Sister Catherine DeFranco, MSC
Sr. Catherine DeFranco enjoys the distinction of being one of the 78 MSC novices from around the world to attend the beatification ceremonies of Mother Cabrini in Rome. She professed her vows in Codogno and was privileged to join the group who visited Mother’s birthplace and other places of interest in Italy. Returning to the United States, she began her teaching ministry and during the summers attended Fordham University and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. Her teaching profession, which spanned over fifty years, included elementary, secondary and college education covering California, New Orleans, New York and Pennsylvania. Catherine served as principal of Villa Academy in Burbank, California, administrative assistant at Cabrini High School in New Orleans and as registrar at Cabrini College. Her former pupils, including many MSCs, attest to the benefit they received from the attention and education she gave them.

In her “retirement” Catherine volunteered in the Province Office and Cabrini Mission Foundation and shared her many gifts, especially her skill in proofreading any text. Now at St. Cabrini Residence, Sr. Catherine always has a cheerful, welcoming smile for all visitors. When asked what her favorite quote would be for her 70th Year, she quickly replied: “I thank the Lord, for all the wonderful surprises He has given me throughout my life” and they keep coming.

Sr. Adeodata Gatti, MSC
A native of Lissone, Italy, Sr. Adeodata Gatti, entered the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on September 29, 1946. Shortly after her profession, she was missioned to Casapusterlengo. It is not hard to imagine the youthful Adeodata - a little taller than her pupils - teaching the children in the kindergarten in our school there. Was it fun, Deo? Were you sad to leave them to cross the Atlantic, two and a half years later? Your admirable attitude helped, “I have always worked with my whole heart, willing to be ‘sent’.”

At Columbus Hospital in Chicago, Adeodata learned the new language and worked in the Central Supply Department, Chicago. In 1958, she was needed in the same capacity in Seattle’s St. Cabrini Hospital, where she later was the director. After a renewal program in Rome, Adeodata returned to the medical records department. When the hospital closed, she moved to Sacred Heart Villa in the same city to help care for the retired seniors. In 1997, she came east to Saint Cabrini Nursing Home, Dobbs Ferry. She volunteers daily in the LTHC (Long Term Home Care) Program. “I try to do this small ministry, bringing the gentle love of God to all those with whom I come in contact.”

Her favorite themes are: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord,” (Psalm 92), and “Sing to the Lord a new song.” (Psalm 96)

Sr. Margaret Mary Hernandez, MSC
On the same day of Mother Cabrini’s canonization, July 7, 1946, the community at Villa Cabrini Academy, Burbank, California, celebrated the reception of Sister Margaret Mary Hernandez into the Institute. After profession, she taught primary grades in Brooklyn, Burbank, Dobbs Ferry, Philadelphia and Seattle. She then became involved in pastoral care ministry at Columbus Hospital in Chicago.

Margaret Mary’s favorite memory of mission is “the example the Senior Sisters gave me of being approachable, and agreeable. Some have already gone to their eternal reward.” She is now the sacristan at St. Cabrini Residence where, now herself a senior, she is surrounded by those who appreciate the care and attention she devotes to the chapel and its environment.

Sr. Margaret Mary daily reads and reflects on one of the letters written by Mother Cabrini in 1895, which states in part, “We are Missionaries and missionaries should never shrink from difficulties and danger, but rather confide in Jesus…”

Sister Matilda Pepe, MSC
Sr. Matilda Pepe entered the Institute in West Park, New York, on June 28, 1946, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Matilda spent most of her religious life in health care at Columbus Hospital in Chicago and the Columbus Hospital on Broad Street in Philadelphia, which for a brief time, was a maternity hospital.

From 1959 - 1969, she was sent to care for the senior sisters in our house in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. She ministered to them selflessly day and night. She writes,

“It was a beautiful mission on the Gulf Coast. After many years of pleasant, peaceful ministry, on August 17, 1969, nature’s angry winds took us by surprise. We were in the path of Hurricane Camille, the most powerful storm in U.S. history, with destructive winds up to 200 miles per hour. The tornado winds took the life of our chaplain and destroyed the trees surrounding the convent building leaving its structure miraculously intact. We sisters did not move from the area, but weathered the storm on the top floor of the building. Only the mercy of God, with the help of St. Cabrini, spared us all. My favorite memories of this mission will last forever.”

Sr. Matilda enjoys watching sports, especially basketball. Here in Philadelphia, she is loyal to the Philadelphia 76ers and in her enthusiasm, she urges them on, “Go Sixers!”

Sr. Ilaria Povero, MSC
At the beginning of her religious life, Sr. Ilaria Povero was chosen to pursue a nursing career. After graduating from nursing school, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She practiced this profession as a nurse, a nursing director and as an instructor in the school of nursing. After earning her Master’s degree in Hospital Administration, she also served in administration at Cuneo Hospital, and helped establish the hospital in Rome and served there as administrator for more than a year.

