Category Archives: Diocesan News

Father Noonan remembered for pranks, devotion to people of Mississippi

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By Maureen Smith
FLOWOOD – On Friday, July 7, Catholics from across the diocese gathered to remember and honor Father Patrick Joseph Noonan at his funeral Mass at St. Paul Parish.

FLOWOOD – St. Paul Parish overflowed with people for the funeral Mass for Father Patrick Noonan on Friday, July 7. Father Noonan died after a very short battle with cancer. On display at the funeral was a just-completed portrait of Father Noonan (inset at left). Artist Craig West painted the image for the Moorehead family, who requested it just a few weeks ago. West worked from photographs, but said he wanted to capture Father Noonan’s familiar expression. (Photo by Maureen Smith)

People sat and stood in every available space of the church, spilling out into the vestibule. Father Noonan died Tuesday, July 4, after a short battle with cancer. He was born in Kilcoora, Broadford, Co. Limerick, Ireland on January 23, 1937, son of the late Michael and Johanna Noonan.
Father Gerry Hurley remembered his friend as a joyful prankster who once got into an informal competition with a fellow Irish pastor for who could appear most in the pages of Mississippi Catholic. Father Hurley also noted that Father Noonan, who took a sabbatical during his ministry, would encourage his brother priests to rest and take care of themselves. The parish hosted a lively reception, something of an Irish wake, immediately following the Mass.
Father Noonan was the fourth of five boys raised on a dairy farm. He attended the local school, Raheenagh National School, after which he went on to St. Munchins College in Limerick. From there, he moved to major seminary at Clonliffe in Dublin, and later transferred to St. Patrick’s Seminary in Thurles where he began to study for what was then the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson.
Father Noonan was ordained on June 9, 1963, at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles Co. Tipperary. He arrived in the diocese on September 4, 1963, and shortly thereafter took up his first assignment at St. James in Mississippi City.
After five years, he moved to Natchez St. Mary, then the cathedral, and became pastor two years later at Chatawa St. Teresa. In April 1972, he became pastor of Greenwood Immaculate Heart of Mary. In June 1978, he became pastor of Jackson St. Mary, and after 10 years of service, he took a sabbatical at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
In January 1989, Father Noonan became pastor of Canton Sacred Heart, and two years later added the care of Carthage St. Anne. In 1992, he also added the pastoral care of Canton Holy Child Jesus. In January 2001, he was appointed pastor of Brookhaven St. Francis of Assisi and Sacramental Minister of Meadville St. Ann Mission.
On January 31, 2008, he retired from active ministry, but continued to serve by filling in for brother priests on most weekends. Father Noonan spent 54 years in service of the Catholic Church in Mississippi. He touched the lives of many in every parish in which he served. He is mourned by dear friends throughout the state and beyond. The lilt of Irish laughter, and his wit and humor endeared him to so many. He will be greatly missed in the Magnolia state.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Seamus, and his sisters-in-law, Breda, Mairead and Nora. He is survived by his brothers, David, Michael and Donal, seven nieces, and five nephews, all of whom looked forward to his annual summer vacation in Ireland. He was buried in Ireland.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Our Daily Bread Feeding Ministry, P.O. Box 1021, Canton, MS 39046.

Jubilee blessings abound

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CLARKSDALE –Sister Anne Brooks, SNJM, celebrated 60 years as a religious sister with Mass and a reception at Immaculate Conception Parish (Photos by Christine McDaniel)

MADISON – Father Al Camp, center, offers icing from his cake to a parishioner. Father Camp celebrated 60 years as a priest with a Mass and lunch at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Thursday, May 25. (Photo courtesy Sallie Ann Inman)

CRYSTAL SPRINGS – Father Tom Delaney smiles as he leaves St. John church from his Mass to celebrate his 60th anniversary of ordination Saturday, June 24. (Photos courtesy of Eddie Howard)

YAZOO CITY – Father Panneer Arockiam, pastor of St. Mary, gives Bishop Kopacz a shawl as Bishop emeritus Joseph Latino looks on. Father Arockiam celebrated 25 years as a priest with a Mass and lunch on Sunday, June 11. (Photo courtesy of Diane Melton)

McCOMB –Father Brian Kaskie, flanked by Deacons Aaron Williams and Nick Adam, processes out of a Mass to celebrate his 25th anniversary of ordination on Tuesday, June 5 at St. Alphonsus. (Photo courtesy Lynn Toler)

Society of St. Andrew seeks volunteer gleaners

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By Maureen Smith
JACKSON  – The Society of St. Andrew, also known as part of Mississippi’s gleaning network, is looking for a few good volunteers. The group connects farmers with unsold or unpicked crops to those who need food. It’s a simple concept with a complex structure behind it. Andy Lemmon is the state coordinator for the effort. He manages three groups: farmers who are willing to let volunteers glean their fields or process unwanted raw crops; volunteer groups willing to glean or clean and package food and the groups who prepare or distribute food for those who need it.

