70 Year Jubilarians
Sr. Jean Barrett, OSF
Sister Jean has been a Sister of St. Francis for 70 years. For many years, she served as a teacher at St. Rose of Lima, North Syracuse; St. Joseph’s in Utica; Holy Family in Fairmount; St. Margaret’s in Mattydale and St. James in Syracuse. She has also served as a teacher at St. Martha’s in Tampa, Florida. After studying pastoral education in Sarasota, Florida, Sister Jean served as a pastoral associate at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Florida; in Wilmington, Delaware and St. Petersburg, Florida.
She writes: “The verses in the hymn, ‘The Summons,’ best describes my experience as a vowed sister. Notably, ‘Will you come follow me … and never be the same?’ This holds true in my life as I have been blessed beyond measure. I have faithfully, joyfully and energetically followed my ‘summons’ to live these past 70 years as a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. This 70th Jubilee is a remarkable and significant milestone in my life. The years have passed quickly, and I rejoice in our loving God for countless blessings of health and energy he has given me.”
Sr. Mary Farrell, OSF
Sister Mary Farrell is celebrating 70 years as a Sister of St. Francis. She served in catechetical ministry as a catechist in Whitesboro and Skaneateles; as a teacher in Amsterdam, Albany and Syracuse; as a director of religious education in Fayetteville, as well as in Upper Montclair and Manville, New Jersey; and as a campus minister in Paterson, New Jersey.
“I loved being a teacher and I especially loved the children,” Sister said. “I appreciated how supportive the parents were. When you think about 70 years, it seems like a long time. But when you love what you do, it sure does go by very fast! (Especially with [God] as your partner …)”
Sr. Mary Danielle Golumbewski, OSF
Sister Mary Danielle served as a teacher in New Jersey and as a principal in Albany and in New Jersey. Locally, she also served as a child care worker at the Gingerbread House in Syracuse, and in pastoral care at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, as well as director of Mall Ministry at Destiny USA. Sister served as a community minister at St. Anthony’s Church in Syracuse, and as a Franciscan presence minister at St. Anthony’s and at the Franciscan Villa in Liverpool.
Sr. Michael Marie O’Brien, OSF
Editor’s note: Sister Michael Marie passed away on Thursday, May 9, just days before she was scheduled to attend the jubilee. Please join in prayer for repose of her soul and in thanksgiving for her 70 years of service to the people of God.
Sister Michael Marie spent her entire ministerial life in the field of education in New Jersey and Upstate New York. Her ministry took her to St. Peter’s in Riverside, New Jersey: St. Paul’s in Whitesboro: and Our Lady of Angels and St. Francis in Albany. Sister Michael Marie also served at Holy Trinity, St. Therese’s, St. Matthew’s, Assumption and St. James in Syracuse: Immaculate Conception in Fayetteville and Our Lady of Sorrows in Vestal. During her career, she returned to New Jersey to teach at St. Joseph’s in Camden, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Riverhead. Sister also taught at Oswego Catholic High School and Maria Regina College in Syracuse.
Sr. Miriam Arthur Sabel, OSF
Sister Miriam Arthur was unable to attend the celebration.
Sr. Colette Walter, OSF
Sister Colette Walter served in the ministry of education as a teacher and administrator at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott and as principal of St. Barbara’s School in Santa Ana, California. Following her ministries in education, Sister Colette became involved in community service, serving her community first as formation director, then as the council secretary and member of the Leadership Council from 1991-2004.
“It has been a privilege to be a Sister of St. Francis these past 70 years,” she said. “It has given me the opportunity to serve God’s people in various ways as a teacher, administrator and pastoral care minister. I am grateful for the many people I have met along the way. I appreciate the support and love of my community, my family and my friends. God has blessed me in many ways. I pray for God’s guidance and protection as I continue my journey.”
65 Year Jubilarians
Sr. Maureen D’Onofrio, CSJ
Sr. Maureen’s years of service have been spent in many different ministries and locales. As a teacher, she ministered at St. Peter’s School in Saratoga Springs, St. Patrick’s School in Binghamton, St. James School in Albany and St. Anthony’s School in Syracuse.
She has also served as a parish director of Religious Education at St. Anthony’s in Endicott and Blessed Sacrament in Syracuse and as a youth minister at the Henninger and Fowler faith centers in Syracuse She served for a time as diocesan co-director of the RENEW Program for the Diocese.
