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Ursuline Jubilarians 2016

Behind the facts of their lives, we celebrate the dedication represented in their 75, 60, and 50 years as Ursulines. The short biographies reveal only a portion of what they did over a lifetime, in dedicated ministry and faithful prayer, and at the same time we can admire and rejoice in their achievements.


75 Years

Sister Virginia Maxwell
First Profession – January 21, 1941

Sister Virginia has spent most of her Ursuline years as a teacher and continues to have enthusiasm and broad interests in her retirement. Virginia entered the Ursulines in 1938 and made her first profession in 1941. She began teaching elementary school in 1942 at The Ursuline School, then Blessed Sacrament School, in New Rochelle, NY, and St. Angela’s, and Our Lady of Mercy, in the Bronx, NY. She taught on the secondary level, particularly at Mount St. Ursula Academy.

She holds a Master’s degree in Guidance Counseling, and from 1971 to 1986 she was a guidance counselor with the NYC Board of Education. She continued counseling until her retirement in 2011. The year before her retirement Virginia was a member of Project Bravo at Montefiore Hospital. Her undergraduate degree from CNR was in English, and she held an MA in Applied Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in California.

60 Years

Sister Teresa Byrne
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Teresa served as Provincial of the Eastern Province from 1985 to 1991. After that she turned to ministry in Upstate New York in a variety of positions: Pastoral Assistant at St. Michael’s Church in Witherbee New York and at All Saints Church, 1992 to 2003. She remained in the North Country, moving on to Malone, NY, from 2003 to the present. She has been Associate Coordinator of the Ursuline Associates in Malone during those years, and during that time (2003 to 2006) she was also Community Coordinator of ComLinks, a community Action Agency of Franklin County.

Teresa entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. She began teaching in 1958 at the Ursuline Academy in Bethesda, Maryland. Over the next few years she taught at The Ursuline School, St. Angela’s, and Our Lady of Mercy School, and then was Director of Education for the province. She was superior of the community of St. Angela’s and later of St. Teresa’s community. From there she brought her qualities of gentle and firm dedication in service to St. Patrick’s in Chateaugay, NY as Pastoral Assistant until 1985. Over the years she was a member of boards of several organizations, including Member of the Board of Trustees of the College of New Rochelle.

Sister Theresa Eppridge
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Theresa Eppridge, best known as Terry, entered the Ursulines in 1953. She took the name of Mary Clement, and she made her first vows in 1956. At the College of New Rochelle she earned a degree in English, and she holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Catholic University of America. Art has been her calling through single-mindedness and skill in various media, including portraiture, photography, and calligraphy.

From 1959 to 1988 Terry taught at Ursuline schools and the College of New Rochelle, where she served a term as Chair of the Art department. She has continued her studies at such places as the Art Students League, Pratt Institute, School of Visual Arts, and the Greenwich Art Society. She is a generous resource by providing skills for print, photography, and graphic design for a variety of uses. At present she is a professional graphic designer and has developed her skills in oil painting.

Sister Alice Marie Giordano
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Alice Marie, fondly known as Alrie and formerly known as Mother Amadeo, entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. She has been in elementary and secondary education as her ministry, beginning with The Ursuline School and continuing at St. Philip Neri School, St. Angela’s, and Blessed Sacrament. She then taught at the Academy of Mount Saint Ursula, was Assistant Principal from 1981 to 1986, and later from 2005 to 2006. With her generous and hardworking spirit, she became Service Activities Coordinator for students, with particular connections with UN activities and events from 2006 to the present.

In 2009 Alrie became Coordinator in the province office of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation, promoting connections, informational and action-oriented, between national and international social justice organizations and the province.

Sister Jeanne Hamilton
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Formerly known as Mother Angela Mary, Sister Jeanne entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. After teaching in elementary and secondary education at Blessed Sacrament School, St. Philip Neri, Ursuline Academy in Wilmington and the Academy of Mount St. Ursula, in 1989 she undertook campus ministry at Fordham University and Marist College.

From 1996 to 1998 she studied in the Canon Law program at St. Paul’s in Ottawa. Her dry wit and humor went with her in all her works. In 1998 she became a Judge on the Tribunal of the Diocese of Wilmington serving there until 2011. She then continued her service as a columnist for Dialog, the diocesan paper. As a resident in the Wilmington community, she was a community councilor, a trustee of the Academy, and she continued her service in the diocese in the Diaconate Program, teacher in the Catechetical Office, and as a writer for the diocesan paper.

Sister Kathleen Kuczkowski
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Kathleen, formerly known as Mother Mary Stanislaus, entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. After teaching 2 years at St. Philip Neri School, she went to Greece, where she taught at Psychico and then at Amaroussion, 1961-1976. When she returned, she taught at St. Joseph’s Ursuline Academy in Middletown, and then at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle.

Kathleen went into parish ministry in NY in 1978 to 1987, and became a spiritual director at St. Paul’s, Mount Carmel, and All Saints Parishes. She continued her ministry at Divine Compassion Spiritual Center to 2000. She then served in the Secretariat at Ursuline Generalate, 2002-2004, and resumed spiritual direction when she returned to the U.S. At St. Teresa’s community, and with her characteristic generosity, she also does community service, notably cultivating and caring for the community gardens and arranging altar flowers.

