NC - Spring 2021
Nazareth SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH // VOL. 15 // NO 1 // SPRING 2021 CONNECTIONS FAMILY IS THE HEART OF OUR MISSION With a Father’s Heart STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 6
- Page 2 and 3: MESSAGE FROM THE PROVINCIAL SUPERIO
- Page 4 and 5: VOCATION I am home: A VOCATION STOR
- Page 6 and 7: 6 REFLECTION
- Page 8 and 9: strength to care for and protect hi
- Page 10 and 11: 10
- Page 12 and 13: In Memoriam Sr. M. Eleanor Woods Ap
- Page 14 and 15: master’s degree in French from Se
- Page 16 and 17: DEVELOPMENT We Invite You to Partic
- Page 18 and 19: DEVELOPMENT There are many ways to
- Page 20: 310 N River Rd. Des Plaines, IL 600
Nazareth<br />
SISTERS OF<br />
THE HOLY<br />
FAMILY OF<br />
NAZARETH //<br />
VOL. 15 //<br />
NO 1 //<br />
SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
CONNECTIONS<br />
FAMILY IS THE HEART OF OUR MISSION<br />
With a<br />
Father’s Heart<br />
STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 6
MESSAGE FROM THE PROVI<strong>NC</strong>IAL SUPERIOR<br />
St. Joseph<br />
A FIGURE OF HOPE<br />
Dear Friends of Nazareth,<br />
This past December, Pope Francis<br />
proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph, in honor<br />
of the 150th anniversary of Blessed<br />
Pope Pius IX’s declaration of St. Joseph<br />
as Patron of the Universal Church. St.<br />
Joseph is a pivotal figure in the Catholic<br />
faith, not only for his role as the protector<br />
and patriarch of the Holy Family, but<br />
also in the example he sets for all of us<br />
in showing that even the most ordinary<br />
people are capable of the extraordinary.<br />
He is a figure of hope for all of us,<br />
particularly during these difficult times.<br />
Joseph was by most means an ordinary<br />
man, a carpenter, betrothed to Mary and<br />
faced with a difficult question of faith, far<br />
greater than any he could have imagined.<br />
And yet, he let his faith guide him and<br />
took his place as Mary’s husband and<br />
earthly father to the Christ child. It is easy<br />
to see how Joseph can be considered a<br />
paragon of faith, but it may take a little<br />
closer look to discover how Joseph is also<br />
a figure of great hope.<br />
Throughout his adult life, Joseph was<br />
confronted with moments of great fear:<br />
fear of how he would be perceived if he<br />
should take Mary as his bride, fear of<br />
what the road to Bethlehem may hold<br />
for him and his burgeoning family, fear<br />
of Herod’s deadly decree. And yet, Joseph<br />
greeted each of these moments not only<br />
with faith in the Lord’s plan, but also<br />
the great hope for the future that lay<br />
before him. His is an example that should<br />
resonate with all of us.<br />
For more than a year, we have faced<br />
our own fears and an uncertain future.<br />
The world around us could have easily<br />
shaken the faith we held dear, and yet,<br />
like Joseph, we persevered. We looked<br />
towards a brighter day with great hope<br />
in our hearts – hope that these troubles<br />
would someday pass, hope that our<br />
lives could resume some semblance of<br />
normalcy, hope that we, even as we are<br />
ordinary people ourselves, would find<br />
our way along the path that God had set<br />
before us.<br />
I leave you now with a prayer of hope,<br />
words very much like what Joseph himself<br />
may have thought when the angel first<br />
visited him and spoke of the path his life<br />
was to take. In this year of St. Joseph, let<br />
us all fill our hearts with hope of a better<br />
day to come.<br />
Heavenly father, I am your humble servant,<br />
I come before you today in need of hope.<br />
I need hope for a calm and joyful future.<br />
I need hope for love and kindness.<br />
I pray for peace and safety.<br />
Some say that the sky is at its<br />
darkest just before the light.<br />
I pray that this is true, for today seems<br />
stormy and dim.<br />
I need your light, Lord, in every way.<br />
I pray to be filled with your light.<br />
Help me to walk in your light, and live<br />
my life in faith and service.<br />
In your name I pray, Amen.<br />
In the Holy Family,<br />
Sister Kathleen Maciej<br />
HOW ARE YOU CALLED TO LOVE?<br />
We invite you to pray with us, to listen to God’s call with us and to love with us<br />
as we find God in ordinary experiences. Learn more about our community life,<br />
our ministries and our mission at nazarethcsfn.org/join-us. Or contact<br />
Sr. Emmanuela Le, CSFN, National Vocation Director, at 972-641-4496 x111<br />
or vocations@nazarethcsfn.org.<br />
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VOLUME 15 //<br />
NO 1 //<br />
SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
Nazareth Connections is published<br />
three times a year by the Sisters of<br />
the Holy Family of Nazareth<br />
in the USA.<br />
Editor:<br />
Tammy Townsend Denny<br />
Proofreaders:<br />
Sr. Clare Marie Kozicki<br />
Sr. Jude Carroll<br />
Sr. Lucille Madura<br />
Contents<br />
VOCATION<br />
4-5 I am home:<br />
a vocation story<br />
REFLECTION<br />
6-9 With a Father’s Heart:<br />
The Year of St. Joseph<br />
10-11 Life’s Traffic Light<br />
IN MEMORIAM<br />
12 Sr. M. Eleanor Woods<br />
Sr. M. Lauretta (Laura) Matusik<br />
Sr. M. Paul (Genevieve) Rozanska<br />
Sr. M. Susanne (Cecilia) Danoski<br />
Sr. M. Irmina Paszkiewicz<br />
Sr. M. Roberta Garczynska<br />
Sr. M. Francesca Onley<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
16 Our Prayer<br />
Remembrance Program<br />
18 Have you thought<br />
about your Estate Plans?<br />
ON THE COVER:<br />
St. Joseph in the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth’s<br />
former St. Joseph Province chapel in Pittsburgh, circa 2002.<br />
18<br />
Editorial Board:<br />
Sr. Angela Szczawinska<br />
Sr. Barbara Frances Samp<br />
Sr. Carol Szott<br />
Sr. Jude Carroll<br />
Sr. Kathleen Ann Stadler<br />
Sr. Lucille Madura<br />
Sr. Marcelina Mikulska<br />
Sr. Marcella Louise Wallowicz<br />
Sr. Mary Louise Swift<br />
Sr. Teresilla Kolodziejczyk<br />
Katherine Barth<br />
Design/Print:<br />
