February 6, 2009
People We Care About
Following is a feature in the Message, designed to help draw together the People of God in southwestern Indiana. Readers are invited to submit information about people who may benefit by some extra prayers and attention.
Daughter of Charity Sister Esther Diaz, 108, died Jan. 19.
In 2008, Sister celebrated her ninetieth jubilee after her 108th birthday, which made her the oldest Daughter of Charity in the world.
Mass of the Resur-rection was celebrated in Seton Chapel Jan. 23.
Providence Sister Gertrude Marian Bauer, 96, died Jan. 24 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence in 1927, and made her final vows in 1935.
In her 81 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered as a teacher for 52 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois and Massachusetts. For 23 of those years, she served as principal.
From 1934 to 1936, she taught at Holy Trinity School in Evansville.
A Mass of Christian burial was held Jan. 28 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
Daughter of Charity Sister Josita Parrino, 73, died Jan. 29.
She entered the Daughters of Charity in 1957.
Following her initial formation, Sister Josita was sent to Marillac House in Chicago, Ill., to serve in the Arts and Crafts Program. In 1960, she was missioned to St. Vincent Day Care in Evansville to minister as a Food Manager and Supervisor of the School Age Program. From 1967 to 1972, Sister was a Housemother at St. Mary Home, Mobile, Ala. She returned to St. Louis to complete her bachelor of arts degree in social work, which she received from Marillac College in 1974. Sister Josita spent a brief period in Evansville again, before opening St. John Mission in Charleston, Miss.
For the next 14 years, Sister ministered in the parish and served as the superior of the local community of Daughters of Charity. She returned to Evansville as the Coordinator of Arts and Crafts at Seton Residence and remained there until 1996 when she was sent to the St. Elizabeth Seton Shrine in Emmitsburg, Md., as a docent. From 1997 until 2005, Sister Josita served as an outreach worker in East St. Louis, Ill. She ministered both in the Catholic Urban Program and in the East St. Louis Housing Authority and, for a time, as the local superior at St. Regis Residence. Sister Josita returned to Emmitsburg to serve as a docent until 2007, when she came to Seton Residence as a Coordinator of Spiritual Care. She remained in that ministry until her death.
A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated Jan. 31.
Mary Steckler, 81, of St. Henry, died Feb. 1. She is the mother of Father Kenneth Steckler, pastor at St. Matthew Church, Mount Vernon, and Holy Angels Church, New Harmony.
She was born in 1927 the twelfth child of 13 to Peter and Theresa (Schmitt) Gries in St. Wendel. She married Gilbert Steckler in 1948 in St. Wendel Church. Their growing family moved to St. Henry in 1958 and she continued her life vocation as wife and homemaker, an intricate part of the family farm throughout her life.
Mary was a member of St. Henry Church and St. Henry Christian Mothers. Her deepest passions in life revolved around her biological and Church families. Her artistic abilities were shared through her quality quilts. She brought forth life with her gardening and flowers, and nourished life through her canning, cooking and baking.
Surviving are her husband of 60 years Gilbert, nine sons: Allen, Paul, Jerry, Dave and Greg, all of St. Henry, Mike of Holland, Mark of Hun-tingburg, Father Ken of Mount Vernon, and Stan of Leopold, eight daughters: Carol Jean Niehaus, Elaine Morris, Janet Theiring, all of Newburgh, Donna Dilger of St. Wendel, Norma Blackgrove of Huntingburg, Karen Woodside of Haubstadt, Linda Schwinghamer of St. Henry, and Lori Tischendorf of Santa Claus. Also surviving are two brothers; Adam Gries of Dale and Alvin Gries of St. Wendel, and one sister; Florence Rexing of Dale, 91 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Feb. 5 at St. Henry.
Benedictine Sister Mary Cecile Deken, formerly Dorothy Ann, 81, died Feb. 1.
She was born in Evansville to Fred and Mary (Kirchoff) Deken. She entered Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand in 1945, and was a founding member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Ind.
She began her career as a music teacher at St. Ferdinand School, Ferdinand. She also served at Sacred Heart School, Vincennes, St. Mary School, Washington, and St. Francis Xavier School, Poseyville.
She was sub-prioress at her community from 1967 to 1977.
A Mass of Christian burial was held Feb. 5 in the monastery chapel.
Please send information for PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT to Mary Ann Hughes, The Message, P.O. Box 4169, Evansville, IN 47724. The e-mail address is mhughes@evansville-diocese.org.