Sister Mary Jo Lyons
First Profession – January 16, 1956

With 2 parents from Ireland, Mary Jo, formerly named Mother Martin Marie, had a love of all things Irish; she even mastered the Irish language. Mary Jo entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. She taught at Blessed Sacrament School, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Joseph’s in Middletown, and became principal of the lower school of Ursuline Academy in Wilmington. During those years, she earned an MA in Education from Villanova, and an MA in English from NYU.

Mary Jo was Assistant Director of Highbridge Community Life Center from 1991 to 1997. She became Associate Chaplain at St. Cabrini Nursing Home, 1998 to 2005. She was good-natured in all seasons. From 2004 she was actively involved in an Irish group who met regularly to interact about all things Irish.

Sister Nancy Malone
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Nancy Malone was formerly Mother Augusta. She entered the Ursulines in 1953 and made her first vows in 1956. Her first ministries were in education at Ursuline in Bethesda, The Ursuline School, and at the College of New Rochelle where she returned after earning a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School. Nancy also held an MA in classics from the Catholic University of America.

Throughout all her life she was known for her wit, humor, and commitment to the intellectual life. In 1974 Nancy’s ministry took a turn when she joined the Church Society for College Work where she became Project Director and Editor, followed by three years as Northeast Regional Director of the National Institute of Campus Ministries. Later she was Editor of Religion and the Intellectual Life in the association of that name, then the association’s treasurer for five years. From 1990 to 1997 she was co-editor of Crosscurrents. Then from 1997 to 2008 she was editor and writer for the province newsletter, Bylines.

Sister Sheila Murphy
First Profession – January 16, 1956

Sister Sheila held a BA in Art when she graduated from CNR. She entered the Ursulines in 1953, making her first vows in 1956. She is currently, since 2006, involved in community service in Malone, NY, after years of teaching elementary school at Ursuline in Bethesda, Maryland, and at St. Jerome’s, St. Philip Neri, and Our Lady of Mercy schools, all in the Bronx. From 1987 to 1997 she taught in All Saints Catholic School in Florida where a small community of Ursulines served. Sheila spent the next year in Thailand teaching English as a Second Language.

Returning to NY, she taught for a year, then became superior of the community at Bedford Park in the Bronx. Throughout her life, her dry humor has enabled her to put things in perspective.

Sheila holds an MFA from the Catholic University of America. She has served as secretary at the Bedford Park Community and on the Board of Directors at the MSU Speech Center, and as a provincial councilor. She is a committee member of the Council of Religious, Social Justice Committee in the diocese of Ogdensburg.

50 Years

Sister Sheila Campbell
First Profession – March 15, 1966

Sister Sheila (formerly known as Mother St. James), entered the Ursulines in 1963 and brought humor and cheerfulness with her. She made her first vows in 1966. She graduated from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula and the College of New Rochelle. Over the years Sheila has taught at Ursuline schools: Blessed Sacrament School, the Academy of Mount St. Ursula, and The Ursuline School.

Since 2002 she has been an instructor and tutor in English as a Second Language at Concordia College. Prior to that she taught ESL at Bronx Community College, St. Basil College, and Westchester Community College; she was instructor in ESL for adults and for children at NYC Board of Education. From 2009 to 2012, she was Provincial Secretary. Over the years she has served on Boards at Ursuline schools.

Sister Jeanne Giebelhouse
First Profession – March 15, 1966

Sister Jeanne, formerly known as Mother Mary Debora, entered the Ursulines in 1963 and made her first vows in 1966. She has been superior of the St. Teresa’s Community since 2011. Her thoughtfulness is characteristic of her caring ministries over the years. She has served in leadership positions, notably as one of the Directors of the Marian Residence, an Ursuline health care facility from 1987 to its closing in 2005. She was Superior of St. Joseph’s Community in Malone, NY from 1979 to 1985, and she has served as Provincial Councilor from 2006 to 2011. She holds a BA in French from the College of New Rochelle and a Masters degree in English from St. Michael’s College.

Jeanne has worked in social service settings, notably as Director from 1998 to 2003 at The Adult Learning Center for men and women learning English and preparing for citizenship. She taught in secondary school at St. Joseph’s in Middletown. She is certified in teaching English and French. Over the years, in various workshops and institutes, she has studied pastoral care, particularly for the elderly and infirm.

Sister Maureen Welch
First Profession – March 15, 1966

Sister Maureen currently holds the position of International Coordinator of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation for Ursulines around the world. Prior to that, she had served in a Non-Governmental Office at the United Nations.

She entered the Ursulines in 1963, and she made her first vows in 1966. She brings energy and enthusiasm for the diverse works she is involved in. She has served as Superior of the Malone, NY community (1985-1988) and of the Wilmington community (2007-2011). Currently she is a province councilor.

Maureen holds a BA in biology from the College of New Rochelle, and an MTS in chemistry from the Catholic University of America. She has taught at Ursuline schools in Springfield, MA, St. Joseph’s, and at The Ursuline School. She has held a variety of positions including the Deacon Formation program in Ogdensburg, NY, Pastoral Care Hospice in Malone, NY, and Pastoral Associate in Malone. At St. Teresa’s community, she brings rich experience to her tasks, serving on the local council and as the community treasurer.