Sister Judith Ann Seefeld, OP

Transcription

1 Sister Judith Ann Seefeld, OP I am very grateful to our loving God Who has caused great things to happen in the day-to-day little things of life. My life is full. My feline friends, human friends and a vast ocean with beautiful sunsets are just a few of my many blessings. How I treasure each day and the gifts that God has bestowed on me throughout my life. How can I ever thank God for all that he has done in my life! So concluded the autobiography written in 2001 by Sister Judith Ann (Judy) Seefeld who at the time was living in Monterey, California, and, although retired from her teaching ministry, was living an active life as a hospice volunteer. Judy was born on July 20, 1939, in Pontiac, Michigan, to James and Charlotte (Higgins) Seefeld. James, originally from Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, owned his own refrigeration service business. He and Charlotte, from Clawson, Michigan, met and married after high school. At first, the young couple lived with James parents, during which time their firstborn, who carried his father s first name, came into the world. But Charlotte wanted the little family to have their own home, and while she was in the hospital for Judith Ann s delivery, James found and bought a home in Clawson. Mother went home to a brand new house with a brand new infant daughter, Judy wrote in her autobiography. The Seefelds lived there for twelve years and then moved to the house next door. Seven children in all came into the family. After James, whom they called Jamie, and Judith Ann, there were Janet, George, Joan, Joyce, and Jean Noella, who was born after Judith Ann entered the Congregation. The children attended public school until Guardian Angels School opened in The school was staffed by Adrian Dominican Sisters, but Judy s first exposure to the Congregation had actually come before that thanks to Adrian Dominicans from St. Mary s, Royal Oak, who taught CCD at Guardian Angels Church. Over her years at Guardian Angels School, which began in fourth grade, Judy came to love the Adrian Dominicans who taught there. I wanted to be just like the nuns, she wrote in her autobiography. I wanted to be and do and live religious life as the sisters. I wanted to reflect God s love and experience the joy and happiness of living a life of love: love of God and love of His children whatever their ages. She also had two Adrian Dominican cousins: Sister Sean Maureen (Kathy) Kenny and Sister Maura Timothy (Anne) Kenny, who later left the Congregation. Two second cousins were members of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHMs). When it came time for high school in September 1954, she commuted to Detroit each day to attend Girls Catholic Center, which was run by the IHM Sisters. That group had their eye on me but I was Adrian bound, she wrote.

2 She entered the Congregation in September 1956, when she was seventeen years old. Because she had not yet completed her high school credits, she did so at St. Joseph Academy, graduating in January In August 1957, she was received as a novice and given the religious name Sister James Charles in honor of her parents. After making first profession in August 1958, she was sent to her first teaching assignment: St. Mary s School in St. Clair, Michigan. Her entire life as a teacher was spent working in elementary schools. Future ministries took her to Queen of Angels, Chicago ( ); Sacred Heart, Munising, Michigan ( ); St. Laurence ( ) and St. Rita ( ), both in Chicago; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Fort Lauderdale, Florida ( ); St. Rose of Lima, Miami Shores, Florida ( ); Holy Cross, Santa Cruz, California ( ); and San Carlos, Monterey, California ( ). She earned her bachelor s degree from Siena Heights College (University) in Over the years, she also taught CCD, led a Brownie troop, coached CYO girls basketball, and directed after-school study and homework programs. Health issues forced her retirement from active ministry in 1998, but that opened the door to a whole new experience. While still at San Carlos School, she had begun ministering at the Hospice House in Monterey, with a very special companion as her fellow volunteer: her calico cat Jello. Jello was a regular fixture at Hospice House, riding down the halls in a little red wagon, a shopping cart, or even a baby stroller, until her death in Sister Judy lived in Monterey until December 2009, when she suffered a stroke and returned to Adrian to live at the Dominican Life Center. She died there on April 30, At the Vigil service on May 3, her Chapter Prioress, Sister Pat Dulka, remembered our gentle and funny Sister Judith Ann Seefeld as someone who was much loved by the children she taught over the years and as a woman filled with joy even through her considerable health difficulties. When Sister Judy came to Adrian, Sister Pat said, she started a whole new ministry. She may not have named it a new ministry but the sisters who ate with her or talked with her always came away uplifted or feeling better. Comments from the sisters at our sharing yesterday mentioned her humor, her quick wit, her zingers, her jokes, her singing and many other qualities that added life to the dining room in which she ate. She was friendly to all, interactions with her were always joyful and she wanted to know how you were. I don t think I ever saw her that she wasn t smiling! Her perseverance through her illnesses with such humor is an example to all of us! Also at the Vigil, Sister Ann Romayne Fallon, who taught with Sister Judy at Queen of Angels, shared her memories of Sister Judy as someone who brought fun into the lives of her community members, but who was very serious about seeing to the educational success of her young students. Sister Ann also shared a story she had been told by Sister Mary Ward about Sister Mary s nephew Jimmy, who upon hearing of Sister Judy s death told his aunt about the impact she his first-grade teacher at Queen of Angels had had on his life.

