Courtesy School Sisters of Notre Dame
A local celebration for 25 members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who serve in Archdiocese of Baltimore will be held Aug. 23 at Villa Assumpta. They were among 62 jubilarians marking the anniversary of their first profession of religious vows in the Atlantic-Midwest Province who were honored in May in Wilton, Conn.
Brief biographies, provided by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, follow. Unless noted, parish school assignments were in Baltimore.
75th Jubilee
Sister Francis Marie Usher
Sister Francis Marie, 96, made her first vows in 1939. Two years later she was missioned to Puerto Rico, where she taught elementary and high school students for 16 years. Back in Maryland, she taught English and social studies at St. Mary in Annapolis (1957-60); St. John in Westminster (1960-66), where she was also principal; and Archbishop Keough High in Baltimore (1966-73). In 1976 she left teaching for pastoral ministry and caring for the sick and elderly. She served St. Benedict parish (1976-81) and was a health care consultant to Federal Hill and Lafayette Square nursing homes (1979-80). In 1981 she became a pastoral minister to elderly SSNDs at Villa Maria in Glen Arm (1981-95) and Maria Health Care Center in Baltimore (1995-2003). She continues to serve in prayer and presence at her home community, Villa Assumpta in Baltimore.
70th Jubilee
Sister Dorothy Hunt
Formerly Sister Mary George, the Baltimore native, 92, taught at St. Wenceslaus (1946-1959) and St. Andrew (1965-1966) before becoming principal at Sacred Heart of Jesus (1972-1974) and Bishop John Neumann (1974-1976). She was director of religious education at St. Mark in Fallston (1976-1980) and, after teaching in Africa for three years, at Annunciation (1984-1994). She next served in the Development Office of the former Baltimore Province of SSND (1994-1995) and in community service at St. Pius X Church (1996-1998) and Villa Assumpta (1998-2013).
Sister Mary Alvita MaguireSister Mary Alvita, 91, had several teaching assignments in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving to Western Maryland in 1971. She was a teacher and principal at St. Mary in Hagerstown (1971-1977) and taught at St. Pius X (1981-1985) and Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland (1986-1989). From 1989 to 1991 she was a nursing assistant at Villa Assumpta, and she served in the Finance Office of the former Baltimore Province of SSND from 1991 to 2000.
Sister Catherine J. Manning
Formerly Sister Mary Claracita, the Baltimore native, 90, taught at Corpus Christi (1954-1958) and St. Matthew (1958-1961) before teaching in and directing the program for SSND aspirants in the former Baltimore Province (1966-1969). After teaching at St. John Literary Institute in Frederick (1969-1971), she became a community leader at Villa Assumpta (1971-1974) and ministered as secretary at the Manresa Retreat House in Annapolis (1974-1977). She was a receptionist and driver at Villa Maria in Glen Arm (1977-1978) and became a pastoral associate at St. Dominic parish from 1978 to 2000. She continues in volunteer ministry to the elderly at St. Dominic.
60th Jubilee
Sister Mary Theodore BaccalaA Baltimore native, Sister Theodore, 82, entered SSND from St. Leo parish and ministered at Institute of Notre Dame (1951-1954). She served 25 years as a practical nurse at Villa Maria in Glen Arm (1954-1979) before becoming a homemaker and housekeeper for her province at Villa Assumpta (1981-1991) and a private nurse in the Baltimore area (1991-1992). Since 1992 she has she served her community of sisters at Maria Health Care Center and Villa Assumpta in a variety of capacities, and she remains dedicated to her original home parish of St. Leo’s.
Sister Marylita FriiaA native of Baltimore, Sister Marylita, 82, taught at Notre Dame Preparatory School (1959-1969) and what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University (1969-1970). She became a teacher and then principal at Archbishop Keough High School (1972-1977) and taught chemistry at the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County (1977-1979). She became director of religious education at St. Mark in Fallston (1980-1983) and St. Joseph in Odenton (1983-1989). She was a pastoral associate at St. Michael in Poplar Springs (1989-1990) and coordinator of sacraments and adult education at St. Bernadette in Severn (1990-1993). She was director of religious education at St. Charles in Pikesville (1994-2001) and ministered in adult religious education for Our Lady of Good Counsel and the Catholic Community of South Baltimore (2002-2005). Since 2005 she has been medical claims coordinator for the Atlantic-Midwest Province of SSND.