Gleaners sometimes pick or harvest crops, but may also be called to sort and package already harvested food.

Lemmon coordinated the distribution of almost three million pounds of food last year. Much of this food is crops left behind by commercial harvesting equipment. He has coordinators in different parts of the state so he can use help almost anywhere. Lemmon organizes volunteers to go pick those crops — anything from blueberries and tomatoes to turnips and sweet potatoes. He or another coordinator meets the group at 7:45 a.m. Groups usually wrap up and are back on the road by noon. Lemmon said this time frame works to beat the Mississippi heat and it’s a manageable for many of his volunteers, but he is willing to work with groups who may want to work at other times of the evening or afternoon.
Another option is processing food. Lemmon said he received several hundred pounds of blueberries last year. The farmer’s machines picked the berries, but Lemmon had to recruit volunteers to pick out the leaves and sticks and package the berries in containers for distribution. He sometimes gets pallets of sweet potatoes that need to be placed in 10-pound bags. This work can be done at a parish almost any time of day or evening.
If a group has a food pantry or feeding operation, they can often keep some or all of the food they glean. The point, Lemmon said, is to keep the food from being wasted.
Volunteers can also donate money to pay the overhead for the organization. The Society of St. Andrew supplies bags and containers for crops and has a handful of paid staff to coordinate all the work.
The group also makes an effort to help food recipients make the most of the food they get. When the society received 2,000 pumpkins from a farmer last fall, Lemmon knew they couldn’t just hand them out.

The Society of St. Andrew accepts a variety of crops from farmers and distributes them to people in need. The group is looking for more volunteers throughout the state. (Photos courtesy of Andy Lemmon)


“Earlier in the year, we coordinated several hunger relief agencies, churches and schools ahead of time to assist in this ‘Pumpkin Palooza.’ We distributed pumpkins to these agencies and groups all over the greater Jackson area. The plan was for the groups to bake the pumpkins into ready-to-eat treats. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School gave a recipe packet and a pumpkin to each student’s family in the first week of November. The families were asked to bake the pumpkin using one or two of the recipes provided. The turnout was better than expected! We have had to make multiple trips to deliver baked goods from the school to the local Salvation Army,” said Lemmon.
“Families who are struggling with food insecurity typically don’t have the culinary expertise to cook a pumpkin into a healthy, delicious recipe. For those struggling families that do know how to cook pumpkins, they often lack the financial resources to purchase the necessary extras like nutmeg, pecans, etc. Those are expensive additions to any recipe but are commonplace in pumpkin-based baked goods,” he continued.
Lemmon said he welcomes workers who just want a project, but he adds that gleaning has a spiritual aspect. He had his own moment of revelation while harvesting turnips in April. “The most important lesson I “gleaned” happened while we are all seated, near the end of the morning, in a small circle. As I sat there, it hit me like a tidal wave. We were all finished gathering and were now sorting the turnip roots gleaned. I saw the relationships forming and witnessed the heart of Christ. We were gathered, in the name of Christ, for the purpose of preventing food waste and preventing hunger for the needy in our communities. Matthew 18:20 was ringing in my ears like church bells. ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.’ I stepped back and listened and watched as this small group of volunteers and the farmer’s family bonded over their common purpose. We were able to rescue nearly 450 pounds of turnip roots during this event. That comes out to be a little more than 1,300 servings of food for just a few hours work with a handful of volunteers. Imagine if we had more volunteers?” asked Lemmon.
Lemmon keeps a schedule of weeks when groups can glean, but also needs people who can be available to help with an unexpected donation. Any parish interested in scheduling a service project or learning more about partnering with the Society of St. Andrew can contact Lemmon at (769) 233-0887 or my email, GleanMS@EndHunger.org or check out the group’s website, www.endhunger.org.

