(1940-2015)

Sister Therese Johnson, known also as Sister Joseph Aquin, was born on May 22, 1940, in Chicago. She was the third of five children born to Joseph and Mary (Conway) Johnson. Her father was a claims adjuster and, before their marriage, her mother operated a comptometer. In her autobiography, Sister Therese wrote the following description of her parents:

My mother was the heart and soul of our family and was always doing special things for us. From early on she taught us to love God and to be good Christians. She showed us more by example than preaching of any kind. [My father] possessed a keen intellect and was very articulate. He was always there to help me with my homework. I have fond memories of him rocking on the porch and reading countless books. He inspired me to have an appreciation of literature and poetry.

The family lived in St. Carthage Parish and the children attended the parish grade school. Sister Therese attended Aquinas High School, where she met Sister John Bernard, who eventually became her sponsor. In her autobiography, Sister Therese wrote that she actually decided to become a nun on the day she received her First Communion.

Read more about Sister Therese Johnson (pdf).

 

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(1929 - 2015)

Sister Magdelaine Hill, baptized Joan Marie and known to family and friends as Mag, was born on July 20, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents, William and Magdalene (Hunter) Hill, were married in 1913 and were already the proud parents of Magdalene, William, Veronica, and James when Mag was born. In her autobiography, Sister Mag gave us this description of her family.

My maternal grandmother [Nana] lived with my parents from the earliest days of their marriage. Nana had lost three children in infancy and her husband died at the age of 40. As you see, I was raised in a household of adults: Nana, Mom, Dad, Maggie, 15, Bill, 13, and Ronnie [Veronica] 11. My brother Jimmy had died in 1928. 

The year I was born, 1929, marked the great depression, but Mom and Dad worked hard to care for their children. Mom [had] a part-time job at the neighborhood Catholic hospital. Nana [was] the built-in baby-sitter.

When I was three years old, the biggest event of my young life occurred on November 27, when my baby sister, Pat was born.

 

Read more about Sister Magdelaine Hill (pdf).

 

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(1929 - 2015)

Baptized Genevieve Baker, Sister Anne Richard was born in Chicago on December 31, 1928. Gen, as she was called by some family and friends, was the youngest of the ten children born to Bentley and Margaret (Danek) Baker. Her father worked for Ahlberg Bearing Company and her mother was a stay-at-home mom. The family lived in St. Carthage Parish and Anne attended the parish school.  

Knowing that she was planning to enter the Congregation, her parents were surprised when, after graduating from eighth grade, she requested to attend Mercy High School.  In her autobiography, Sister Anne wrote, “I discovered I had a vocation while in grade school and my father was willing to make the sacrifice [to send me to Mercy], but he wondered why not Aquinas?”

Read more about Sister Anne Richard (pdf).

(1933 - 2015)

Sister Patricia J. Walsh, born on June 15, 1933, in Chicago, was the first of four children born to John and Patricia (Sullivan) Walsh. Her father was a city fireman and her mother, before they were married, was a comptometer operator. Sister Pat said, “Today she would have worked on a computer.”   

In her autobiography, Sister Pat emphasized the family’s long relationship with St. Columbanus Parish.  She wrote:

My mother was the first baby baptized at St. Columbanus Church and I was baptized there also on July 2, 1933. I attended St. Columbanus School as my mother, aunt and uncles had. We would live in that parish until the last month before I graduated and entered the Congregation.  

 Read more about Sister Patricia J. Walsh (pdf)

 

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