Sister Marie de Chantal HaigleyA native of Baltimore, Sister Marie de Chantal, 85, taught at Notre Dame Preparatory School (1951-1952) and Institute of Notre Dame (1954-1957). From 1966 to 1968 she taught at St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis before returning to teach at Institute of Notre Dame (1968-1971) and serve as a guidance counselor at Notre Dame Prep (1971-1983). She served in local leadership at Villa Assumpta (1983-1989) and in 1990 began a long ministry in the Department of Development for Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Sister Rose Sylvia Lindner
Formerly a member of the Daughters of Charity, Sister Rose, 80, entered SSND in 1986. As a Daughter of Charity she had taught Grades 7 and 8 at St. Catherine Laboure School in Wheaton (1971-76) and was a pastoral associate at St. Martin Parish in Baltimore (1976-81). Sister Rose has long ministered in areas of social concern. She was pastoral associate for St. Bernadette in Severn (1991-1993) and pastoral and social minister for St. Joseph in Cockeysville (1993-2013).
Sister Norma Loraditch
Born in Cumberland, the former Shirley Ann Loraditch, 81, taught primary grades at Notre Dame Preparatory School (1954-1960) before moving out of state. Years later, she was an assistant to the director of St. Martin’s House in Ridgely (2001-2002), and taught in the Women in Transition program there from 2002 to 2010. Sister Norma has served in volunteer ministry since moving to Villa Assumpta in 2010.
Sister Geraldine Majerowicz
A native of Baltimore, the former Sister Stella Marie, 81, taught at Corpus Christi (1951-1952), St. Benedict (1954-1958), St. Mary in Hagerstown (1965-1968) and St. Matthew (1968-1969). She taught at Our Lady of Hope in Dundalk (1970-1973) before coordinating religious education there from 1973 to 1978. She was director of religious education at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Crofton (1978-1984), a position she later held at the School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen (1987-2006). Sister Geraldine currently serves as a private tutor in reading and water color, and she teaches water color at the Renaissance Institute at Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Sister Grace M. Messarge
The former Sister Mary Stephanus, 81, was principal at St. John Regional School in Frederick (1971-1972). She taught and was vice principal at Archbishop Keough High School (1972-1975), and she later held the same positions at St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown (1975-1985). She later taught at several schools in Florida and spent six years in Honduras before returning to Baltimore. Currently she ministers as mail room assistant at Villa Assumpta.
Sister Christine M. Mulcahy
The former Sister Martin Marie, 84, taught at St. Ann Commercial School (1953-54) early in her ministry. She later was vice principal at Catholic Girls Central High in Cumberland (1977-79) and in 1983 began teaching at St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis, eventually becoming principal. Sister Christine served three times in leadership for the former Baltimore Province of SSND, first as an area leader (1970-75), later as a provincial councilor (1979-83) and finally as provincial leader (1988-96). In 1997 she became headmistress of Notre Dame Preparatory School, a position she held until 2005. She also volunteered at Caroline Center in downtown Baltimore from 2006 to 2010. She currently resides at Maria Health Care Center.
Sister Bernadette Marie Reinhardt
Sister Bernadette Marie, 82, was a primary school teacher at St. James (1951-1952) and St. Michael (1952-1953) before spending six years at St. Mary’s Elementary School in Annapolis (1958-1964). She next taught secondary level courses at St. Michael’s Business School (1964-70). From 1970 to 1975, Sister Bernadette Marie worked for a research physician at Good Samaritan Hospital before moving to Pennsylvania, where she served in hospitals, home health care and as a volunteer for Vitas hospice for nearly 30 years. In 2009, she returned to Maryland to live at Villa Assumpta.
Sister Mary Carmel Rogers
Sister Mary Carmel, 82, taught primary grades at St. John in Frederick (1951-1952) and taught music at St. John the Evangelist in Hydes (1952-1959). She later taught at Blessed Sacrament (1961-1967), Notre Dame Preparatory School (1967-1969), St. Maria Goretti High School in Hagerstown (1970-1980), and St. Mary’s High School in Annapolis (1980-1993). She taught GED and English as a Second Language in Carroll County Public Schools (1997-1999), and then taught ESOL part-time in community colleges in Baltimore, Carroll and Howard counties and in Baltimore City, until 2007. As a resident of Villa Assumpta since 2010, she offers community service to sisters living there.
Sister Mary Jane Scanlan
The former Sister Marie Ellen, 80, taught primary grades at St. Ambrose (1954-1958) and ministered in nursing at Villa Maria in Glen Arm (1958-1968). After becoming a registered nurse in 1970, she served at Villa Maria (1971-75) as head nurse and at Bon Secours Hospital (1975-1978). She was a prenatal nurse in Immokalee, Fla., for 17 years before returning to Baltimore in 1995 to become coordinator of assisted living at Villa Assumpta and later coordinator of health services there. In 2004 she became a volunteer tutor in reading at James McHenry Elementary School, serving 10 years there. She continues to serve her community of sisters as a volunteer at Villa Assumpta.
Sister Mary Roseanne Spurrier
A native of Baltimore, Sister Roseanne, 97, entered SSND from Institute of Notre Dame. She taught fourth grade at St. Benedict (1951-53) and St. Jerome (1954-1966) in Baltimore and St. Elizabeth (1966-72) in Rockville before moving to Pennsylvania, where she taught for 16 years. From 1988 to 2008 she ministered at Villa Assumpta as a driver and a companion to sisters who were ill. Today she resides at Maria Health Care Center.