3 This to me is a perfect example of who Judy was to countless students, she said. I suspect that many of these fortunate students have shared their stories with children of their own and will keep this part of Judy s legacy alive. Sister Maria Romero read two s about Sister Judy, one from the current principal at San Carlos School who wrote that Sister Judy took her duties very seriously and never accepted anything less than the best from her students, and the other from a San Carlos teacher who knew Sister Judy as both a co-worker and the teacher of her own children. We will always fondly remember Judy and her third-grade class, the teacher wrote. Sister Maria also mentioned her own memory of Sister Judy from their shared time in Monterey, and how Sister Judy would bring her cat into the parish hall after Mass to share with the parishioners, especially the children. She was always spreading joy when she came, she said. The final speakers at the Vigil were Sister Judy s sisters Joan and Janet. Joan talked about Sister Judy as an earthly angel: kind, patient and thoughtful, creative, funny, and a quick, dry wit, and as someone who shared herself and her time. Whether Judy touched you for a season or a lifetime, your relationship with her was special, she said. Janet told the gathering how much her sister loved her students and they her, and I recall her telling me some of them would forget and call her Mom. I also remember when Judy had a youngster at San Carlos. She wanted to keep him back in third grade for another year. Result? He went on to West Point, and graduated. She concluded by thanking the Congregation for its care of Sister Judy over the years. My sister has done well being one of you, she said. Sister Mary Keefe was the homilist at the next day s Funeral Mass. She noted that the Mass s first reading, from Ecclesiastes, tells us that there is a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Today is a time to mourn. It is a time to wait in the face of the mystery of death. Judy s death invites us to be still. To remember her, to thank her for all the gifts she brought to the world, the gifts of her smile, her acknowledgement of others, her love of nature, her upbeat and joyful way of being, her whole-hearted response to the call of Jesus. This is how Judy used her time. In memory of her, let us be aware of how we use our time. And let us remember to dance and spread the happiness that Judy has taught us.

4 Sister Judith with her family, 1967 Left: Sister Judith Ann Seefeld with her brother George Seefeld, Monterey Bay, California, July 20, 1992

5 Sister Judith, second row, far left, at her Reception in Adrian, August 1957 Center: Sister Judith with her parents, James and Charles Seefeld, September Right: With her cat friend, who loved making hospice visits

6 Members of the 1983 Silver Jubilee class are: back row, from left: Sisters Noella McLeod, Evelyn Inez Montez, Bernitha Glombowski, Roseann Julian, Sharon Culhane, Patricia Ace, and Mary Ann Phillip; second row, from left: Sisters Joanne Evans, Barbara Cervenka, Mary Baier, Jude Van Baalen, and Katherine Kenny; third row, from left, Sisters Mary Ward, Patricia Reno, Victoria Dalesandro, Loretta Glanz, Frances Lombaer, Mary Therese Napolitan, Maria Felicia Moreno, Judith Ann Seefeld, and Patricia Schade; fourth row, from left: Sisters Kathleen Harkins, Helen McAllister, Margaret Anne Faber, Geneal Kramer, Janet Traut, Susan Elaine Kresse, Joella Miller, and Carol Johannes (Prioress); and front row, from left: Sisters Patricia Brady, Eunice Drazba, Mary Celeste Lynch, Dorothea Gramlich, Monica Kim, Margaret Ann McGuinness, Diane McQuirt, and Joan Kowalksi. Left: Sister Judith celebrates her Golden Jubilee, 2007