McDaniels Marketing<br />
Questions, comments, suggestions?<br />
Please contact:<br />
Communications Department<br />
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth<br />
310 N. River Road,<br />
Des Plaines, IL 60016<br />
847-298-6760, x144<br />
ttownsend@nazarethcsfn.org<br />
nazarethcsfn.org<br />
facebook.com/csfn.usa<br />
twitter.com/csfn_usa<br />
instagram.com/csfn.usa<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
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VOCATION<br />
I am<br />
home:<br />
A VOCATION STORY<br />
by Sr. Maria Sophia Gerlach, CSFN<br />
A not-so-small miracle in my adult<br />
life is that I did not stop going to<br />
Sunday Mass when I went off to<br />
college; nevertheless, it was not until<br />
after I graduated that I got involved<br />
at the Catholic Center (CC) at my<br />
undergraduate institution. Through<br />
the ministry of the chaplains and staff,<br />
and through the witness of students<br />
and fellow young professionals, God<br />
brought me into closer relationship<br />
with Him and kindled in my heart a<br />
very strong desire for prayer before<br />
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.<br />
After a couple years of working as<br />
a high school teacher and planning<br />
my out-of-school hours around daily<br />
Mass and CC activities, grabbing<br />
moments at adoration wherever I<br />
could, Jesus brought me to a point<br />
where I was given the advice, “It’s<br />
not a career question, Maria, it’s a<br />
vocation question.” On the eve of my<br />
25th birthday, at the Sunday vigil Mass<br />
with friends, I prayed, “Jesus, I need to<br />
hear what You are asking of me – how<br />
would you have me spend my life?”<br />
The next two years were an<br />
interesting adventure. Fortunately,<br />
I was able to take a year’s leave of<br />
absence from my teaching position<br />
and journey back to my hometown<br />
before heading for a volunteer<br />
stint with the Sisters of the Holy<br />
Family of Nazareth (CSFN) at one<br />
of our convents in Poland. I wanted<br />
to both volunteer and try to learn<br />
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more of the Polish language, so a<br />
Sister involved with vocation work<br />
connected me with a convent where I<br />
could do both.<br />
Meanwhile, at home, I was invited<br />
to spend one academic quarter as a<br />
part-time substitute teacher at my<br />
high school, a CSFN school, of course.<br />
During that time, the sisters there<br />
connected with me and began inviting<br />
me for prayers and supper in not one<br />
but two local homes. By the time I left<br />
for Poland and my live-in volunteer<br />
experience, there was a definite<br />
tugging at my heart and soul. The time<br />
away with more time for quiet – it<br />
helped that I could not understand a<br />
lot that was going on around me and<br />
You see, through it all, everything I<br />
could imagine for my future was now<br />
connected to this congregation, this<br />
group of women who welcomed<br />
me so lovingly into their midst in<br />
every place I encountered them. Our<br />
current US Province “tag line” – Family<br />
is the heart of our mission – resonates<br />
with the home where I grew up;<br />
there was always room for one<br />
more around the table. Hospitality, a<br />
particular characteristic of Nazareth,<br />
fits just right in my heart and soul. To<br />
this day, I get excited when I find a<br />
chapel with exposition of the Blessed<br />
Sacrament, and I cannot fathom ever<br />
living in a home where Jesus is not<br />
present. I am home.<br />
Sr. Maria Sophia on the train in<br />
Philadelphia on her way to the World<br />
Meeting of Families in 2015.<br />
The Record of Final Profession that<br />
CSFNs sign when they profess their<br />
final vows.<br />
Sr. Maria Sophia during the profession<br />
of her final vows in 2016.<br />
Sr. Maria Sophia during Mass for the<br />
profession of her final vows in 2016.<br />
“...and I cannot fathom ever living in a home<br />
where Jesus is not present. I am home.”<br />
that I had free access to the sisters’<br />
chapel – really helped solidify things.<br />
While I was in Poland during that<br />
Easter season, I wrote to the vocation<br />
director in the States to ask for<br />
admission to the congregation.<br />
Sr. Maria Sophia entered the<br />
congregation in 2010, professed her first<br />
vows in 2012 and final vows in 2016.<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
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REFLECTION
With a<br />
Father’s Heart:<br />
THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH<br />
This past December, Pope Francis<br />
proclaimed <strong>2021</strong> as the Year of St.<br />
Joseph in celebration of the 150th<br />
anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s<br />
declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of<br />
the Universal Church. He also issued<br />
the Apostolic Letter Patris Corde (With<br />
a Father’s Heart) which describes St.<br />
Joseph’s role as “a tender and loving<br />
father” who showed courage and<br />
humility.<br />
St. Joseph was the patriarch of the<br />
Holy Family, their provider and<br />
protector. His faith in God allowed<br />
him to go against the cultural norm<br />
of his time and accept Mary as his<br />
bride, caring for her and the young<br />
Jesus when many might have cast<br />
them out. God is our Father in heaven,<br />
but Joseph stands as an example<br />
to all fathers here on Earth, a quiet<br />
and comforting presence providing<br />
strength and humility to their children.<br />
As Pope Francis tells us in his Patris<br />
Corde, “Fathers are not born, but<br />
made. A man does not become a<br />
father simply by bringing a child<br />
into the world, but by taking up<br />
the responsibility to care for that<br />
child. Whenever a man accepts<br />
responsibility for the life of another,<br />
in some way he becomes a father to<br />
that person.” In accepting Jesus as his<br />
son on Earth, Joseph paved the way<br />