50th Jubilee
Sister Carmen Marie D’Adamio
A native of Baltimore, Sister Carmen Marie, 71, taught at Our Lady of Hope (1965-1968), St. Mary’s in Govans (1968-1970), Our Lady of Good Counsel and Catholic Community School (1970-1974), and St. Thomas Aquinas Elementary (1974-1980). From 1980 to 1981 she was assistant principal at St. Mary’s Elementary School in Annapolis, before becoming principal at St. Mary’s in Hagerstown (1981-1991). She was a mentor in the Fellowship Program at what is now Loyola University Maryland (1991-1995) and a teacher at Holy Family in Randallstown (1995-1996). In 1996 she became assistant principal at St. Mark’s in Catonsville, where she ministered until 2002. Since 2006 she has been an adviser for the Undergraduate Education Program at Notre Dame of Maryland University
Sister Kathleen Fullerton
The former Sister Marie Edwin, 70, spent the first 10 years of her ministry teaching in Brooklyn, N.Y. Since 1977 she has served as a registered nurse or nurse administrator in facilities in New York and Connecticut. She has been assistant director of nursing at Maria Health Care Center in Baltimore, serving SSNDs in the Atlantic-Midwest Province, since 2005.
Sister Sharon Kanis
A native of Baltimore, the former Sister Pierre Marie, 69, taught at Archbishop Keough High School (1969-1973) and Notre Dame Preparatory School (1975-1987). She also served as director of vocations for the former Baltimore Province (1981-1987). She began her long ministry at Notre Dame of Maryland University as an instructor (1987-1989), became an assistant professor in 1989, and became a professor in 2003. From 1997 to 2001, she also worked with sisters who were under temporary vows in her province. She continues to serve NDMU today as professor and chair of religious studies.
Sister Mary Lennon
The former Sister Thomas Miriam taught in New Jersey for 16 years before focusing her ministry on finance and SSND administration. In 1981 she began serving the Finance Office of the former Wilton Province in Connecticut, becoming province treasurer in 1983. After 11 years she became co-director of Caroline House in Bridgeport, Conn. (1994-98), and financial administrator of Academy of the Holy Angels in New Jersey (1999-2010). Since 2010 she has been treasurer of SSND’s Atlantic-Midwest Province, based in Baltimore.
Sister Raymond Marie Lorenzen
Sister Raymond Marie, 78, taught at St. John Regional Catholic School in Frederick (1964-1971) and St. Mary in Hagerstown (1971-1974) before becoming principal at St. Thomas Aquinas (1974-1980) and at St. Pius X (1980-1982). She returned to St. Mary in Hagerstown to teach from 1982 to 1990, then became principal of St. Mary’s Elementary School in Annapolis (1990-1994) and St. Mark in Catonsville (1994-2000). She next taught at St. Agnes in Catonsville (2000-2005), and since 2005, has been a receptionist at Notre Dame Preparatory School.
Sister Helen Reilly
The former Sister Marie Cornell, 70, entered SSND from Corpus Christi Parish. After a brief ministry in Keyser, W.Va., she taught at St. John Regional Catholic School in Frederick (1967-1971) and Resurrection-St. Paul School in Ellicott City (1971-1978). She then taught at St. Thomas Aquinas (1978-1985) and St. Augustine, Elkridge (1985-1988). She has been teaching at St. Mark in Catonsville since 1997.
Sister Marianne Roderick
A native of Frederick, Sister Marianne, 69, served at St. Vincent Orphanage in Tacony, Pa., before returning to Maryland to teach and serve as principal at St. Joseph in Taneytown (1971-1972). She then taught in West Virginia and Pennsylvania schools for 21 years before joining the staff at Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore (1993-2013). She is currently assistant local leader at Villa Assumpta, home to retired sisters in Baltimore.
Sister Marie Seton Walsh
A native of Baltimore, Sister Marie Seton, 69, entered SSND from St. Ann Parish. In 1966 she became a nurse’s aide at Villa Maria in Glen Arm (1966-1970) while studying nursing at St. Joseph Hospital. As a registered nurse she served at Villa Assumpta (1973-1977), and she has been at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown since 1979 as a nurse educator and community outreach nurse teaching health and wellness. She also teaches medical terminology courses for the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Ambrose Career Center in Baltimore and volunteers at St. Dominic parish.
25th Jubilee
Sister Grace Sciamanna
Sister Grace, 62, was program director for Catholic Charities’ Sarah’s House, a supportive housing program in Anne Arundel County, from 1989 to 1998. Since 1999 she has been administrator of Maria Health Care Center, the nursing care facility in Baltimore that serves SSNDs in the Atlantic-Midwest Province.
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