Youth

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Summer service close to home

SOUTHAVEN – Catholic Service Initiative is an annual event for the six parishes in northern Mississippi served by the priests of the Sacred Heart: St Gregory, Holy Spirit, Good Shepherd, Christ the King, Queen of Peace and St. Joseph. This year groups of teens, including a few from the neighboring Diocese of Memphis, stayed for a week at the Sacred Heart Southern Missions’ volunteer house in Walls so they could do service work. They were able to completely redo a roof for one family and begin work on a wheel chair ramp for another. The boys served one night at the Garden Cafe in Holly Springs which offers a hot meal to the working poor and homeless of the area. One of the pastors, Father Thi Pham, SCJ, was the chef for the night..  
The parishioners and Knights of Columbus of the parishes provided skilled workmen to help at the job sites, volunteer chaperones, food each night and transportation to and from the work/play sites. “CSI helps our teens realize that charity begins at home and that you do not have to travel across the country or to a foreign land in order to help. There are people in need in our own backyards,” wrote parishioner Donna Williamson.

 

WALLS –Above, left, teens from the six parishes stack new shingles on a roof they are repairing on a house. Above, Girls from the six parishes of northern Mississippi worked to help unload trailers of donations for those in need.  (Photos by Donna Williamson )

Colorful Vacation Bible School

GLUCKSTADT –The theme for St. Joseph Parish’s Vacation Bible School this year was Summertime Blast. Students learned about St. Teresa, St. Paul and Mary, Mother of the Church, while focusing on the Eucharist, the commandment to love one snother and the rosary. As part of the closing day organizers prayed a living rosary with the children. (Photos by Karen Worrell)

  

PHILADELPHIA –  Vacation Bible School for Holy Cross Parish ended in a mess for pastor Augustine Palimattam and his youth group as they made “human ice cream sundaes.” (Photo by Brett Moran)

Workshop aims to connect ministers, music, liturgy

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By Mary Woodward
PEARL – “Sacred music and liturgical chant have the task of giving us a sense of the glory of God, of his beauty, of his holiness which wraps us in a ‘luminous cloud.’”
With this quote from Pope Francis given at an international conference on sacred music in March of this year, Alexis Kutarna, director of music and professor at St. Mary Seminary in Houston, Texas, began a two day retreat-style gathering for parish liturgical music ministers and pastors on June 8-9.
The gathering was designed to bring music ministers together to refresh and strengthen their knowledge of the role of music in the liturgy. Pearl St. Jude Parish graciously hosted the event.  

Alexis Kutarna, director of music and professor at St. Mary Seminary in Houston, Texas, led the workshop, hosted at Pearl St. Jude Parish.

