Sister Bernadette Mary Syron, OP

Transcription

1 Sister Bernadette Mary Syron, OP Sister Bernadette Mary Syron, born on April 1, 1927, in Detroit, was the third of six children born to Hugh and Elizabeth (Phillips) Syron. Her mother was born in Cashel, Ireland, and her father was born in Chicago. In her autobiography, Sister Bernadette Mary described where her parents first met. My mother worked for the Army as a switchboard operator. Her name was Elizabeth and she did not want to be called Lizzie. When she was introduced to my father at a church affair he said, It is a privilege to meet you, Miss Elizabeth. They were married at St. Benedict Church in Highland Park, Michigan. My father, who was a professional golfer, took a job at a golf course in Detroit that was very close to Gesu [Parish]. In the off-season he sold real estate. My mother was a stay-at-home mom. Sister Bernadette Mary had her first school experience at Precious Blood, which she attended for six years. When the family moved to a new location in Detroit, she attended Visitation from grades seven through twelve. In her autobiography she wrote, It was the best move in the world for me; I loved Visitation. We had the same nuns [at both schools] but I think the reason for the difference was there was no high school at Precious Blood. When I went to seventh grade at Visitation everything changed and the kids were great. When I entered I missed the parish as much as I missed my home. After graduating in June from Visitation, Sister Bernadette Mary waited until her brother Hugh, who served in the army in World War II, was on his way home before entering the postulate on September 8, Following first profession on August 14, 1947, she was assigned to teach elementary grades in four Midwest schools for the next eleven years. The first year she taught third grade and then was assigned seventh and eighth grade for many years. Her summers during this period were spent at Siena Heights College where she received her bachelor s degree in in In 1958, she was appointed to St. Joseph Academy, where she served as both principal and teacher until Here in her own words is how she remembered those five years: 1

2 It was a lot of hard work but I really enjoyed it. The enrollment was not very large at that time but we didn t worry about that too much. Everyone had double grades. It was a boarding school and we had quite a few day-hops. Sister Therese Ellen had first and second grade and she was the bursar for the whole campus, except Siena. I had seventh and eighth grade and my students would often take care of hers. You didn t have time to be principal. You were on duty all the time. I was the procurator so I had to leave the students on Saturday morning to go shopping. Sister Madonna Therese was over at the Infirmary and I was told to get whatever they needed. If they asked for the moon, I d look for it. I loved the Academy. Summers during her Academy years were spent studying at DePaul University in Chicago. In 1962 she received her master s degree in guidance. The following year, Sister Bernadette was assigned to teach at Aquinas College in Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas. The College opened in 1957 to provide education for the poor inhabitants of the island. The mission of the College was to change the effect of minority white rule that provided no opportunities for the local black population. Her two years at Aquinas, teaching remedial reading and religion to ninth graders, were a whole new cultural experience for Sister Bernadette. After Aquinas College, Sister Bernadette returned to the Midwest and taught junior high students in five Midwestern schools for the six years ending in June By this time, the open placement policy had just begun and the changes going on in Our Lady of Sorrows Parish opened the door for a new teaching position. The parish had just closed its high school in June 1971 because of low enrollment and decided to use the building for a new junior high school, grades 7 through 9. They named it Thomas P. Beahan, in honor of their former pastor, Monsignor Thomas P. Beahan. Sister Bernadette s seven years at this school ended her classroom teaching ministry. Because of her mother s declining health, Sister Bernadette moved into the family home to take care of her until she died in She continued to live in the family home until her brother died. During this period, she ministered at St. Scholastica Parish for nine years. In her Annals she described her ministry: I am employed by St. Scholastica Parish to work in their Extended School Program. I care for the children from K to 8th grades before and after school hours. All of our children are Black Americans. My co-workers, except for the three nuns, are also Black Americans. I also help with office work. 2

3 When Sister Bernadette left St. Scholastica Parish in June 1996, she retired. In her Annals a year or two later, she wrote, I am presently retired. I do the cooking for my brother in our home on Avon Avenue in Detroit. By 1999 her two brothers had died and she wrote, I lost my two dear brothers in death (five months apart). I felt in a real true sense the love, support and concern of my Mission Group in both prayer and action. After her brothers deaths she moved about for several years and then returned to Adrian in January Sister Bernadette Mary Syron died at the Dominican Life Center/Maria on August 11, 2015, at the age of eighty-eight and in the sixty-eighth year of her religious profession. Sister Helen Sohn, Assistant to the Chapter Prioress for Holy Rosary Chapter, offered the following reflection on Sister Bernadette s final years. Sister Bernadette came home to the DLC in January of 2007; she wrote in her Annals, Among my greatest blessings here at the DLC are our beautiful and meaningful liturgies. The music and homilies keep me aware of our vision and mission and call me to include them in my daily prayer. Sister Bernadette s two nephews shared the following memories of their Aunt. Tom Church described the joy and blessing he experienced by being with his Aunt when she died. He said, She led by example. John Syron began by thanking everyone on the staff for their wonderful care of his aunt. He spoke about their shared love of sports, especially baseball and the Tigers. He said he would never forget the conversation he and his aunt had in an airport while they waited for their flight that was delayed. They talked about politics, family and, of course, the Tigers. Then John placed a small hand-bell on the lectern and explained how they had rung this bell for very special moments at sport and family events. He then rang it for the last time loud and clear as his farewell to his aunt. The readings 1 for the funeral liturgy celebrated on August 15, 2015, were for the Feast of the Assumption. Sister Mary Catherine Nolan, the homilist, reflected on Sister Bernadette s transition from her temporal life to her eternal life. She said: Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, is first among the disciples of her Son, Jesus. She is first to have received the Holy Spirit. She is first to be bodily assumed into heaven. What does this all mean for Bernadette and for us? 1 Revelations 11:19, 12:1-6, 10ab; 1Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:

4 At baptism our own Sister Bernadette Mary was brought into a community of the Catholic faith. Baptism established in her a special covenant relationship with our Triune God. Bernadette Mary heard the call to discipleship as a Dominican. In all her many years of ministry as teacher, principal, caregiver, tutor, helper, she was faithful to her call. Today s Feast of the Assumption of Mary is a sign and a promise to each of us that our final destiny is to be united with God as persons who exist as unities of body and spirit. Rest in peace, Bernadette! May you enter into transforming union with our Triune God whose love enfolds you. Left: Sister Bernadette Mary (left) with a companion. Center: Sister Bernadette Mary visits with Mrs. Irene Hoffman, mother of Sister Marlene Kuhnlein, OP, in the Novitiate Garden, 1950s. Right: practicing with an altar boy at Lumen Chapel, Siena Heights. 4

5 Visiting with her family Golden Jubilarians: back row, from left: Sisters Marie Noreen Nolan, Eileen Souva, and Bernadette Mary Syron; middle row: Sisters Patricia M. Martin, Geraldine McNamara, and Gladys Marie LeVack; and front row: Sisters Mary Ripplinger, Patricia Dillon, Shirley Ann Cushing, Patricia Riley, and Marie Brigid McDonald 5