Afterward, as director of Cabrini Retreat Center in Des Plaines, she strengthened its reputation and added to the number of groups meeting there. She exchanged brief, cordial words with retreatants in the dining room and took care of all their needs. She is now a member of the community at Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, Colorado.

She states, “I have always found my mission to be life-giving, particularly when I had close contact with people. My prayer was always to bring God to them and receive Him from them. My work in these contacts involves a particular presence to people and a deep giving of myself.”

No wonder her favorite quote is, “Serve the Lord with joy!”

Sr. Edvige Sommariva
Sr. Edvige Sommariva was born in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy, also the birthplace of Mother Cabrini. She received her initial formation in Italy before coming to Chicago in 1951. Her ministry has been in health care and her entire religious life was spent in Chicago with the exception of three years at Clinica Columbus, Milan, Italy. She worked as a nurse full time as she studied nursing at DePaul University. Later she was appointed nursing supervisor, Director of Nursing and lastly, Vice-President at Columbus Hospital. She assisted in the care of many patients and met many wonderful people.

When Edvige left the health care ministry, she decided to learn floral design and flower arranging. This allows her to continue her ministry by preparing floral arrangements to sell in the gift shops of two Chicago hospitals: St. Anthony’s and St. Joseph’s. The earnings are forwarded to the Cabrini Mission Foundation to be used in programs of healing, teaching and caring.

Sr. Edvige writes, “Many would say that I have an entrepreneurial spirit. That may be part of it. But when I look at Mother Cabrini I see a woman who lived by what she taught us: ‘Work much and make frequent use of prayer, trust your beloved Jesus.’ (Travels 08-27-1896) Now, in my later years, these words mean more than ever and I am grateful to have the time to spend with Jesus as well as the energy to continue to work in this small ministry.”

Sr. Catherine Garry, MSC
Sr. Catherine Garry entered the Institute on the day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, 1956. She received the title of Our Lady of Good Counsel which she treasured as her special patroness. She has not only reaped many graces and benefits from Our Lady but also learned from her how to counsel and comfort those whom she taught or supervised in the teaching ministry and in provincial administration. She taught at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School in Brooklyn, Mother Cabrini Elementary School in Manhattan and Saint Donato School in Philadelphia. She was teacher and principal in St. Anthony School, Kearny, and Cabrini High School, New Orleans.

In Chicago and New York City, she was in Province Governance and worked with the Mother Cabrini League. She has engaged in retreat work in Guelph, Canada, and Des Plaines, Illinois. Her favorite and most life-giving ministries were “teaching adolescents as well as ministering to dependent children. The youth I was privileged to teach and the Sisters with whom I worked taught me so much about life’s struggles, faith in God, and the resiliency of the human spirit.”

Sr. Catherine is inspired in her work by “My grace is sufficient for you; for in weakness power reaches perfection.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Sr. Mona Hallock, MSC
Sr. Mona Hallock entered the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Valentine’s Day in 1956 in Burbank, California. During her novitiate, Mona assisted her novice mistress, Sr. Camille Parati, in translating the Exhortations of St. Frances Cabrini into English. At vestition, she received the title of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. After her profession on August 31, 1957, Mona taught at Mother Cabrini High School in New York City, South Catholic High School in Scranton, and Villa Cabrini Academy, Burbank. She also held the positions of Director in the Social Service Department at St. Cabrini Hospital and Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Cabrini College.

In the later 70s, Mona was missioned to Seattle where she earned her Master of Counseling degree from Seattle University and her certification as a Mental Health Counselor from the State of Washington. After working in mental health at St. Cabrini Hospital in Seattle and other mental health centers, Mona assisted in the development of senior residential projects. Currently, Mona is involved in pastoral care volunteering as Eucharistic Minister for the homebound elderly in her parish and in religious education.

Sr. Romualda Molon, MSC
Sr. Romualda Molon came to the United States from Brazil in 1958 and spent 16 years in Seattle’s St. Cabrini Hospital. Then she was missioned south to New Orleans. While serving as a child care aid at Cabrini Nursery she was part of the Cabrini High School community and blessed them with her gentle presence and culinary skills. Educated as a practical nurse, she served briefly in that capacity at Columbus Hospital and then was appointed as Director of Housekeeping at St. Cabrini Hospital, Chicago. She would gather her employees regularly for prayer and instruction. In 1994, Romualda joined the staff of Cabrini Retreat Center and from there ventured into a new experience in the Ironbound Brazilian Ministry at St. James Parish in Newark, New Jersey.

“Romy” is a deeply prayerful person and her intimate relationship with Jesus has made her flexible in responding to the plan of God. Having served in many U.S. missions, she now continues to demonstrate her capacity for adaptation as she ministers to the people of Baguio City in the Philippines. She works in the parish as part of the Eucharistic Team and represents the MSCs at the parish meetings. She assists SOSCFI by meeting with the mothers and attending to special projects like Interplast. Romualda is the mainstay of Casa Cabrini overseeing all the ordinary and extraordinary needs of the household and winning the love and respect of the young women who live in the community.

