Sister Mary St. Dominic

Sister Mary St. Dominic                ND 4136                 PDF Download

Theresa Marie NUDO (natural sister of Sister Mary Louismarie)

Christ the King Province, Chardon, Ohio, USA

Date and Place of Birth:          January 3, 1927        Canton, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession: August 16, 1947       Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Death:        December 8, 2015    Health Care Center, Chardon,Ohio
Date and Place of Funeral:      December 17, 2015  Provincial Center, Chardon,Ohio
Date and Place of Burial:         December 17, 2015  Resurrection Cemetery, Chardon, Ohio

Theresa Marie was the third child of Ralph and Alice (Nieschwitz) Nudo. When she was seven years old, Theresa’s father, an electrician for the Ohio Power Co., met with a tragic accident and died. Her mother was suddenly left alone to care for seven children. Theresa saw how her mother courageously faced each day with faith and love. This example of steadfast fidelity never faded from her memory. Her dear mother remained her inspiration and model, a source of support and peace throughout her life.

Theresa met the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Peter School and Parish, Canton, OH, and knew as a sixth grade student that she wanted to become a sister. With the guidance and support of Sister Mary Floracita Renner,Theresa attended high school as an aspirant at Notre Dame Academy in Cleveland. In her senior year, she entered the novitiate on February 2, 1945. At investment she received the name Sister Mary St. Dominic.

For Sister Mary St. Dominic, being a sister meant being a teacher. But she questioned if this was the right path for herself. God heard her question. Just before the start of her third year of college, Sister was asked by Sister Mary Elise, Provincial Superior, to assume responsibility for the Provincial House laundry. After three days of training, she found herself in charge. She was responsible for managing the main laundry at the Provincial House in Cleveland and then in Chardon for almost fifty years! Sister looked on her work as a ministry, not just as a job to be done. She proclaimed the loving goodness and kindness of God through this faithful ministry to her sisters. No challenge was too great for her daily “labor of love.” All who assisted her, especially the novices, benefitted from her unquestioning commitment and quiet, joyful presence.

After Sister Mary St. Dominic retired from the laundry in 1998, she continued her service to the community as a driver and visitor in the community Health Care Center. When her older brother, Louis, was in need, Sister ministered as caregiver for many years and was also a faithful companion to many sisters in the Health Care Center. Her untiring devotion to her own sister, Sister Mary Louismarie, was a gift and a blessing. Sister was a prayerful woman whose gentle, simple spirit and lifetime of service revealed her love for our good and gracious God. May she rest now, peacefully, in God’s loving embrace.