Sister of St. Joseph Mary Bernadette Aselin died Oct. 6, 2015. She was 98 years old.
She entered the congregation in 1931 from her home parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. She completed her teacher education program at Nazareth Normal School in 1938.
Sister Aselin taught at Immaculate Conception, St. Monica and St. Anne Schools in Rochester. In 1962, she served as both teacher and principal at St. Anne and St. Anthony School in Elmira. She became vice principal of Elmira Regional Junior High School in 1971. In 1975, she returned to Rochester and served as principal at Blessed Sacrament and then Holy Rosary.
In 1981, Sister Aselin began a new ministry and became a core member of the Emmaus House of Prayer. For the next 20 years, she worked in spirituality ministry, both at the motherhouse and at the center on Rogers Parkway. She served the poor and homeless every Friday at St. Martin’s Place, the Sisters of St. Joseph soup kitchen. She worked in congregational service until her retirement in 2009.
Sister Aselin is survived by several nieces and nephews and her sisters in the congregation.
Her funeral liturgy was celebrated in the motherhouse chapel on Oct. 13, 2015, with burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministry Fund, 150 French Road, Rochester, NY 14618.