Her service continued as a pastoral associate at St. Ann’s in Syracuse, St. Mary of the Lake in Skaneateles and Cathedral Parish in Syracuse, as the diocesan director of Ruth Ministry (Domestic Abuse Awareness) in Syracuse and director of Adult Faith Formation at All Saints Parish in Syracuse, where she is still active following her retirement.
She shared that, “For me, this 65th Jubilee year is a time of reflection as a vowed Religious in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. My heart is filled with gratitude for my CSJ community, family and friends. I am deeply touched by the many ministry experiences afforded me and have learned so much from those I have been privileged to serve on this one precious journey.
An inspiration for me comes from the words of our Jesuit founder, Jean Pierre Medaille, in mid-17th century France: ‘They will undertake all the spiritual and corporal works of mercy of which women are capable, always for the benefit of the dear neighbor from whom they do not separate themselves.’
In retirement, I continue to be gifted to meet the poor of every kind, learn their names and be Church together.”
Sr. Ellen Judith Lindsley, CSJ
Sister Ellen has served in the field of education as a teacher at Immaculate Conception School in Schenectady, St. Anthony’s in Endicott, and St. Mary’s in Hudson Falls. She has also served as the head of technical processing at the College of St. Rose in Albany, a librarian at Maria Regina College and Franciscan Academy in Syracuse and as a librarian media specialist at MacNamara Elementary School in Baldwinsville. In recent years, Sister Ellen served as parish minister at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Warners and currently serves at St. Joseph’s in Camillus.
She writes: “The key to my entire ministry is my dependence on my God who nourishes me and gives me the graces necessary to serve Him. It is a wonderful grace to see how God works among his people. This ministry has enriched me and allowed me to become a stronger person. I am blessed to be a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.”
Sr. Joan Ottman, IHM
Sr. Joan is a Sister Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who ministers and resides at Most Holy Rosary Parish in Syracuse. She was unable to be present for the celebration.
60 Year Jubilarians
Sr. Rosemary Hendry, OSF
Sister Rosemary has ministered as a teacher in schools in New York and New Jersey and has also served as a director of Religious Education in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For many years, she has served her community as vocation director, director of transportation, sacristan and local minister at the Franciscan Villa where she continues to serve.
Sr. Maria Salerno, OSF
Sister Maria has served in the ministry of health care as a pediatric nurse at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Utica, as head nurse at Loretto Geriatric Center in Syracuse and as a faculty member at the School of Nursing at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Her ministry also included leadership positions as a nurse practitioner in Washington, D.C and a teaching nurse in Maryland. After serving as a member of the leadership team of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities for four years, Sister Maria was appointed a member of the Board of Directors for Francis House in Syracuse. She also worked as a health care educator in the Franciscan Missions in Peru. Currently, Sister Maria works as an assistant archivist for her community and a volunteer nurse practitioner at an Urgent Care Center in Syracuse.
She writes: “Reaching my 60th anniversary as a vowed religious is a surprising and awesome event for which I am truly grateful. Every moment of these 60 years has been filled with challenges, adventures and blessings too numerous to count. We live in a time surrounded by messages of empty promises that money, sex and power are key to happiness and fulfillment. Despite these messages, I have found strength in the vows I made 60 years ago and the promises they hold. Yes, there have been times of tears, sadness and moments of discouragement, but not without the ever-present support and hope that living as a Franciscan in a religious community has afforded. The encouragement, example and strength provided by sharing this life with others who have made the same commitment have been the key to my happiness and fulfillment in this world and hopefully in the life to come. ‘This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’”
Sr. Paula Mayer, DC
“I feel amazed that this is my 60th Jubilee Year as a Daughter of Charity,” Sister Paula Mayer said.
“Where has the time gone? My life has been blessed throughout, in so many ways.”
Sister Paula served as an elementary school teacher and choir director at St. Michael’s School in Overlea and Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg, both in Maryland; at Portsmouth Elementary School in Portsmouth, Virginia; and at Cathedral Elementary School in Syracuse. She also served as a teacher and liturgy coordinator at St. Joseph’s School in Holbrook, Massachusetts.
Since 2012, she has served as an outreach minister and as the spiritual moderator of the Ladies of Charity at Historic Old St. John’s Church in Utica.
“Life as a Daughter of Charity is a wonderful gift from God and living in a community with so many loving, kind and inspiring Daughters is a blessing indeed! God, thank you for loving me so much and blessing me over and over again!”
Sr. Mary Ellen Schopfer, CSJ
Sr. Mary Ellen has served in a variety of ministries and locations over her 60 years. She was a high school teacher for a total of 15 years at Keveney Memorial High School in Cohoes, Cardinal McCloskey High School in Albany, Rome Catholic High School in Rome and Notre Dame High School in Utica.