for all of us to find acceptance in the<br />
Kingdom of God.<br />
Pope Francis goes on to write, “Joseph<br />
is certainly not passively resigned, but<br />
courageously and firmly proactive.<br />
In our own lives, acceptance and<br />
welcome can be an expression of the<br />
Holy Spirit’s gift of fortitude. Only<br />
the Lord can give us the strength<br />
needed to accept life as it is, with all<br />
its contradictions, frustrations and<br />
disappointments.”<br />
During this Year of St. Joseph, our<br />
sisters are spending time deepening<br />
their relationship with St. Joseph<br />
through prayer and study. The<br />
following are two reflections that have<br />
resulted from our year dedicated to<br />
celebrating St. Joseph.<br />
JOSEPH SEEKING<br />
ASYLUM<br />
by Sr. Catherine Fedewa, CSFN<br />
I love to see the way filmmakers<br />
depict the relationship with Joseph<br />
and Mary. Most depict Joseph as being<br />
attracted to or in love with Mary, not<br />
viewing theirs as an arranged marriage<br />
which it might very well have been. I<br />
prefer the former… why else would<br />
Joseph be in such a dilemma when<br />
he discovered Mary’s pregnancy?<br />
But, as guided by his dream, he made<br />
that commitment and then found a<br />
whole other level of depth to their<br />
relationship. He would take her into<br />
continued on next page...<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
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strength to care for and protect his<br />
family.<br />
I couldn’t help wonder if it was to<br />
the United States today that Joseph<br />
and his family were fleeing, would<br />
they pass the credible fear test of<br />
the Border Control to qualify them<br />
to seek asylum? Or would they be<br />
summarily dismissed and deported<br />
back to their country of origin, despite<br />
the dangers that would await them?<br />
JOSEPH THE EXILE<br />
IN EGYPT<br />
by Sr. Jane Frances Malaczewski, CSFN<br />
his home and care for, protect and<br />
defend his new bride (and their child).<br />
So many details are missing from<br />
Scripture, so I continue to use my<br />
imaginative prayer and reflect on what<br />
that early life meant for them. Did<br />
they start out in Joseph’s home in<br />
Bethlehem or did they have to travel<br />
there for the census? How long was<br />
it before the magi came to visit them?<br />
And when was Joseph informed (again<br />
in a dream) to flee, to leave their<br />
home and their family behind, to “get<br />
out of town” before danger caught up<br />
with them?<br />
Immigrants on the move, that was<br />
what this little family became. We see<br />
so many fathers today doing exactly<br />
what Joseph had to do…pack up their<br />
family, their belongings and flee…far<br />
“We see so many fathers today doing exactly what<br />
Joseph had to do…pack up their family, their<br />
belongings and flee…far away, on foot (and maybe<br />
donkey), to a strange country, a strange culture, a<br />
strange language.”<br />
away, on foot (and maybe donkey), to<br />
a strange country, a strange culture,<br />
a strange language. And once there,<br />
would they be accepted? Where<br />
would they live? Would Joseph find<br />
work? He was now responsible for<br />
something he never planned for. But<br />
like so many immigrants today, he<br />
had faith. Did he understand that his<br />
stepson was the Son of God? I don’t<br />
think so, but he knew that God was<br />
guiding him, that God would continue,<br />
one day at a time, to give him the<br />
Humble and obedient to the will of<br />
God, St. Joseph did not question, only<br />
pondered what God asked of him.<br />
His pondering made him such a great<br />
saint. To me, his life was a life of love<br />
and self-forgetfulness. His actions,<br />
not words, spoke of his love for Jesus<br />
and Mary—his family. He truly was a<br />
loving protector of this family. To keep<br />
his family safe, he even, without any<br />
hesitation, traveled to Egypt to escape<br />
the wrath of King Herod. To me, this is<br />
LOVE in the highest form.<br />
In my own life, I don’t remember the<br />
beginning of my tatulek’s [daddy] life,<br />
only what my mamusia [mommy]<br />
told me. From her recollection, I can<br />
truly say that my tatulek walked in<br />
the footprints of St. Joseph. No, he did<br />
not migrate from Poland to Egypt, but<br />
from Poland to Cleveland, Ohio. Why?<br />
I will try to explain. Rumors were<br />
spreading about a war. Tatulek did not<br />
hesitate; he prayed and took action.<br />
He wrote a letter to his aunt (his<br />
mother’s sister) in Cleveland, asking<br />
for an invitation to come to the U.S.A<br />
with his family. The invite came within<br />
a few months—but only for Tatulek.<br />
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The reason why only for him was<br />
simple. Tatulek was a citizen of the US<br />
and Mamusia was not; she was a Polish<br />
citizen. Tatulek was born in Cleveland<br />
and at the age of six, his parents and<br />
their children returned to Poland due<br />
to poverty in the US from the Great<br />
Depression. They settled on a farm<br />
belonging to his grandparents. Here,<br />
Tatulek lived and at the age of twentytwo,<br />
was married on May 22, 1938.<br />
Because of his decision to migrate<br />
and the “invite” from his aunt, Tatulek<br />
with a sad heart, left his family and<br />
came alone to Cleveland. Life was<br />
very hard for Tatulek without us. He<br />
lived with his aunt, for a time, until he<br />
got a job and began getting paid for it.<br />
That’s when life got even harder. His<br />
aunt made him pay for the meals he<br />
ate and for rent. Because of this, and<br />
his health, Tatulek could not help us as<br />
much as he wanted. Also, World War<br />
II started in 1939. His dream did not<br />
come true until nine years later when<br />
as a family we were united together<br />
once again.<br />
In my life, I believe I am also following<br />
in the footprints of St. Joseph. I was<br />
asked to go to places unknown to<br />
me. I was changed from Michigan<br />
to Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh to Erie,<br />
Pennsylvania, to Cleveland and back<br />
to Pittsburgh. I had no idea what<br />
awaited me, but I trusted God and my<br />
leadership teams. With God’s help and<br />
His protection, I am in the community<br />
for sixty-three years, and can truly say<br />
every convent was and is a “home”<br />
for me; a place of acceptance, respect,<br />
understanding and love.<br />
In St. Joseph, let us take refuge all the<br />
days of our life!<br />
Sr. Josephine Garrett with her uncle<br />
who raised her “with a father’s heart.”<br />
Photo taken at her final vows in 2020.<br />
Sr. Catherine Fedewa at the 2018<br />
Archdiocese of Chicago Annual<br />
Posada for Immigration Reform.<br />
Sr. Jane Frances Malaczewski, left,<br />
with Sr. Carol Szott, right, rang<br />
their Nazareth chimes on Poland’s<br />
Constitution Day in 2020 in honor<br />
of healthcare workers. Both sisters<br />
are wearing shirts with an eagle, the<br />
national emblem of Poland.<br />
Sr. Catherine in 2020 for the “Run/<br />
Walk for Refugee Kids” sponsored by<br />
Exodus World Service. She raised over<br />
$500 for refugee children.<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
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NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
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In Memoriam<br />
Sr. M. Eleanor<br />
Woods<br />
April 20, 1936 -<br />
November 14,<br />
2020<br />
Sr. Eleanor was a<br />
woman of deep<br />
faith and love for God. She loved the<br />
outdoors and was an avid sports fan.<br />
Born in New Haven, Connecticut on<br />
April 20, 1936, she was the oldest<br />
of seven children. She attended St.<br />
Stanislaus Elementary School and<br />
Wilbur Cross High School both in<br />
New Haven. After graduating from<br />
high school, she worked for a year as<br />
a secretary at Yale University Press<br />
before entering the Sisters of the<br />
Holy Family of Nazareth in 1955. She<br />
credited the CYO (Catholic Youth<br />
Organization) in her parish with<br />
planting the seed of her vocation<br />
to religious life. Upon entering the<br />
novitiate in 1956, Eleanor received<br />
the name Sr. Mary Charlotte. She<br />
later returned to her baptismal name.<br />
She professed final vows in 1964.<br />
She began her education ministry as<br />
a third grade teacher in St. Adalbert<br />
School, Elmhurst, New York. Feeling<br />
the inner call to be a missionary,<br />
she later volunteered to serve in<br />
our Santa Cruz, Peru mission. After<br />
earning a BA in education, she spent<br />
four months in Ponce, Puerto Rico<br />
for an intensive Spanish course before<br />
arriving in Peru in December 1964.<br />
She fell in love with the people of<br />
Peru, their land, their culture and<br />
their gracious spirit.<br />
After Peru, Sr. Eleanor taught<br />
Spanish at St. Mary’s High School in<br />
Worcester, Massachusetts where<br />
she also started a physical education<br />
program. She also served as principal<br />
of St. Peter Claver School in Brooklyn,<br />
New York. She later transitioned to<br />
the role of pastoral minister at St.<br />
Peter Claver Parish. After receiving<br />
her certification as a spiritual director,<br />
Sr. Eleanor was appointed director<br />
at the House of Prayer in Riverhead,<br />
New York. Through the years, she<br />
also served as director of religious<br />
education at Our Lady of the<br />
Presentation and Our Lady of Loreto<br />
in Brooklyn, chaplain with Momentum<br />
AIDS Project of Manhattan, and<br />
chaplain at the NYS Veteran’s Home<br />
in St. Albans, Queens, New York.<br />
Sr. Eleanor retired from her<br />
ministry in June 2013 and moved to<br />
Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent,<br />
Monroe, Connecticut.<br />
Sr. Eleanor’s declining health may have<br />
lessened her physical and mental<br />
capabilities but it did not take away<br />
her pleasant disposition, her beautiful<br />
smile and her acceptance of all<br />
persons. Sr. Eleanor died as she lived,<br />
peacefully and calmly, on the evening<br />
of November 14, 2020. Her interment<br />
was private.<br />
Sr. M. Lauretta<br />
(Laura) Matusik<br />
May 1, 1922 -<br />
January 1, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Born May 1, 1922<br />
in Jamaica, New<br />
York to John and<br />
Katherine Poska Matusik and baptized<br />
at St. Joseph Church, Laura grew up<br />
sharing the joys and triumphs of a big<br />
family.<br />
Laura and her siblings were educated<br />
at St. Joseph School by the Sisters<br />
of the Holy Family of Nazareth. She<br />
attended and graduated from John<br />
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Adams Public High School. Quite<br />
adept in the business world, she<br />
worked in government jobs until she<br />
entered the Congregation at 30 years<br />
old on January 13, 1952. She professed<br />
final vows on August 11, 1960.<br />
She was a member of the first<br />
graduating class at Holy Family<br />
College (now Holy Family University),<br />
graduating with a BA in 1958. She<br />
went on to earn an MA at Marywood<br />
College in 1968.<br />
Following a brief time at Sacred<br />
Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Scranton,<br />
Pennsylvania, Sr. Lauretta began her<br />
life-long love of teaching the young<br />
women at Nazareth Academy High<br />
School in Philadelphia as a teacher, a<br />
mentor, and a friend to so many young<br />
women. She taught there for 42 years.<br />
In 1997, Sr. Lauretta retired from her<br />
position at Nazareth Academy High<br />
School, but her heart remained there.<br />
Her students continued to keep in<br />
touch with her. In retirement, Sr.<br />
Lauretta served as the receptionist<br />
and took care of the mail delivery<br />
at the provincial offices. Collecting<br />
canceled stamps for the missions,<br />
clipping coupons for those in need,<br />
and corresponding with family and<br />
friends were daily activities that<br />
followed her when she moved to<br />
Mount Nazareth in Philadelphia<br />
