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 Sister Louise Bond, SNJM

Sister Louise Bond, SNJM

Sister Jeanne Dolora

June 28, 1938 – January 25, 2016

Sister Louise Bond (M. Jeanne Dolora), age 77, died at the Marie-Rose Center on January 25, 2016. She was a vowed member of the Sisters of the Holy Names for 57 years. She was born in Los Angeles and grew up in southern California. Always focused, in the fifth grade she decided on her own that she wanted to become a Catholic and she did. When she was in high school, she grew to know the Holy Names Sisters in the parish sodality and after graduation entered the novitiate in 1955.

When Louise entered the Holy Names Sisters, she brought with her an extraordinary number of talents, beginning with her beautiful singing voice, which could not only lend itself to lovely solos, but could inspire groups to sing gustily and with joy. She received a degree in music education from Holy Names College, Oakland, and taught seventh and eighth grade classes, always with music, seeing this as a special way to praise God, and encouraging others to this form of prayer. But this was only the beginning of the use of her gifts.

She had the skill and intelligence to succeed in administration, in organization, in innovation, and creativity. Along the way she earned an M.A. in theology from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and a doctorate of ministry from the Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She put these degrees to work in far corners of the world.

For six years she served in Lesotho, Africa, in positions as varied as a high school principal, director of formation

for the Holy Names Sisters, coordinator for the ministry of education in religious education for primary and secondary schools, and chairperson of the Religious Studies Department of the National Teacher Training College. At that time she travelled through Europe, east Africa, and Israel.

Back in the United States, she went about the country giving workshops and conferences, writing articles and making videos for publication, many of them designed for use in lay ministry. She cared about the plight of the illiterate, undereducated, and underdeveloped people everywhere.

She addressed large crowds at convocations and received awards from such diverse groups as Habitat for Humanity and the National Association for Lay Ministry. She founded programs at Holy Names College, Oakland, seeking ways to make significant contribution to the Church she loved so well.

She served four dioceses: as Ministry Consultant for the Diocese of Indianapolis; as Chancellor in the Diocese of Evansville, as Director of the Office of Spirituality in Lexington, Kentucky, and as Vicar of Religious in San Bernardino, California.

Before health problems made it necessary for Sister Louise to stop her full-time active ministry, she volunteered in prisons, particularly concerned about the plight of the women prisoners.

When she came to Oregon and Mary’s Woods, for years she went up to the Heritage Center and typed for long hours. During those years she rejoiced when her mother in her 80s became a Holy Names Associate.

Sister Louise is survived by the members of her religious community, former pupils, and friends.