At the parish level she served as pastoral associate and director of Religious Education at St. Anthony’s in Herkimer. She was regional director of Religious Education for the Diocese of Syracuse. She continues to serve as a spiritual director at the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse. She was a spiritual director for the Wellsprings Sabbatical Program in Glens Falls, worked in human resources at the Office of Aging in Albany and was a hospice chaplain in New Hartford. Sr. Mary Ellen has also facilitated regular spiritual growth groups for women at St. Margaret’s in Mattydale, Christ the King Retreat House in Syracuse, at St. Margaret’s House in New Hartford, at the Good News Foundation in Utica, and as requested by various groups or parishes in Syracuse and Utica.
She shared that, “I grew up in Syracuse with wonderful parents and great siblings. I attended St. John the Evangelist School from K–12, where I was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Influenced by the ‘Marian Year’ in 1950, and reminded by the priests and sisters to give prayer and thought to the possibility of a religious vocation, and by my own devotion to Mary, I did consider religious life. Without a doubt, I would turn to the Sisters of St. Joseph. I saw them radiate joy, happiness, laughter, kindness and sensitivity, as well as love of God and love of all of us at St. John’s.
I continue to ask God to lead me, and I pray that I will respond wholeheartedly for the rest of my life.
Sr. Paula Matthew Browne, CSJ
Sister Paula has served as a teacher and artist, working in many mediums, especially sculpture. Many of her sculptures are on display in churches and other institutions. She continues to create beauty. Sister Paula resides and works at the Spiritual Center in Windsor.
40 Year Jubilarian
Friar Jude DeAngelo, OFM Conv.
Friar Jude DeAngelo is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination as a Franciscan friar. For seven years, he ministered as a teacher in Trenton, New Jersey before serving as a parochial vicar at St. Peter’s Church in Riverside, New Jersey, and then as vicar provincial for the Immaculate Conception Province of the Franciscan Friars. From 1998 to 2010, Friar Jude served as the campus minister at Wake Forest University and then as university chaplain at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. from 2010 to 2022.
He has served as pastor of Assumption Church in Syracuse since 2022.
“It has been and continues to be a beautiful gift from God to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi as a Franciscan Friar and priest,” he said.
25 Year Jubilarian
Sr. Patricia Schofield, OSF
Sister Patricia has ministered as a chaplain for the Sisters at Wilson Hall and at Rosewood Nursing Home in Syracuse and as chaplain and patient advocate in the Emergency Room at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. She was chaplain and manager of Spiritual Services at St. Francis Hospital and at St. Francis Hospice East in Hawaii and served as local minister for the Sisters of St. Francis serving in Hawaii. Sister also served as a spiritual assistant at Holy Family in Vernon and St. Joseph’s Parish in Utica and for the Sisters at the Marianne Cope Fraternity. She served as co-director of the St. Francis Associates in Hawaii and currently serves as a minister of Franciscan Presence and Community Service at the Franciscan Villa in Syracuse.
She writes that “I am celebrating 25 years as a Sister of St. Francis at the age of 79! My vocation started at the young age of 8. I often helped my third grade teacher, Sr. Mary Benedict, gather things for the poor. My love for the sick and elderly goes way back to my ancestor who cared for the sick and elderly.
The most memorable ministries I had were working for hospice and caring for our sisters. I saw God’s presence in them all. For the dying it was a very special moment of seeing and knowing they were at peace and filled with joy because they were going home to their Creator. The Lord gave me a special gift to accompany them and help them fulfill their lives, and for that I am grateful.
The best part of being a Franciscan Sister is having a community of Franciscans wherever I go – be it the associates, seculars, or friars. We are in relationship with creation and bring God’s love and Franciscan spirit to all.
The future of religious life is changing. It has become more collaborative. Religious life will always exist. The need for contemplative life will always be there. The religious will find new ways to give service to the Lord.
Sister was a wife and mother before she entered. My children were hesitant at first, especially the youngest child, who thought that I had abandoned her. Since then, they see how I love the Lord and accomplished getting a master of pastoral theology at the age of 64, became the local minister to our Sisters in Hawaii, and helped many people in need. My son Joe sums it up like this:
‘I appreciate my mother as a religious, living out the call to share the spirit of humble service. I admire the way she serves God day in and day out, the selflessness and just caring for the people every day. I respect my mother and look up to her as a hero.’ My other children also respect what I am and know I love them and are there for them too.”