in 2007. She never missed an<br />
opportunity to support one of her<br />
sisters who was in need of her<br />
thoughtful notes and promise of<br />
prayer. She also treasured the love of<br />
her family and friends.<br />
Sr. Lauretta passed away on January<br />
1, <strong>2021</strong>, on the feast of Our Lady, at<br />
Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia. Her<br />
interment was private.<br />
Sr. M. Paul<br />
(Genevieve)<br />
Rozanska<br />
June 5, 1934 -<br />
January 13, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Sr. Paul was a<br />
clever, talented,<br />
and knowledgeable woman who<br />
centered her life on prayer. She had a<br />
humble and quiet nature. Sr. Paul was<br />
an avid and knowledgeable fan of the<br />
paintings of Thomas Kincaid as well<br />
as the music of violinist Andre Rieu.<br />
In the everyday, she could often be<br />
found completing puzzles, watching<br />
Columbo, and enjoying the occasional<br />
5th Avenue candy bar.<br />
Born on June 5, 1934, she was<br />
baptized at St. John Cantius Parish in<br />
Philadelphia. The only child of Paul<br />
and Genevieve Rozanski, she attended<br />
the parish school and later enrolled<br />
at Nazareth Academy High School.<br />
She was received as a postulant and<br />
novice and made her first profession<br />
of vows on July 3, 1952 and her<br />
final vows on August 12, 1958. Sr.<br />
Paul received a BA at Holy Family<br />
College (now Holy Family University)<br />
in Philadelphia and an MS in math<br />
education from Marywood College<br />
(now Marywood University) in<br />
Scranton, Pennsylvania. She taught at<br />
Our Lady of Czestochowa and Little<br />
Flower High School in Philadelphia<br />
as well as St. Anthony in Throop,<br />
Pennsylvania and Colegio Espiritu<br />
Santo in Puerto Rico. Sr. Paul also was<br />
fluent in Spanish and Polish.<br />
She served as the director of<br />
postulants from 1968 to 1971.<br />
Introducing these young women<br />
to life in our congregation was not<br />
always the easiest job. At times, the<br />
postulants felt her expectations were<br />
too high, yet they knew in their hearts<br />
that she just wanted them to be the<br />
best they could be. According to<br />
one of these postulants, she always<br />
reminded them to “live on the third<br />
floor of faith,” a phrase she quoted<br />
from a book she used for readings:<br />
Keys to the Third Floor by Philip Dion.<br />
Sr. Paul also served as treasurer at<br />
Holy Family University. She retired<br />
from the finance office at the<br />
university when she was 79.<br />
She carried a quiet affection for<br />
everyone in her life. Holidays<br />
presented special opportunities for Sr.<br />
Paul to engage with those she cared<br />
about. At Halloween, she always found<br />
a clever costume to dress up in and<br />
entertained her students and staff.<br />
Sr. Paul also enjoyed making special<br />
cookies at Christmas and “jelly eggs”<br />
at Easter. She often went out of her<br />
way to give of herself to make others<br />
smile.<br />
On the afternoon of January 13, <strong>2021</strong>,<br />
Sr. Paul quietly went back to the Lord<br />
and His Mother at Nazareth Hospital<br />
in Philadelphia. The interment was<br />
private.<br />
Sr. M. Susanne<br />
(Cecilia)<br />
Danoski<br />
May 20, 1936 –<br />
January 17, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Cecilia was born<br />
on May 20, 1936.<br />
Her parents, Joseph and Catherine,<br />
had Cecilia baptized on the feast of<br />
the Visitation at St. Adalbert Church<br />
in Elmhurst, New York. She entered<br />
St. Adalbert’s Elementary School, then<br />
pursued her education at Nazareth<br />
Academy High School and Holy Family<br />
College in Philadelphia. On January<br />
11, 1953, Cecilia entered the Sisters<br />
of the Holy Family of Nazareth where<br />
she became a novice, receiving the<br />
name Sr. Susanne. She received her<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
13
master’s degree in French from Seton<br />
Hall University in South Orange, New<br />
Jersey.<br />
Her ministry of teaching took her<br />
across several states from St. Mary’s<br />
in Massachusetts to St. Joseph’s and<br />
St. Stanislaus in Connecticut to St.<br />
Joseph’s in New Jersey, and finally to<br />
St. Stanislaus, and Holy Cross, coming<br />
full circle to her home parish of St.<br />
Adalbert’s in New York. After thirty<br />
years in teaching, Sr. Susanne became<br />
a student again, this time studying to<br />
be a hospital chaplain. She ministered<br />
at St. Charles Hospital in New York<br />
and St. Francis Medical Center in<br />
New Jersey. Sr. Susanne was one<br />
of the first National Association<br />
of Catholic Chaplains (NACC)<br />
certified chaplains. After serving as<br />
a secretary in a diocesan ministry<br />
in New Jersey, she retired to Mount<br />
Nazareth in Philadelphia in 2013.<br />
Her determination and perseverance<br />
enabled her to acclimate to her<br />
surroundings at this time in her life.<br />
In her retirement, Sr. Susanne<br />
enjoyed watching EWTN daily. She<br />
had a dry sense of humor and a<br />
funny way of describing challenging<br />
situations that uplifted many of the<br />
sisters in her local community. Her<br />
kindness to those who serviced her<br />
in any way did not go unnoticed. This<br />
kindness was a virtue that was part<br />
and parcel of her life. She was long<br />
known for remembering friends and<br />
acquaintances on important days, a<br />
generosity that was also extended<br />
to the poor. Many of these acts of<br />
kindness were done without the<br />
knowledge of others.<br />
On the afternoon of January 17, Sr.<br />
Susanne quietly went back to the Lord<br />
at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia.<br />
The interment was private.<br />
Sr. M. Irmina<br />
(Evelyn)<br />
Paszkiewicz<br />
September 28,<br />
1929 – January<br />
27, <strong>2021</strong><br />
From a loving<br />
home on the East Coast of the US, Sr.<br />
Irmina (Evelyn Frances) Paszkiewicz<br />
began a journey that can only be<br />
