Author's note: I had the opportunity to serve with Sister Kathleen Quinn while working with the migrant population at the U.S.-Mexico border. It was an experience I will never forget. Her willingness to undertake all assignments from serving meals to cleanup, assisting with the distribution of clothing, toiletries and medication, showing a welcoming attitude with hugs and smiles, as well as being a calming presence to children all demonstrated her to be a dedicated healer.
Also, during a volunteer week headed by Sisters Connie and Marybeth a few years ago, Sisters Kathleen and Barb Kuper prepared a gourmet breakfast at their home and even gifted us with pecans as we left for home.
Finally, Sister Kathleen attended many of the Associate meetings in Hobart to be among those attending.
Each opportunity to witness Sister Kathleen’s dedication and hard work, showed me both the discipline and endurance for tasks at hand that she has cultivated her entire life. As you read her life’s story below consider how she followed the path of a Poor Handmaid utilizing both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy with an attentive ear and courageous heart! Nothing else needs to be said except “well done good and faithful servant.”
I am from a small town, East Chicago, Indiana and I am the youngest child in a family of five brothers and one sister. I was loved tenderly by my mother and father, as I was the youngest one of our family. I can’t even imagine raising a little girl challenged by five brothers and one sister who were all active in sports, in scholastics, and in church affairs. I mention this because I was challenged to be my own person in so many ways and I was.
I had a desire to be a religious Sister, having been taught by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Sister Cyril Cousins was my second and third grade teacher and she inspired me to pray for my vocation. I always added in my prayer, “I want to be a Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ.”
I love to pray the Rosary and the words of the first joyful mystery were always very special to me especially when I professed my first vows: “Not my will but yours. I am a handmaid of the Lord” as Our Lady responded when she pondered the question to be the mother of God. Yes, it has strengthened and inspired my “yes” each day as I renew my vows, a community custom as a Poor Handmaid.
As I began my ministry in Nursing, I was placed in a supervisory position in a large Obstetric Department at Saint Anne’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. I finished my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Loyola University, and earned my Master of Science in Nurings at Catholic University in Washington, DC. After completing my Masters, I remained at Saint Anne’s for a period of time as the Director of Nursing Service. I was destined to minister in Administration. During the next 42 years, I was administrator of two hospitals, Assistant Provincial, Provincial of our Community and the Chairperson of the Ancilla System Board of Directors.
Time came for retirement and I said to myself, I would like to do “hands on nursing” after my many years in administration. So, I asked to minister at Sojourner Truth House in Gary, Indiana as the nurse coordinator and I had that privilege for 20 years. With this change in ministry, it was always my desire to serve the poor and the needy and at STH I finally was able to fulfill my desire. As the nursing coordinator for the women and children I assisted the residents with their ordinary health care needs, but also assisted them in setting up a health care plan for the future by seeing a doctor and a dentist regularly, and by getting their eyes checked on a regular basis. Because STH did not have the money to pay for this type of care, I was able to get physicians, dentists, eye specialists to give free care or reduce the cost of these important services.
It really challenged me to see what the poor had to deal with to obtain quality health care, a problem I never had to deal with as a religious sister. The scripture passage that inspired me and was very important to me was, Whatsoever you do to the least of your brethren you do unto me. I was always touched by the women’s appreciation and gratitude for the care they received.
When large number of immigrants with small children came to the United States in May of 2016, LCWR asked Religious Congregations to volunteer in this crisis. In January of 2017 Sister Barbara Kuper and I went to El Paso for a month of service. This service asked us to step out of the box and to meet the needs of both mother and child. With my nursing background, I worked with the mothers who were under much stress from being away from home and with some husbands being retained because of not having the correct papers. I was able to listen to their stories and to assist them with simple medicines. Sister Barbara, with her long history of childcare helped the babies feel the tender love of a person who knew the care needed by frightened babies. We worked in the clothes rooms to provide the immigrants clothes, as many had only the clothes on their back with them.
We went again with Sister Connie for a week to San Antoinio and McAllen Texas, and worked with over 1000 boys who were trying, with many telephone calls, to get relatives or sponsors to assist them to stay in the United States.
One of the most difficult decisions of many I had to make was leaving Saint Catherine’s in East Chicago where I ministered in pastoral care bringing, Communion to the patients twice a week, and visiting the sick in between those days. I also assisted at Saint Mary of the Lake Parish, welcoming the parishioners on Sunday, singing in the choir, serving as a Eucharistic minister and in bringing Communion to the home-bound.
I found the two ministries a joy. They kept me in touch with the needs many families were facing during the pandemic.
Working with the Social Justice committee, we brought together many of the different faith groups and established an interfaith group to work on the social justice issues in the area and branching out to work on issues affecting us in the state of Indiana. Why was this difficult? Because I am now in a situation where I am not connected to parish life and the challenges it brings. I did find something unexpectedly special in working with Sister Connie and the food program to serve the poor in Plymouth, Indiana. I also found the time for silence and contemplative prayer, which nourishes me in many ways as my daily prayer, my preparation of prayer for our Monday daily Community prayer.
Now that I have been at Catherine’s Cottage going on three years it has been in many ways the change that I needed and now dearly appreciate.