Sister Mary Alice writes her story of her vocation, from which I would like to quote:

“My dear mother, Catherine McAteer, was a very spiritual person who attended the seven o’clock Mass every morning, rain or shine. When old enough, we followed her example by attending the eight o’clock Mass. After dinner each night we would kneel by our chairs to recite the rosary. My mother always prayed that God would bless one of her daughters with a religious vocation. The seed was planted by the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Gloucester. They nourished the seed with our Sunday school attendance at 2:00 PM.” (I must explain here, the children of Saint Mary’s School, even though they attended the school, were required to attend Sunday school.)

Now 1 will return to Sister Mary Alice’s own words...

“Reverend Monsignor Bric, the pastor, distributed the report cards, checking Mass and Sunday school attendance. Needless to say, I had perfect attendance. My seed was nourished while I attended eighth grade, Sister Stella Grace, with a class of eighty students, spoke on vocations on one particular Sunday. As I was on line, leaving the classroom, Sister Stella Grace said, ‘Here is a girl with a vocation.’ I had no thought about a vocation until the day of my High School Graduation. I said good- bye to our principal, Sister Rose Carmella, whom I had loved dearly, and thanked her for the many acts of kindnesses. She inquired about my life for the future. My seed was in full bloom by her words, ‘Have you ever thought about entering the convent?’ A year later, I was on my way to Newburgh with Sister Rose Carmella and Sister Agnes Mary. Thanks be to God, I never regretted having accepted God’s Call. My seed came to full bloom by her words, “Have you ever thought about entering the convent?”

Sister Mary Alice’s vocational seed grew from the early nourishment of her Mom and Dad’s prayerful life. As she developed during her formative years in Gloucester at St. Mary’s grade school and Gloucester Catholic High School, she stated, the seed was able to grow through the nourishment of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Mary’s. The seed of her vocation came to life after she received this gift from God. Sister Mary Alice began her religious life at Mount Saint Mary on September 8, 1934. When we read from Saint John’s Gospel, Chapter 15:9-17, especially verses 16-17, we read and I quote: “It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you to go forth and bear fruit. Your fruit must endure so that all you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. The command I give you is this, that you love one another.” This love we find evident in the life of Sister Mary Alice. She loved and touched the lives of all whom she came in contact. She taught the little ones for more than fifty years throughout New York and New Jersey. She even became principal at St. Ursula’s in Mt. Vernon, NY.

Sister Mary Alice even had some significant professional experiences. Some of these were: Giving demonstration lessons for grades one, four and five. These were affiliated with Mount Saint Mary College, here in Newburgh. She did this for approximately nine years. In South Jersey, Sister Mary Alice taught Reading for the Diocese of Camden for Orientation Groups for about four years.

Sister Mary Alice loved family so much. Her visits to them on large family gatherings on various occasions were enjoyed so much. She loved to travel and vacation with family. In the summer she always looked forward to travel to and vacation with her mother.

Later in her life at Saint Mary’s, Gloucester,. yours truly came along and we both traveled to and spent our vacation jn Ocean City at Dr. Frank Kelly’s summer home. She thoroughly loved the relaxing atmosphere at the shore. Another joy of Alice’s was her shopping trips. During her younger years at Saint Mary’s, she would travel by bus , with her Sister friend, to the City of Philadelphia to shop. As the years passed, she and I traveled by car at least once a month, on the first Saturday, to Saint John Neuman’s in Philadelphia for .the Sisters’ retreat morning, lunch, then our shopping spree and ending the day with Saturday evening Mass. She always looked forward to these days.

One of Sister Mary Alice’s favorite quotes was from Adrian Van Kaam: “Gratefulness is the secret of gracious aging.”

Most of Sister Mary Alice’s religious life was spent in Gloucester City at Saint Mary’s teaching in the elementary grades. After several years, her ministry of teaching came to a close, much to her regret. Her retirement though, did not end her work for the Lord. Her ministries to the people of Gloucester continued by visiting the homebound. When she , was no longer able to walk to the homes for her visits,. she made phone calls to let the lonely know that she was with them in thought. A card or a letter was also written to them, especially to the bereaved. Alice was also a Eucharistic minister.. She organized a Social Book Club; which met monthly at the convent.

Soon, it came time for Sister Mary Alice’s “gracious aging” to continue, but no longer in Gloucester. She now left the closeness of home, family and friends and her extended family of the City of Gloucester, to return to Mount Saint Mary, Newburgh. She settled in here at the Mount with the Nazareth Community. Here she continued her ministry - taking care of distributing Mass cards to the Sisters who wanted them, collecting the stipends and getting a check to mail to the Religious groups where the Masses were to be said. She also worked in the Development Office, helping with the mailings. Alice was still able to travel home for home visits and summers at the shore. I was always able to “help her by traveling to the Mount to pick her up.

When she no longer was able to travel home for her family visits, family came to her. She loved her visits from Trudy and Jim, Mary and her nieces and nephews. She also loved to go out to eat. Alice never forgot to take care of visitors. This was a carry-over from St. Mary’s, Gloucester. She always took care of the priests who came for morning Mass by preparing their breakfast. Visitors, no matter who they were, were made welcome at the convent, making sure they were fed, and if staying overnight, she always made sure that they had everything they needed. Even when 1 came to the Mount, she always looked after my needs. Alice was always “Sister Hospitality.”

Sister Mary Alice’s life of love to all God’s people will never be forgotten. Her example of love will live on in all those with whom she came in contact – her family, friends, and her extended family, the people of Gloucester. All will never forget her.

In ending, I would like to let you know what Sister Mary Alice meant to me by quoting from the book of Sirach, Chapter 6, on true friendship: “A kind mouth multiplies friends, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings. Let you acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant…A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he/she who finds one, finds a treasure.”

Alice, rest in peace. I know you will pray for us.

Sister Marie DiCamillo, OP
August 7, 2002

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