Preaching for the Funeral of Sr. Catherine Gallagher, OP

Gospel: Luke 4: 14 – 21

When Jesus returned to Nazareth and proclaimed in the synagogue these words from Isaiah about bringing glad tidings to the poor, proclaiming liberty for captives, and letting the oppressed go free, he was announcing his mission statement. I believe that this was our Sister Catherine Gallagher’s mission statement, too, whether or not she ever stated it in those words. She well could have expressed it in the words of the Gospel on her last day, about loving God and neighbor.

Born in 1911 into a good Catholic family in Connecticut, Catherine learned early to reach out to others, following the example of her parents who helped form a new parish in the Yankee town of Fairfield.
I don’t know much about her dedication to her mission statement while she worked  for about 25 years  in the business world, but I suspect she kept her eye on the goal. Evidence of this is given by the fact that when World War II began, she did what she’d often do in future years, she placed herself where she could help someone else. She joined the WAVES because, she said, in that way she could release a sailor for more important duties.

 
Awareness of her call to religious life happened much later, when she was 45.   Her friend Jo Hourihan announced that she was about to join the Kentucky Dominicans, and Catherine said to herself, “THAT’S how I can best show my love for God and neighbor.”  And, reflecting her new religious name, Sr. Maria Ancilla, the handmaid, she did live out her mission statement for another 49 years.   As a postulant she was a forerunner to Morgan Freeman because she was often seen “Driving Mother Julia.”

On her first mission to Jeffersonville, Indiana she was assigned to teach first grade. She recalled, “I did not even know how to print. I taught myself how before the first day of school.” In the next 14 years, her mission was teaching children in four states. After Vatican II, when Catherine was convinced that the future of the Church is in the PARISH, she felt her mission turn in this direction. She became Pastoral Assistant in Nebraska, Connecticut, and New York.  Nestled in between these assignments, Catherine served in leadership positions in the Commission of Peace and Justice in Louisville and as organizer of volunteers for Bread for the World in New York. Her participation in social justice issues continued until not long ago as she attended as often as possible the monthly Faithful Citizenship luncheon meetings in Bardstown.

Her parish mission continued, for even when she had begun her residency in community service at Rosary Manor, she resumed her mission to the parish by voluntary involvement in the RCIA at St. Luke’s in Belmont. And as recently as two years ago, here at the Motherhouse she kept her mission to the parish alive
by participating in Sunday liturgy and the RCIA program at St. Dominic’s in Springfield.

Catherine’s desire to serve was evidenced here by several of us, including Sisters Marina, Grace and myself, because of her desire to help with projects dear to her heart: The Siena Center for Adult Faith Formation, St. Catharine College, and Habitat for Humanity. This continued as recently as one week before her death when she asked me to take her with me to a meeting of  the Education Department of the college. When I tried to convince her that the topic wouldn’t interest her, she replied, “Oh yes it would.”

 I want to speak of some of Catherine’s other outstanding characteristics. One was generosity. She would literally give you the shirt off her back. And an even bigger example is her offer to give up to me her beautiful room in the motherhouse, which she loved. When I arrived here, she said I should have her room because she didn’t need as much space as she thought I did. She generously knitted hats and scarves for the Caring Place, stating that they should be gifts, and never sold.

Catherine was intelligent. She enjoyed reading, discussing politics and community affairs. She had a great interest in the future of the congregation during the Cluster process, regretting that she would not be able to
participate fully in the process and the results. 

Catherine had a great love for the liturgy, especially the Eucharist and sung Vespers. Those of us living at the Motherhouse are well aware of how important it was for her to come over to join us twice a week for Vespers.
Never have I seen anyone who had such an adherence to family customs even at her age. Some examples: She made a big thing of birthdays because we Gallaghers always celebrate birthdays well.  A glass of red wine was important to her as a reminder that it was family custom to enjoy one at dinner.  Annually March 17 was a special day because it was on that day that her parents met. Up until a year ago Catherine sent Christmas gifts to all her several generations of family. She reached out to her nieces and nephews because, as she would say,
“I’m the only aunt they have.”

Catherine was strong minded and determined. Because of this determination and persistence, she was sometimes misunderstood. She was aware of this, but, to her everlasting credit, she never criticized others or complained. She did complain, however, about ways to improve our community life, and her often repeated suggestions to leadership were recognized as wisdom from this elder sister, Catherine Gallagher, who has now left us after 96 years of striving to complete her mission of love of God and neighbor.

A short hymn I read while saying good-bye to Catherine I believe sums up her life:
To do your will is my desire,
To live in you, Lord, is my life.
To spread your love through all the earth
To find in you the joy of life.
All of my days, I sing your praise.
Through all my days, you are my light.
You will shine forth through all my years,
And joyously will bring me home.
 

March 5, 2008   Elaine DesRosiers, OP

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