Vol. 8 No. 4 Fall 2012 Sister Laurentia and her Golden Jubilee as a Sister of Mercy By Mary Jane Zust With Eileen Buehrle There was joy that Satur- day in the little village of Longwood, County Meath, as the Cusack family welcomed the birth of Nuala, their third child. The family could not have foreseen the immeasurable joy their little Nuala, or Sister Laurentia as we know her, was to bring to people of Ireland and to people of our country. And there was joy that Friday in the city of Ball- win many years later, as the Holy Infant Parish wel- comed the opportunity to celebrate two important milestones in the life of its much loved sixth grade teacher, Sister Laurentia; her Golden Jubilee for fifty years of faithful service as a Sister of Mercy, and her 30 years of teaching at Holy Infant. Children have always been closest to Sister Lau- rentia’s heart, so it was fitting that the celebrations should begin with their special school Mass. Ram- pant joy was visible through that Mass on Friday morning, September 21, as each class brought its gifts and proudly gave them to Sister at her honored place at the altar. The children sang special songs, brought pictures, banners, bouquets of flowers and many small gift bags. It was abundantly clear that the children love Sister dearly, and their excellent behavior at the exciting and joyous occasion was itself a gift of respect for their be- loved Sister Laurentia. Father Stan- ger sang his beautiful Irish blessing as his gift to Sister. Fredbird made a surprise visit which brought ap- plause and hilarity from the stu- dents. A day to remember! After Mass, the Jubilee celebra- tion continued in the upper cafeteria that was fashioned into a lovely golden dining room for Sister Lau- rentia. Attending the celebration, where her sister Gabrielle and hus- band Eric, her sister Linda and hus- band Tim, her nephew Laurence, the teachers, staff, family, priests and friends. As breakfast was being served, the teachers, staff, priests and friends entertained the audience with a video of Sister’s life, skits, songs, and stories (Irish ones, of course), and an Irish song by Sister’s nephew, Laurence. The Jubilee Mass for the entire parish was held on Sunday, September 23, amid a scene of flowers, joy, love and respect for Sister Laurentia. Father Stanger in golden vestments shared the sanctuary area with many other priests and deacons. Sister’s nephew, Laurence, sang a prelude before Mass, “My Heavenly Father Watches over Me”, and a (Continued on page 2) Celebrating with Sister Laurentia are Holy Infant’s Pastor Fr. Edward Stanger, retired pas- tor of Holy Infant Monsignor Thomas Dempsey and Holy Infant School Principal Sister Rosario. photo by Don Dinkelkamp
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Vol. 8 No. 4
Fall 2012
Sister Laurentia and her Golden Jubilee as a Sister of Mercy
By Mary Jane Zust With Eileen Buehrle
There was joy that Satur-
day in the little village of
Longwood, County Meath, as the Cusack family
welcomed the birth of Nuala, their third child. The
family could not have foreseen the immeasurable
joy their little Nuala, or Sister Laurentia as we know
her, was to bring to people of Ireland and to people
of our country.
And there was joy that Friday in the city of Ball-
win many years later, as the Holy Infant Parish wel-
comed the opportunity to celebrate two important
milestones in the life of its much loved sixth grade
teacher, Sister Laurentia; her Golden Jubilee for fifty
years of faithful service as a Sister of Mercy, and her
30 years of teaching at Holy Infant.
Children have always been closest to Sister Lau-
rentia’s heart, so it was fitting that the celebrations
should begin with their special school Mass. Ram-
pant joy was visible through that Mass on Friday
morning, September 21, as each class brought its
gifts and proudly gave them to Sister at her honored
place at the altar. The children sang special songs,
brought pictures, banners, bouquets of flowers and
many small gift bags. It was abundantly clear that
the children love Sister dearly, and their excellent
behavior at the exciting and joyous occasion was
itself a gift of respect for their be-
loved Sister Laurentia. Father Stan-
ger sang his beautiful Irish blessing
as his gift to Sister. Fredbird made
a surprise visit which brought ap-
plause and hilarity from the stu-
dents. A day to remember!
