Sister Mary Therese ND 4965 PDF Download
(formerly Sister Mary St. Pius)
Mary Therese BROWN
Immaculate Conception Province, USA
Date and Place of Birth: December 3, 1937 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession: August 16, 1957 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Death: May 21, 2024 Health Care Center, Chardon, Ohio
Date and Place of Burial: May 31, 2024 Resurrection Cemetery, Chardon
“In God’s Love, I live.”
Mary Therese was the oldest of the three children born to Lawrence and Margaret (Grubiss)Brown. Love and unwavering faith in God’s blessings were nurtured as the family grew. The children attended St. Gregory the Great parish and school. From early on, Mary Therese liked school and all subjects, especially art and the missionary spirit fostered by the Sisters. She entered Notre Dame Academy as an aspirant and became a postulant on February 2, 1955. Mary Therese wrote, “I came to my community by the example of the Sisters I had as teachers from elementary school through college. I was struck by their centeredness on Jesus, community living, their love of one another, their love of Mary and the thoroughness of their teaching and service to others.” At investment she received the name Sister Mary St. Pius.
Sister Mary Therese earned a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, and was certified to teach high school Latin and Art. She received a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio—specializing in prints, sculpture and art history. For thirty-five years Sister shared her knowledge, faith and artistic gifts with students in Ohio, Virginia and Florida. Her teaching style was loving and gentle, firm and whimsical. As a drama director, her creativity and practicality found energetic expression. Further studies gave her skills in carpentry and welding for building stage sets. Students thrived under her guidance. Sister considered it a blessing to have known and loved hundreds of students.
In 1995 Sister Mary Therese began a fifteen year ministry as Pastoral Minister, Director of Religious Education and Adult Faith Formation at parishes in Ohio and North Carolina. Sister found it especially rewarding to accompany adults on their faith journeys. Her life was enriched by the people she met, worked with and called friends.
Sister moved to Chardon in 2010 and continued to assist with activities and share her artistic talents. She worked with the SND Global Missions in outreach to India and set up a letter-writing partnership with young sisters in East Africa. Sisters enjoyed and were inspired by her ready laughter, her generous heart and her freedom of spirit. Her spirituality and creativity were expressed in various works of art enhancing the Provincial Center and the Bethany Retreat Center chapels.
Sister Mary Therese helped us to see God’s beauty everywhere—in the vastness of creation and in simple craft work. She wrote, “I have been sustained in religious life through the example of the sisters who taught me and later became friends and mentors; through the varied ministries with those I came to love; and through the opportunities given to grow spiritually as well as professionally.”
May Sister Mary Therese rest in the arms of our good and loving God.
by Dreamhost