Kutarna based her talks in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Roman Missal and Sing to the Lord,  the U.S. Bishops’ document on music in the liturgy. Though the presentations were in English, the substance of the talks applied to the celebration of Mass in any language.
On the first day, Kutarna expounded on the mystery of liturgy and how it is the work of the Blessed Trinity, which draws us into a glimpse of the heavenly banquet and towards our salvation. Quoting the Catechism, Kutarna further explained the liturgy as the work of God, the work of Christ and the work of the Church:
 …the Father accomplishes the ‘mystery of his will’ by giving his beloved Son and his Holy Spirit for the salvation of the world and for the glory of his name. Such is the mystery of Christ, revealed and fulfilled in history according to the wisely ordered plan that St. Paul calls the ‘plan of the mystery’ and the patristic tradition will call the ‘economy of the Word incarnate’ or the ‘economy of salvation.’
For this reason, the Church celebrates in the liturgy above all the Paschal mystery by which Christ accomplished the work of our salvation.
It is this mystery of Christ that the Church proclaims and celebrates in her liturgy so that the faithful may live from it and bear witness to the world… (CCC 1066-1068)
From these foundational statements, Kutarna then took participants on a journey through signs, symbols and sacraments, touching on art, architecture and ultimately music and the role of these in creating and developing our awareness of and participation in the divine liturgy whenever the people of God come together to worship.
She stressed the liturgy is a corporate act of worship by the people of God, where the “eternal event of Christ intersects with chronological time.” Therefore, this should be kept in mind when planning liturgical celebrations.
Art, architecture and music are not intended to be the center of worship but integral parts that lead the community into worship and giving glory to God. The Mass is not a concert or an opportunity to show off voices. Music ministers should seek to enhance the corporate act of worship by striving to connect the worshippers with the choirs of angels and the heavenly hosts.
In the evening, Kutarna took participants through the parts of the Mass offering practical suggestions for various aspects, such as: not to use the Gloria as a “sprinkling” song, when to begin the alleluia, singing a hymn of praise after Communion, and more.
On the second day, Kutarna shared resources and practical information on the role of music ministers and the types of music and instrument choices. While the organ still has pride of place in worship, other instruments may be incorporated as long as they are played in a manner that does not distract or remind worshippers of their other uses, such as electric guitars, which have often been smashed on amplifiers by crazed rock stars.  Music and instruments should reflect the dignity of the celebration and the sacredness of the transcendent moment.
Careful attention should be placed on selecting appropriate hymns based in Scripture and theology. Musical texts reinforce Scripture, the teachings of the church and liturgical theology for worshippers. If you constantly use communion songs that refer to bread, then worshippers are going to continue to think of it as bread, Kutarna emphasized.
She suggested musicians look at the options for selecting music provided by the Church in the liturgical books. Entrance and Communion antiphons are the first three of the four options for music. These antiphons are steeped in Scripture and Catholic theology and can easily be used as an opening or communion hymn.  
They have been developed over the past 19 centuries and can be sung as chant or in more modern settings. Hymns are certainly an option, but once again musicians need to be careful to select hymns that are consistent with Scripture and Church teachings.  
Kutarna also spoke on ways to incorporate the Liturgy of the Hours into parish life.  As part of the retreat, participants gathered to sing Vespers or Evening Prayer; Compline or Night Prayer; Lauds or Morning Prayer; and Sext or Midday Prayer.  
The Liturgy of the Hours has been prayed in parish communities for more than 18 centuries.  For the retreat, Evening Prayer was combined with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Participants were able to learn more about how the hours could be prayed in a parish setting and reflected on those possibilities such as ecumenical gatherings and times when Mass may not be available, especially during the week.
Speaking as the director of the diocesan liturgy office, we wanted to provide an opportunity for liturgical music ministers to come together and refresh their knowledge of the liturgy and music’s role in it. We also wanted to offer some solid foundations and resources on broadening their horizons from just the traditional four hymn Masses.
Kutarna certainly gave us plenty to think about. We thank those who partook and are working on ways to follow up with resources and networking for all parishes.
The retreat was sponsored by the diocesan office of liturgy. Deacon Aaron Williams assisted in planning and was the retreat organ master.

 

Pastoral assignments

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Father Pradeep Thirumalareddy is appointed pastor of Batesville St. Mary Parish effective June 11.

Father Raju Macherula is appointed associate pastor of Tupelo St. James Parish effective August 1.

Father Rusty Vincent has been appointed as coordinator of the office of Campus Ministry for the diocese. He remains associate pastor of Starkville St. Joseph Parish.

Father Pradeep

Father Raju

Father Rusty

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT
GREENWOOD Locus Benedictus Spirituality Center, “Then Sings My Soul” inner healing retreat, Friday, July 21, 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 22, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Cost is $60.  Details: Magdalene Abraham, (662) 299-1232.
GRENADA St. Peter, Save the Date, Saturday, October 7, Adult Retreat. More details will be forthcoming.  Details: church office (662) 226-2490.
JACKSON Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Eucharistic celebration, Sunday, July 16, 6:30 p.m. Carmelite Monastery Chapel, followed by a reception on the front lawn. Father Jeremy Tobin, OPraem, will be the main Celebrant and Deacon Denzil Lobo will be the homilist. Join the sisters before the feast for novena Masses: Sunday, July 9 – 11 a.m.
Monday-Friday, July 10-14 – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday July 15 – 9:30 a.m.
Details: (601) 373-1460.

