Age 91
Sister Jane was a woman who of deep faith who walked in and exuded God’s presence to everyone.
She entered the Sisters of Mercy on July 1, 1949, after her high school graduation. Jane received a bachelor’s degree in education from the Diocesan Teachers College in Madison, Connecticut, a master’s degree in education from Boston College in Boston, Massachusetts, and a doctorate in divinity studies from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Donaldson, Indiana.
Combining her skills and talents as an educator with those in spiritual direction, Sister Jane believed in companioning people on their faith journeys. She served as a master teacher for the Sisters of Mercy in training at the Country Day School in Madison, Connecticut, and at other school s in the Hartford, Connecticut Diocese.
For over 50 years, Sister Jane was a spiritual director for more than 500 individuals, gave retreats at various retreat centers and parishes and presented at more than 400 workshops and conferences for individuals in leadership in religious communities, education and healthcare. Built on a reflection of God as our “friend,” Sister Jane lived and promoted the tenet that “there is no room for fear in the relationship with a friend – only trust – ever deepening.” Reflecting on humankind’s movement in the New Millennium, Sister Jane identified women and the indigenous as the two key voices.
She served as the first director at the Spiritual Life Center in Montville, Connecticut, for three years, influencing the lives of a diverse population. She also established the Emmaus Spiritual Life Center in Uncasville, Connecticut. As its director, Sister Jane brought the reality of God’s presence in all aspects of life to people attending her sessions.