The following School Sisters of Notre Dame are celebrating 70-, 60- and 50-year jubilees this year.
70 Years
Sister Mary Kyllene Bodum earned her bachelor’s degree in English and social studies in 1946 from what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University, and her master’s degree in secondary education administration in 1965 from what is now Loyola University in Maryland. After ministering in Catholic schools in Maryland, Delaware and Liberia for 34 years, Sister Bodum was principal of Bishop Kearney High School in Irondequoit from 1978-80. She later served in pastoral care and spiritual direction in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York City, Missouri and Kenya before moving in 2001 to Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Conn.
Born in Ridgewood, N.Y., Sister Mary Henrice Eckert earned a bachelor’s in education and a master’s in psychology from Seton Hall University. She performed her first ministry in Rochester, where she was a teacher at Holy Family from 1944-46. She went on to teach in Catholic schools in Washington, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut before serving as vice principal at Holy Family Interparochial School in Norwood, N.J., from 1992-2011. Sister Eckert currently performs volunteer ministry at an SSND residence in Upper Saddle River, N.J.
60 Years
Sister Mary Louise Brien (formerly Sister Miriam Raymond) was baptized at St. Andrew Parish in Rochester and earned her bachelor’s degree in education in 1962 at what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University. After teaching in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y., for eight years, she returned to Rochester in 1962, where her teaching career has spanned more than 40 years. She taught at Holy Redeemer, Rochester (1962-70); St. Boniface, Rochester (1970-76), where she also served as principal (1976-84); Holy Ghost, Gates (1984-93), where she also was principal; and provided resource and learning assistance at St. Joseph, Penfield (1993-2004). Since 2004 she has been program supervisor at Notre Dame Learning Center, an afterschool tutoring center in Rochester that recently marked its 10th anniversary.
Sister Elizabeth McGlynn (formerly Sister Bernard Marie) grew up in St. Boniface in Rochester, attending the parish school and Nazareth Academy. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from what is now Notre Dame of Maryland University, and a master’s degree in education and reading from the SUNY Buffalo.
In the Rochester Diocese, Sister McGlynn taught at St. Michael (1961-70) and Holy Redeemer (1971-73) before becoming Holy Redeemer Parish’s director of religious education from 1973-75. She served in that capacity at Good Shepherd Parish in Henrietta from 1979-83. She also ministered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Missouri, and currently ministers in prayer and presence at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Conn.
50 Years
Sister Celine Marie Flynn became acquainted with the School Sisters of Notre Dame as a student at St. Peter’s School in Newark, N.J., and entered the congregation after working in the business world for several years.
Sister Flynn’s first ministry brought her to upstate New York in 1964 to teach for two years at St. Mary Business School in Buffalo. From 1966-68 she taught at St. Joseph High School in Rochester before ministering in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business education from Boston University and a master’s degree in secondary education administration from Fordham University. Today she is a resident of Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Conn., where she continues to minister through prayer and presence.
Sister Carolyn Mary Stoe (formerly Sister Marie Clare) grew up in Holy Ghost in Gates, attending the parish school and Our Lady of Mercy High School in Brighton.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Notre Dame University and a master’s degree in religious education from Fairfield University.
Sister Stoe taught at Holy Redeemer in Rochester (1971-75); Holy Ghost (1982-84); and at schools in Leonia, N.J., and East Meadow, N.Y.
She also was director of religious education at St. Philip Neri, Rochester (1976-82); St. Mary of the Assumption, Scottsville (1984-87); and St. Joseph, Rush (1987-93). From 1993-97 she was a pastoral associate at St. Patrick in Mount Morris. Her final ministry in the Rochester Diocese was at St. Margaret Mary in Irondequoit, where she served in pastoral care (1997-99).
In 1999, she moved to Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Conn., where she ministered as director of religious education at Our Lady of Peace in Lordship, Conn., until 2013. Today she performs community service at Caroline House and Villa Notre Dame.