After Mass, the Jubilee celebra-
tion continued in the upper cafeteria
that was fashioned into a lovely
golden dining room for Sister Lau-
rentia. Attending the celebration,
where her sister Gabrielle and hus-
band Eric, her sister Linda and hus-
band Tim, her nephew Laurence, the
teachers, staff, family, priests and
friends. As breakfast was being
served, the teachers, staff, priests
and friends entertained the audience
with a video of Sister’s life, skits,
songs, and stories (Irish ones, of course), and an
Irish song by Sister’s nephew, Laurence.
The Jubilee Mass for the entire parish was held
on Sunday, September 23, amid a scene of flowers,
joy, love and respect for Sister Laurentia. Father
Stanger in golden vestments shared the sanctuary
area with many other priests and deacons. Sister’s
nephew, Laurence, sang a prelude before Mass, “My
Heavenly Father Watches over Me”, and a
(Continued on page 2)
Celebrating with Sister Laurentia are Holy Infant’s Pastor Fr. Edward Stanger, retired pas-
tor of Holy Infant Monsignor Thomas Dempsey and Holy Infant School Principal Sister Rosario.
photo by Don Dinkelkamp
PAGE 2 HOLY INFANT’S WORDS AND WORKS
Communion Reflection, “I Know Who Holds the
Future”. These pieces brought tears to Sister’s
eyes and to many in the congregation. The choir
and cantor, Elena Arredondo, brought great solem-
nity to the liturgy. Sister was invited to the altar
where she renewed the same vows of Profession
that she had made fifty years before. Father Stan-
ger thanked her for her 30 years of joy and service
to Holy Infant and once again, sang an Irish bless-
ing for her. The long and enthusiastic applause
from the audience was an indication of their re-
spect and admiration for Sister Laurentia. A recep-
tion after Mass gave parishioners an opportunity to
personally express their thanks and appreciation to
her.
. . .
When the festivities had ended, family and
friends returned to their homes, Sister Laurentia sat
alone and relaxed in her arm chair, drowsily reliv-
ing the life-journey of a little Irish farm girl. Sister
sees a little girl (herself) coming home from her
three-room schoolhouse, her mother asking the
same question every school day. “Any slaps?”
One slap at school merits two slaps at home. No
questions asked. The same question for her two
brothers and sisters.
Now the little girl is in the 6th grade. Missionar-
ies come to school; she thinks, “I’d like to be a nun
too.” It’s just one quick thought, that’s all.
Sister sees herself now in high school in Navan,
and she recalls the idea of being a nun becoming
more and more powerful. She talks it over with her
parents; she prays, finishes high school, makes her
decision and joins the Sisters of Mercy convent in
Navan.
In 1962, a great day – professing her first vows.
In 1965, she felt ready and professed her final
vows. For eleven years, Sister Lurentia worked
hard teaching grades Kindergarten through grade 6
in Ireland.
Sister does not like to dwell on the first year of
her assignment in Jacksonville, Florida. She was
young, suffered bitterly from homesickness and the
heat, the bare terrain, the absence of season change,
the almost complete lack of Catholic Churches in
that area and the vast diversity of the children. She
remembers how they all conspired to make that
first year a painful cross. But she soon began to
love the children and taught in Jacksonville for
eight years.
Sister Laurentia was delighted with her assign-
ment to St. Louis in 1982. What a first encounter at
the airport that was with a young priest named
Timothy Dolan! The two soon became good
friends and Sister has witnessed many of Cardinal
Dolan’s milestone events.
Sister was enchanted with St. Louis – so much
like Ireland in climate and in the number of Catho-
lic Churches. She loves the home at Holy Infant
she shares with her dear friend, Sister Rosario, en-
joys puttering in their small garden, cooking and
watching exciting St. Louis Cardinals’ games.
Sister stirs in her arm chair. That was quite a
journey for an Irish farm girl! It’s time now to get
back to work - to doing what she loves best –
teaching 6th grade.
Sister Laurentia wants to thank the whole Holy
Infant Parish for the time and effort, the warmth
and love that made her 50th Jubilee and 30th Anni-
versary so memorable. The celebration was truly
“a thing of beauty” and will be Sister’s treasured
memory, “a joy forever”.
(Sr. Laurentia . . . continued from page 1)
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