Sr. Benigna Morais, MSC
Sr. Benigna Morais was accepted into the Institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 22, 1956, and made her novitiate at Ospedaletti in Italy. Right after profession she came to St. Cabrini Hospital on Edgecombe Avenue in New York where she recalls the blessing of having Mother Caritas Moscati, MSC, as her Superior. Benigna was educated in nursing in Chicago and served in that field in New York City, Chicago, and Seattle. As Benigna moved into pastoral care she pursued theology courses and then completed the Corpus Program of Pastoral Ministry at Seattle University. She served in pastoral care at St. Cabrini Hospitals in Seattle and Chicago while also ministering to the senior sisters in the respective communities. Today, Benigna serves as Director of Pastoral Care at St. Anthony Hospital in Chicago.

“My whole religious life has been spent in the health care field. I am invited to embrace this vision of life and to see the potential of my efforts to reveal the presence of God in every human being. Every taste, every word, every action, no matter how ordinary or routine, can reveal God’s loving presence. This has also given me a sense of service to the needy, the suffering and the most vulnerable, in a wholistic way. It has helped me to look at my gifts and limitations and live each day as a ‘special day’ that God has given me to do His work.”

Sr. Benigna’s sister, Maria Candida, is also a member of our Institute, who will be celebrating her Jubilee next year. She lives in Brazil and has suffered a serious illness over these past few years. In the trials of daily life as well as during hardships and crises, like her sister’s illness, Benigna relies with confidence on these scriptural passages: “God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.”(1 John 4:16); “And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20

Sr. Regina Palamara, MSC
Sr. Regina Palamara entered the Missionary Sisters on Valentine’s Day in 1956, in Burbank, California. Her beloved twin sister, Loretta, had entered three years earlier. Regina’s first mission was in Brooklyn’s Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School as a teacher and as part of the pastoral ministry team. She also taught at St. Francis Xavier School in Burbank, California, and then became part of the pastoral team at St. Frances Cabrini Church, Roosevelt Island, New York. In 2002, she returned to Burbank to care for her mother who subsequently died. She is now in contact with the many other Villa Cabrini alumnae there and helps enliven the Cabrini charism with them.

Sr. Regina would often be heard to say that one of her most life-giving experiences was raising funds and sending thousands of packages to our mission in Swaziland, Southern Africa. She did this for over 25 years. As Regina states, “I may never have been missioned to Swaziland, but I felt that I was part of this wonderful ministry as I sent boxes of clothes, school supplies and toys to the mission every month. I was sure to include “little treats” of candies, jellies, and peanut butter for our sisters.”

Regina lives by one of her favorite quotes: “Sanctity is hands that are dipped in any water.”

Sr. Adelaide Pereira, MSC
A native of Brazil, Sr. Adelaide Pereira was the first one to leave her family and entered the Institute on September 20, 1956. Later, two other sisters joined her. After she completed her initial formation in Ospedaletti Ligure, she came to Chicago, expecting to return to her beloved Brazil. Instead, she was missioned to St. Anthony’s Orphanage in Kearny, New Jersey, where she was engaged in household tasks and she prepared three meals a day for hundreds of God’s little ones. When St. Anthony School was closed Adelaide came to St. Cabrini Residence in Philadelphia to serve as cook for our senior sisters.

Adelaide maintains an “open-door” policy from early morning to late evening, providing sustenance and cheer to sisters, staff, sales persons, and visitors. “What would you like?” “Have you eaten yet?” are her usual greetings.

Weather permitting, Adelaide spends her leisure either tending her vegetable garden, checking on the three dogs, or relaxing, enjoying conversations with friends from the neighborhood and staff.

Sr. Diane Olmstead, MSC
Sr. Diane Olmstead entered the Missionary Sisters on September 16, 1981, in Philadelphia, PA. She feels privileged to have served in a variety of ministries and believes that each ministry blessed and challenged her in its own way.

“St. Cabrini Home in West Park gave me a window into the sufferings of adolescent youth. The senior sisters at St. Cabirni Residence in Philadelphia witnessed to me day in and day out their fidelity, perseverance and Missionary Identity. The people of Guatemala pulled me out my ethnocentric world view and helped me to better learn about solidarity as I ministered at Dispensario, San Jose. Hospital ministry in Chicago and New York stretched me and allowed me to be a healing presence. Parish ministry has allowed me to share my faith and be strengthened by the faith of the people of the parish, and vocation ministry was a wonderful opportunity to journey with women seeking to discover the will of God in their lives and to share our Charism.”

Our Constitutions (Rule of Life) state that Mother Cabrini’s mission was “to communicate to all the certainty of their being loved by the Father…and to heal the division between God and man…” This has been the motivation of Sr. Diane’s life and has sustained all her efforts. Presently, Diane serves in pastoral ministry at St. Theresa Parish in New York City.