PARISH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY EVENTS
HERNANDO Holy Spirit, Save the Date, Fall Bazaar, Saturday September 30, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Volunteers needed to set up before and help the day of the bazaar. Details: Barbara Smith (662) 233-4833 or (901) 413-8102.
JACKSON Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, graphic artist needed to volunteer on a special project. Details: Cathedral office (601) 969-3125 or (601) 613-2430.
– St. Richard, monthly Bereavement Support Group “Life is Changed Not Ended”, Thursday, July 13, 6:30 p.m. in the Mercy Room. Speaker: Rev. Ann McLemore, associate rector at St. James’ Episcopal Church. Rev. McLemore has been an Episcopal priest for 20 years and has been devoted to helping those who have lost loved ones since her husband’s death eight years ago. Open to all. Details: Suzie Cranston, (601) 982-5464, Linda Lalor (601) 853-8840, or Nancy McGhee (601) 942-2078 or email ncmcghee@bellsouth.net.
MADISON 2017 Mississippi Drug Summit, July 11-13 at Broadmoor Baptist Church. Summit to focus on opioid and herion abuse. Open to counselors, advocates, social workers and attorneys. Continuing education credits available to clinicians. Details: www.drugsummit.com.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Blood Drive, Tuesday, July 18, noon – 5:30 p.m. at the Family Life Center. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
– American Choral Association Directors Concert, Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m., free and open to the public. Details: church office (601) 445-5616.
STARKVILLE St. Joseph Parish, Billings Ovulation Method, Natural Family Planning Teacher training, July 20-23, Registration fee covered by the Catholic Diocese of Jackson for Catholics. Deadline to register is July 11. Cost: Food/beverage – $50 per person (July 20 dinner included, other evening meals on your own). Details: Mrs. Carmen Wilder, (662) 341-8865, sue@boma-usa.org, (651) 699-8139 or www.boma-usa.org and select the Teacher Training tab.
VICKSBURG St. Michael, Meals on Wheels, the parish serves the elderly of their community on the second Friday of each month. Next service day is Friday, July 14 at 8 a.m. in the Parish Hall.  Need volunteers to help with cooking, boxing, delivering meals or donating a dessert, salad or bread. Details: Carrie Meyer (601) 218-1007 or Jennifer Vincent at (601) 529-3230.

YOUTH EVENTS
AMORY St. Helen parishioners have been invited by First United Methodist Church to adult Vacation Bible School on July 10-12, 9 a.m. – noon, includes lunch. Details: church office (662) 256-8392.
MADISON St. Joseph School, Summer Camps:
Basketball Camp: 3rd – 8th grades for girls and boys, July 17-19. Details: Coach West, (313) 355-3973 or St. Joseph School (601) 898-4800.
Cheerleader Camp: Rising 1st – 6th graders, July 17-19. Details Emily Toulomelis ebechtold@stjoebruins.com
Spirit Stepper Camp: rising 1st – 6th graders, July 17-19. Details: Leslie Ann Harkins lharkins@stjoebruins.com.
TUPELO St. James, Vacation Bible School “SUPER SAINTS”, July 17-21. Registration forms are in the back of the church and in the office.  Details: Dori, (662) 316-1461 if you can volunteer.

Save the Date
MADISON Faith Formation Day, Saturday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m – 3 p.m. at St. Joseph High School. The Department of Faith Formation invites parish and school catechists, RCIA team members, youth ministers, DREs/CREs, Adult Education Leaders and all who are interested in faith formation for a day of enrichment and education. Look for details in coming weeks.

IN MEMORIAM


Ursuline Sister Louise Marie Willenbrink, died June 21 at the age of 82 in Louisville, Kentucky. She entered the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville in 1954. She earned a BA degree in English from Ursuline College, Louisville, in 1958 and a MA degree in English from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, in 1964. Sister also studied at Spalding University, Louisville; and Trinity Washington University (then Trinity College) in Washington, DC. Sister Louise taught at Saint Mary School and Saint Joseph High School in Jackson from 1965 to 1969.
Visitation was at the Ursuline Motherhouse June 26, followed by a Vigil Service.  The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated on June 27 in the Motherhouse Chapel with burial in St. Michael Cemetery.  Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Ursuline Sisters and mailed to the Mission Advancement Office, 3105 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40206.

Calendar of events

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SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT

BROOKSVILLE Dwelling Place Retreat Center, Associate Weekend, August 18-20. It will be a time to share our common vision and ministry, support one another in prayer, renew our commitments for another year, welcome new friends and plan for the future.  Begins with supper at 6:30. Details: (662) 738-5348 or email dwellpl@gmail.com.
CULLMAN, Ala Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center, Five-Day Directed Retreat, August 7-11. Enjoy silence, scheduled consultations with a spiritual director and personal reflection and prayer. Retreat Directors: Sister Mary McGehee, OSB, Sister Treva Heinberg, OSB and Sister Priscilla Cohen, OSB. Cost: private room $470. Details: Sister Elisabeth Meadows, OSB; Director, www.shmon.org or (256) 734-8302.