compared to that of our foundress,<br />
Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good<br />
Shepherd, who left Poland for Rome,<br />
Italy, and then eventually the US.<br />
Evelyn Frances was born in Baltimore,<br />
Maryland to Thomas and Frances<br />
Paszkiewicz on September 28,<br />
1929. She graduated from Sacred<br />
Heart of Mary School and headed<br />
to Nazareth Academy High School<br />
in Philadelphia. Entering the Sisters<br />
of the Holy Family of Nazareth in<br />
1947, she pronounced her first vows<br />
in 1949 and her final vows in 1955.<br />
Receiving her BA from Holy Family<br />
College (now Holy Family University)<br />
provided the foundation for Sr. Irmina<br />
to begin a worldwide ministry. Her<br />
ministry as a teacher led her to<br />
St. John Cantius, St. Adalbert, and<br />
Nazareth Academy Grade School in<br />
Philadelphia. Her next set of travels<br />
took her to Colegio Espiritu Santo<br />
in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, where she<br />
continued her role of teacher.<br />
In 1962, Sr. Irmina traveled to the<br />
Holy Spirit Province in Australia<br />
where she served in a variety of<br />
ministries including teacher, aspirant<br />
directress, superior, principal, assistant<br />
provincial, and provincial treasurer.<br />
In 1981, she left Australia to return<br />
to her home parish of Sacred Heart<br />
of Mary in Baltimore. At this time,<br />
she also cared for her aging parents<br />
who lived across the street from<br />
the parish office. Sr. Irmina treasured<br />
her family. Through the years, she<br />
taught at St. Gregory’s in Plantation,<br />
Florida; Visitation BVM in Trooper,<br />
Pennsylvania; and, Queen of Peace in<br />
Ardsley, Pennsylvania.<br />
Sr. Irmina also journeyed to<br />
the Philippines to oversee the<br />
construction of the Holy Family of<br />
Nazareth School. Her legacy remains<br />
in the Philippines where the school<br />
stands as a silent witness to her zeal<br />
and dedication. Her last assignment<br />
was aiding our sisters on the<br />
infirmary floor of Mount Nazareth<br />
in Philadelphia. Quietly stepping in<br />
to help out, whether to deliver a<br />
tray, hand out mail, or just pray with<br />
a sister in pain, were qualities that<br />
defined Sr. Irmina.<br />
On the morning of January 27,<br />
<strong>2021</strong>, Sr. Irmina went quietly back<br />
to the Lord at Nazareth Hospital,<br />
Philadelphia. The interment was<br />
private.<br />
Sr. M. Roberta<br />
(Dolores)<br />
Garczynska<br />
March 2, 1929<br />
– February 22,<br />
<strong>2021</strong><br />
Sr. Roberta<br />
(Dolores) Garczynska was a woman<br />
imbued with the spirit of prayer.<br />
Faithful to her religious vocation, she<br />
was one of the first sisters in chapel<br />
every morning. She believed strongly<br />
in the power of prayer often asking<br />
sisters to pray for her and promising<br />
her prayer in return. Sr. Roberta had<br />
a deep love and devotion to Our<br />
Blessed Mother and the Martyred<br />
Sisters. Close to her family, she kept<br />
in touch with her nieces and nephew<br />
through telephone conversations and<br />
visits. An avid reader, her days were<br />
spent perusing the daily newspaper,<br />
the latest religious newspapers, and<br />
spiritual books. She enjoyed sharing<br />
14
what she had learned with the sisters<br />
with whom she lived. Her smile<br />
attracted many people to confide in<br />
her.<br />
Dolores was born in Clifton,<br />
Pennsylvania, the eldest of two<br />
children born to John and Anna<br />
Garczynski. She attended St. Charles<br />
Elementary School before enrolling<br />
in Nazareth Academy High School<br />
in Philadelphia. After graduating,<br />
she entered the Sisters of the Holy<br />
Family of Nazareth in 1947. She<br />
professed her first vows in 1950 and<br />
her final vows in 1956. She graduated<br />
from Holy Family University with a<br />
bachelor’s degree in science, and from<br />
Villanova University with a master’s<br />
degree in secondary science.<br />
Sr. Roberta taught for many years,<br />
ministering to children at St. Adalbert<br />
School in Elmhurst, New York; SS.<br />
Cyril and Methodius School, St.<br />
Stanislaus Kostka School, and Bishop<br />
Ford High School in Brooklyn, New<br />
York; St. Stephen School in Paterson,<br />
New Jersey; and St. Joseph School in<br />
Ansonia, Connecticut. She was also<br />
an adjunct professor at St. John’s<br />
University in Jamaica, New York.<br />
However, it was at St. Mary’s School,<br />
Worcester, Massachusetts, where<br />
she spent 27 years as a high school<br />
teacher and later as principal of the<br />
elementary school. Sr. Roberta was<br />
also an accomplished organist, often<br />
filling the position of organist in the<br />
parishes where she ministered. She<br />
retired from active ministry in 2004.<br />
On the afternoon of February 22,<br />
Sr. Roberta quietly went back to the<br />
Lord at Immaculate Heart of Mary<br />
Convent in Monroe, Connecticut. The<br />
interment was private.<br />
Sr. M. Francesca<br />
(Patricia) Onley<br />
March 4, 1933 -<br />
April 17, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Sr. Francesca<br />
(Patricia) Onley<br />
was born on<br />
March 4, 1933 to Edward and Marie<br />
Onley. Always a force with which to<br />
be reckoned, she exuded strength,<br />
wisdom and a spirit of Nazareth in all<br />
she did. Baptized in St. Joachim Church<br />
in Philadelphia, she and her siblings,<br />
Joan (later to be known as Sr. Michael),<br />
David, and Edward were a close-knit<br />
family who later became parishioners<br />
of St. Matthew Church.<br />
She became familiar with our sisters<br />
when she was a volunteer at Nazareth<br />
Hospital. At Nazareth Academy High<br />
School, she was mentored by many<br />
of our sisters particularly, Sr. Benedict<br />
Jaskiewicz. Patricia entered the Sisters<br />
of the Holy Family of Nazareth shortly<br />
after graduation. She became a novice<br />
and then pronounced her first vows in<br />
1953 in Torresdale, Pennsylvania.<br />
