Sister Mary William
December 21, 1928 – November 18, 2021
Sister Eileen Fitgerald, SNJM departed this life on November 18, 2021 in Latham, New York.
Sister Eileen celebrated 92 years of life and 70 years of religious profession.
Virginia Catherine Parisi
July 6, 1932 – November 15, 2021
Sister Marina Rose Parisi, SNJM departed this life on November 15, 2021 at Trios Hospital in Kennewick, Washington.
Sister Marina Rose celebrated 89 years of life and 66 years of religious profession.
Sister Mary Rita Rohde embodies the SNJM commitment to caring for the Earth. “For me, it’s a moral issue,” she says. “We need to be morally responsible for generations to come.”
During the COVID pandemic, Our Place Community Outreach has served over 25,000 people and distributed over 600,000 pounds of food to meet the increased needs of their community. Sisters Joan Dixon and Carol Frances Lee share how the harmonious missions of Our Place and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary led to community in Spokane, WA, and support for all its residents.
Enedina Salazar Ortega
January 27, 1930 – October 24, 2021
Sister Joan Frances Ortega, SNJM departed this life on October 24, 2021 at Villas of Saratoga, Saratoga, California.
Sister Joan Frances celebrated 91 years of life and 72 years of religious profession.
How do you start a college? It would take a miracle. “But maybe a miracle can happen,” Sister Kathleen Ross said to herself, inspired by Mother Marie Rose and by the community in the Yakima Valley asking for access to higher education. Sr. Kathleen worked with Martha B. Yallup and Violet Lumley Rau to found Heritage College and oversaw its growth from 85 students to more than 1,400 during her tenure as President. In this episode of Holy Names Sisters: Women on a Mission, she reflects on how the college was built to empower transformational, student-centric education.
Sister Therese Elizabeth
June 13, 1931 – October 11, 2021
Sister Jean Cather, SNJM departed this life on October 11, 2021 at Saratoga Retirement Center in Saratoga, California.
Sister Jean celebrated 90 years of life and 66 years of religious profession.
Sisters of the Holy Names believes that education transforms lives and families. In 1994, that belief led to the creation of Next Step Learning Center in Oakland, CA. Sisters Cynthia Canning and Rosemary Delaney, who served as Co-Directors of Next Step for its first 21 years, share how Next Step has helped underserved youth and adults in Oakland build literacy skills, attain diplomas and transform their lives.
March 26, 1950 – October 1, 2021
Sister Rita Carey, SNJM departed this life on October 1, 2021 in Salem, Oregon.
Sister Rita celebrated 71 years of life and 47 years of religious profession.
When Sister Peggy Kennedy moved to downtown Spokane, WA, she encountered the unmet needs of women experiencing homelessness. There was no support. There was no safe space. With great effort, five women religious communities came together to create a safe space, Miryam’s House, which allowed marginalized women to build stability and grow. As Sister Peggy says, “What we couldn’t do alone, we could do together.”