary school for 16 years and high school for 12 years, including service in Chicago at Visitation (1953- 1958), St. Thomas More (1959-1962) and St. William (1983-1984).

Sister Margaret worked as a writer and editor in Chicago for 20 years at Educational Publishers, Riverside Publishing, Creative Services Associate, Ligature Corporation and McGraw Hill. She also served in Minnesota, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri and Wisconsin, where she ministered at various Dominican centers.

Sr. M. Louise Gembara

TEACHER

Sister of St. Joseph Sister M. Louise Gembara, 86, died March 14.

A native of west suburban Cicero, Sister Louise first entered the religious community in 1940, professing her final vows in 1948. She taught at a number of archdiocesan schools, including St. Fidelis, Immaculate Conception in South Chicago and at Lourdes High School where she taught English and language arts for more than 30 years.

Sr. Mary Martin Gehl

OVERCAME CRIPPLING DISABILITY

Benedictine Sister Mary Martin (Helen Marie) Gehl, 93, died March 15 at St. Scholastica Monastery.

A graduate of Josephinum High School, she joined the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago in 1940. She taught at St. Hilary, St Joseph, and St. Symphorosa parishes in Chicago, at St. Lambert in Skokie, and Mother of God in Waukegan, as well as at two parochial schools and the community’s boarding Academy in Colorado.

From 1970 until she retired in 2005, Sister Mary Martin served in internal ministry at the monastery, managing the food service and later holding the position of community seamstress. She served on many standing committees and the Communication Board.

Sister Mary Martin was a volunteer bookkeeper for UNICEF and later served on their board. She helped to set up housing for displaced Vietnamese families and taught them how to shop in Chicago. For many years she worked as an election judge and received a citation for public service from the Board of Elections.

Born with a crippling disability, her lifetime was marked with near continual pain and numerous surgeries to help her to walk.

Fr. James Thoman

PASSIONIST SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

Father James Thoman, 62, spiritual director of the Passionists of Holy Cross Province, died on March 17 in Livonia, Mich.

Known to thousands of Passionist friends and benefactors as “Father James,” the Cincinnati native entered the Passionist high school seminary in 1962. He professed his first vows in 1967 and was ordained as a priest in 1975.

Father James, who received his master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, held a variety of positions over the years, including provincial consultor, local superior, formation director and vocation director. He was also the retreat director for St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center located in Detroit, a position he held until his death.

Appointed spiritual director for the province development office in 1992, Father James entered thousands of Catholic homes with letters and spiritual enrollment folders.

Sr. Francis Lawrence

TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR

School Sister of Notre Dame Francis (Rebecca Marie) Lawrence, 86, died March 18 at Resurrection Life Center. A native of Elkhart, Ill., she entered the congregation in 1942 and took vows in 1945.

She taught for 22 years in Illinois and Wisconsin. She also ministered in religious education and as pastoral associate, as a provincial councilor and as co-director and finance office for SisterHouse, a ministry for women in need.

In the archdiocese, she served at St. Margaret of Scotland and the sisters’ provincial house at St. Mary of Celle, Berwyn.

Sr. Mary Carola Broderick

EDUCATOR, CHAPLAIN

BVM Sister Mary Carola Broderick, 74, died March 22 in Des Moines, Iowa.

An Iowa native, she entered the BVM congregation in 1955 and professed final vows in 1963.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Odilo in Berwyn from 1959-62. She also taught in Davenport, Des Moines and West Des Moines, Iowa; and Seattle, Wash. She was a hospital chaplain and served in campus ministry in Des Moines from 1987-2008.

She is survived by a brother, Philip Broderick; and a sister, Marilyn Duwelius.

Fr. Agostino Lovatin

SCALABRINIAN MISSIONARY

Scalabrinian Father Agostino Lovatin, 66, died March 25 in Oak Park.

Born in San Giovanni Ilarione, Italy, he was ordained in 1969. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Pompeii Parish (1969-72), as master of novices and member of the formation team at Sacred Heart Seminary in Stone Park (1977-1980), and most recently as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Melrose Park, and Casa Italia in Stone Park (2008-2010). He also served in Canada, New York and Rome.

Father Lovatin is survived by his brothers Danilo Lovatin and Scalabrinian Father Valentino Lovatin, C.S. and his sister Anna Maria Michelon.

Fr. Allan Fredrick Sahuc

CO-DIRECTOR AT SHRINE

Claretian Father Allan Fredrick Sahuc, 63, died March 29.

A native of New Orleans, Father Fred, as he was known, worked in the private sector for many years before deciding to join religious life.

He joined the Claretian Missionaries in Chicago in 2000 and took his perpetual vows in 2005. He was ordained to the priesthood in October 2007. He earned his master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in in May 2006.

Father Fred served at Villa Guadalupe and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, the order’s mother church. He also assisted as co-director of the National Shrine of St. Jude.

He is survived by his brother, Louis.

Sr. Mary Roberta Prince

ADMINISTRATOR, EDUCATOR

Servite Sister Mary Roberta Prince, 92, died April 1 at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling. She had been a Servite for 73 years.

She had served as Addolorata Villa’s administrator from 1981- 1990, and she was the last Servite sister to serve in that capacity. After her retirement, she continued to serve as a volunteer at the villa.

She was a teacher and principal in several states. She taught seventh and eighth grade and was principal at St. Domitilla School, Hillside (1948-54).

Sr. Annette Kelley

TEACHER, PASTORAL ASSOCIATE

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Annette Kelley, 89, died April 2 in Sinsinawa, Wis.

A Chicago native, Sister Annette made her first vows in 1940 and her final profession in 1943.

She taught for 43 years, ministered as a pastoral associate for 11 years and served as parish administrator for four years, serving in Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Indiana, Nebraska and Alabama.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Annette taught at St. Barnabas (1947-56), St. Basil (1964-67) and St. Cajetan (1980-83).

At St. Cajetan Parish, she ministered as a pastoral associate, 1983-1990 and 1994-1998 and as the parish administrator, 1990-1994.