Higher education for Sr. Francesca<br />
began with a BA in business at Holy<br />
Family College (now Holy Family<br />
University), followed by an MA in<br />
business and secondary education at<br />
Marywood University, and finally a<br />
Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University<br />
in higher education administration.<br />
She began her education ministry at<br />
Nazareth Academy Grade School in<br />
Philadelphia as a fourth-grade teacher.<br />
She went on to teach science and<br />
serve as a guidance counselor and<br />
later principal at Nazareth Academy<br />
High School also in Philadelphia.<br />
In 1980, she was asked to serve as<br />
assistant to the president of Holy<br />
Family College under Sr. Lillian Budny,<br />
CSFN, PhD. In 1981, Sr. Francesca<br />
was appointed the fourth president<br />
of the college to replace Sr. Lillian<br />
upon her retirement. At the college,<br />
Sr. Francesca was distinguished by<br />
her leadership ability and gained<br />
the respect of those who worked<br />
with her, earning numerous awards<br />
and overseeing many advancements<br />
including the transition of the college<br />
to a university.<br />
Prayer was central to her life. Even<br />
after retiring from Holy Family<br />
University, she was present at Delaney<br />
Hall for the 6:15 am Mass and<br />
recitation of Morning Prayer. Whether<br />
answering the door or cleaning the<br />
Community Room, she was always<br />
available to anyone who needed her<br />
help. She never missed a community<br />
gathering whether it was a meeting,<br />
jubilee, profession, funeral, or chapter<br />
meeting. Her concern for all her<br />
fellow sisters exhibited itself as she<br />
would always ask how one was doing<br />
in school or ministry and she would<br />
listen attentively.<br />
On April 17, <strong>2021</strong> at Nazareth<br />
Hospital in Philadelphia, Sr. Francesca<br />
quietly went back to the Lord. Her<br />
funeral Mass was celebrated April<br />
25 at St. Katherine of Siena Catholic<br />
Church in Philadelphia.<br />
Donations in memory of<br />
a deceased sister may be<br />
mailed to Development<br />
Office, Sisters of the Holy<br />
Family of Nazareth, 310<br />
N. River Rd., Des Plaines,<br />
IL 60016. Please include a<br />
note with the name of the<br />
Sister in whose memory<br />
you are giving. Donations<br />
may also be made online at<br />
nazarethcsfn.org/donate.<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
15
DEVELOPMENT<br />
We Invite You to<br />
Participate in Our Prayer<br />
Remembrance Program<br />
When a relative, friend, or loved one passes away, celebrates a birthday or<br />
anniversary, or is experiencing ill-health, you can express your sentiments, honor<br />
them in a meaningful way, and offer a gift to the Sisters of the Holy Family of<br />
Nazareth. Those you choose to honor will share in the spiritual works and<br />
prayer of the Sisters, and be remembered during daily liturgy and a special Mass<br />
each month. Their name will also be placed in the Prayer Remembrance book<br />
located in the chapel at our Provincialate House. Contributions to the Prayer<br />
Remembrance program are used to help care for our elderly and infirmed<br />
Sisters, as well as those who continue to minister for and with families.<br />
If you would like to participate in the Prayer Remembrance program, order from<br />
our website (nazarethcsfn.org/donate/request-spiritual-greeting-cards) or call us<br />
at 847-298-6760 x. 143; email us at csfn_development@nazarethcsfn.org;<br />
or write us at Development Office, Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth,<br />
310 N River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016-1211. We will send you as many greeting<br />
cards as you would like, so you can send them to your relatives or friends, as<br />
well as a convenient reply envelope for your contribution.<br />
GET WELL CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
May God bless you<br />
and keep you<br />
in His loving care.<br />
THANK YOU<br />
CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
Thank you so much.<br />
Your kindness is truly<br />
appreciated.<br />
MEMORIAL CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
Let not your hearts be troubled.<br />
Believe in God; believe<br />
also in me. In my Father’s<br />
house are many rooms. If it<br />
were not so, would I have told<br />
you that I go to prepare a<br />
place for you? And if I go and<br />
prepare a place for you, I will<br />
come again and will take you<br />
to myself, that where I am you may be<br />
also. And you know the way to where<br />
I am going.<br />
~John 14:1-4<br />
16
GENERAL PRAYER<br />
CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
O Holy Family, bless and<br />
protect all the families of<br />
the world; safeguard them<br />
in every way. Enable<br />
everyone to be faithful to<br />
their baptismal call to<br />
holiness. Grant us the<br />
grace to see God in the<br />
simple and ordinary<br />
moments in our lives, so<br />
that we may give<br />
ourselves in service to<br />
others. Amen.<br />
BIRTHDAY CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
May the Holy Family bless you with<br />
birthday joy and cheer.<br />
May the gifts of love and peace<br />
be yours today and throughout<br />
the coming year.<br />
ANNIVERSARY<br />
CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
Happy Anniversary<br />
God bless and enrich<br />
the love you share<br />
with each other.<br />
THINKING OF YOU<br />
CARD<br />
Verse:<br />
Just a note to let<br />
you know that I am<br />
thinking of you.<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
17
DEVELOPMENT<br />
There are many ways to leave a<br />
legacy, but charitable bequests and<br />
beneficiary designations through<br />
Wills and Trusts are among the most<br />
popular. Why? Because these types of<br />
gifts allow you to retain full control<br />
and use of your property throughout<br />
your lifetime, and you are not locked<br />
into a commitment. You may change<br />
your mind at any time.<br />
Would you consider making the<br />