PARISH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY

JACKSON St. Peter Cathedral, Bingo Party, Saturday July 15. Details: Laura Tarbutton, ltarbutton@cathedralsaintpeter.org..
– St. Richard, Save the date – Level II church history class, 9:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. on the following Tuesdays:  August 15, 22 and 29, and September: 5, 12 and 19. Facilitator: Mary Louise Jones. The class will use “The Catholic Church through the Ages” by John Vidmar, OP. Details: church office (601) 366-2335.
NATCHEZ St. Mary Basilica, Loyola Theology Study, first course begins Friday, September 15. Details: contact the church office (601) 445-5616 or Donna Martello, Program Coordinator@cableone.net by June 30.
TUPELO North Mississippi Health Services, Volunteers are needed in many areas of health care. Details: Jessica Vaughn at (662) 871-5033 or jvaughnii@aol.com.
YAZOO CITY McCoy Elementary Cafetorium,  “Revive Yazoo” city-wide revival. June 26-30 at 7 p.m. Guest speakers include Bishop Edward Duke, Butterworth, South Africa; Pastor Rickey Musgrove, Edmond, Oklahoma; and Dr. Robert and Pastor Pam Armstrong, Springfield, Illinois. Flyers at the St. Mary church entrance. Details: church office (662)-746-1680.
 – St. Mary,  An eight-week Catholic Bible study will be offered in September. Details: Diane Melton at (662) 746-1680.

YOUTH BRIEFS
AMORY St. Helen, Vacation Bible School, held in conjunction with First Presbyterian Church, July 9-11, from 5-8 p.m. There will be a cookout on Wednesday, July 12, at 6 p.m. for both congregations. Details: church office (662) 256-8392.
GRENADA St. Peter, If anyone is interested in organizing Vacation Bible School and getting a team together for one week this summer. The church can provide a program with all the details needed to pull it off. Details: Annette Tipton (662) 226-2490.
TUPELO St. James, Homework, July 26-29. Open to youth going into grades 6-12. They will have games, service projects, guest speakers and more. There is no cost. Forms are at the back of the church, in the church office, or available by email.  Adult Volunteers needed. Details: Dori Stearns, (662) 842-4881 or st-james-cyo@comcast.net.

JUBILEES

 

Sister Patricia “Pat” Clemen

Sister Patricia “Pat” Clemen, a Sister of St. Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, is set to celebrate her Golden Jubilee on Saturday, June 24, at Mount St. Francis Center in Dubuque.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at Marycrest College, Davenport, Iowa, and Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies at Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala. In 1978 Sister Pat moved to Mississippi and currently resides in Morton. From 1988-2008 she volunteered as DRE/RCIA Director at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. Presently, Sister Pat is Quality Improvement Director at Sta-Home Health and Hospice in Jackson and volunteers at Excel Learning Center in Morton teaching CPR.
The following School Sisters of St. Francis, Wilwaukee celebrated Jubilees on June 17:
Sister Noel (Renelle) LeClaire (70 years) was born in Escanaba, Michigan.  She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Alverno College, Milwaukee, a Master of Religious Education degree from Regis College in Boston, a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Institute of Regina Mundi in Rome, and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from Marquette University, Milwaukee. In the Diocese of Jackson, she served in Holly Springs as a social worker at Sacred Heart Southern Missions (1992-1994) and at a social service agency (1994-2005).  Sister resides in Milwaukee.
Sister Maria Ann (Esther) Raef (70 years) was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alverno College in Milwaukee and graduated as a certified nursing assistant from Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. She taught at Sacred Heart School, Walls (1959-1965). Sister resides in Milwaukee.
Sister Margaret Sue (Vincens) Broker (60 years) was born in Frankenstein, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Alverno College, Milwaukee, a Master of Science degree in Education from Memphis State University, Tennessee, and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from Spring Hill College, Mobile, Ala. She taught at Sacred Heart School, Walls (1961-1994) where she also served as principal (1994-1996) and worked as a member of the development staff (1996-1999). Sister is now a teacher at Sacred Heart School, Southaven (1999-present).  
Sister Sheila (Charmond) Kloss (60 years) was born in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Alverno College, Milwaukee, and a Master of Arts degree in Education from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago. She served as principal of CADET School, Holly Springs (1969-1986). Sister resides in Idyllwild, California.
Cards for the last four sisters may be mailed to the sister’s name, ATTN:  Jubilee Committee, 1515 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215.