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth<br />
a beneficiary of all or a portion of<br />
your estate, after leaving specific gifts<br />
to loved ones? It’s easy to do, and you<br />
don’t need to be wealthy to do it -<br />
you just need to love our Sisters and<br />
want to support our mission.<br />
Have you thought<br />
about your Estate<br />
Plans?<br />
by Katherine Barth, Director of<br />
Development<br />
Your faithful, generous support over<br />
the years clearly indicates your love<br />
for our Sisters and your commitment<br />
to our ministries to families. For all<br />
you are to us, we are grateful!<br />
With this in mind, have you ever<br />
considered leaving a bequest to<br />
the Sisters of the Holy Family of<br />
Nazareth?<br />
I ask this question because it’s so<br />
important that every family have<br />
thoughtful estate plans so they<br />
can determine how to share their<br />
assets with their family, their friends,<br />
and organizations they care about.<br />
Without a Will, state laws may go into<br />
effect that distribute your estate in a<br />
very impersonal way.<br />
Through your bequest gifts, you<br />
can create a living memorial that<br />
perpetuates good works. These gifts<br />
ensure the sustainability of your<br />
beloved organizations in a way that<br />
makes your core values known to<br />
others. Generations to come will<br />
benefit from your gifts. Additionally,<br />
you can choose how you want each<br />
bequest gift to be used.<br />
When you remember the Sisters of<br />
the Holy Family of Nazareth in your<br />
estate plan, you become eligible for<br />
membership in the Nazareth Legacy<br />
Society. This society is composed<br />
of generous and forward-thinking<br />
donors, just like you, who have made<br />
the decision to support our long-term<br />
success through a bequest gift.<br />
Whether you name the Sisters of<br />
the Holy Family of Nazareth as the<br />
beneficiary or not, I encourage you<br />
to consult with your financial advisor<br />
to discuss the options. Please make<br />
sure you have a Will that provides for<br />
those you love. And if you decide to<br />
leave a bequest gift to the Sisters of<br />
the Holy Family of Nazareth, please<br />
let us know so that we can thank you<br />
properly.<br />
If you haven’t yet considered a Will<br />
or other estate plans, we offer a free<br />
booklet, Better Estate Planning, to<br />
help get you started. If you would like<br />
this free booklet, just complete the<br />
form on page 19 and return it to our<br />
Development Office. I’ll get it mailed<br />
out to you right away.<br />
18
PLANNED GIVING/LEGACY SOCIETY REPLY FORM<br />
Confidential Reply<br />
(Check all that apply)<br />
I have remembered the CSFNs in my<br />
____ Will<br />
____ Annuity<br />
____ Charitable Trust<br />
____ Life Insurance Policy<br />
____ Retirement Plan<br />
Please enroll me in the Nazareth Legacy Society;<br />
____ I give permission to publish my name.<br />
____ Please do not publish my name.<br />
____ Please send me a complimentary copy of the booklet, “Better Estate Planning.”<br />
____ Please contact me. I am considering including the CSFNs in my estate plans, but I have some questions.<br />
Please complete the following and return it to:<br />
Katherine Barth, CSFN Development Office, 310 N. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016.<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
Name<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
Address<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
City<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
State<br />
Zip Code<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
Phone<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
Email<br />
This information is strictly confidential.<br />
To receive the free, no obligation booklet, “Better Estate Planning,” please complete the attached form and<br />
return it to:<br />
Katherine Barth<br />
Development Director<br />
310 N. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016<br />
kbarth@nazarethcsfn.org<br />
847-298-6760, ext. 143<br />
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />
19
310 N River Rd.<br />
Des Plaines, IL 60016<br />
www.nazarethcsfn.org<br />
Non-profit<br />
Organization<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
Paid<br />
Rockford, IL<br />
Permit No. 2495<br />
HAVE YOU ALREADY REMEMBERED<br />
THE CSFNS IN YOUR WILL?<br />
Then you’re invited to join Nazareth Legacy Society, a group created<br />
to recognize friends just like you who have let us know that they have<br />
remembered the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in their Wills or<br />
Estate Plans.<br />
In appreciation for your future gift, you will be remembered in the daily<br />
prayers of our Sisters. You will also receive a certificate denoting your<br />
membership in the Nazareth Legacy Society and receive a special Holy<br />
Family key ring available only to Nazareth Legacy Society members. Your<br />
name also will be inscribed on a special plaque in our Provincialate in Des Plaines, IL. Informing our Development Office<br />
that you have remembered our Sisters in your future plans automatically entitles you to membership in this special<br />
Society! But we won’t enroll you as a member without your permission.<br />
It’s simple to join! Just complete the form on page 19 and return it to CSFN Development Office, 310 N. River Road,<br />
Des Plaines, IL 60016. Or if you prefer, you may contact Katherine Barth at kbarth@nazarethcsfn.org or 847-298-6760,<br />
ext. 143 and let her know that you would like to be a member.<br />
Thank you for including our Sisters in your Estate Plans. We are grateful for your faithful, caring support.<br />
We, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, are called to extend the Kingdom of God’s love among ourselves and<br />
others by living the spirit of Jesus, Mary and Joseph whose lives were centered in the love of God and one another.<br />
We witness to this love through dedicated service to the Church, especially in ministry to the family.