Sister Ann Helen Seguljic, IHM
Sister Ann Helen Seguljic, IHM, (formerly Sister M. St. Ignatius) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Saturday, January 21, 2017, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.
She was born on January 4, 1931, in Brooklyn, NY. She was the daughter of the late John and Kate Jurjevich Seguljic. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1955, made her temporary profession of vows on March 13, 1958, and her final profession of vows on June 22, 1963.
Sister Ann served as a teacher at the following schools: All Saints High School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1953 to 1955; Holy Rosary Elementary School in Scranton, PA, in 1958; St. Joseph’s High School in Williamsport, PA, from 1958 to 1966; St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, NY, from 1966 to 1967 and 1979 to 1992; Marywood Seminary High School in Scranton, PA, from 1967 to 1969; St. Mark’s High School in Wilmington, DE, from 1969 to 1979; Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ, from 1994 to 2002; and Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ, from 2002 to 2007.
Sister also served as an assistant in the IHM Communications Office at the IHM Center in Scranton, PA, from 1992 to 1994.
From 2009 until the time of her death, Sister Ann Helen served as a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics/education from St. Joseph College, and a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from St. John’s University.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, John J., Dr. Nicholas, and Joseph.
She is survived by a sister-in-law, Virginia Seguljic of Brooklyn, NY; a sister-in-law, Joan Seguljic of Bristol, CT; nieces and nephews; and by the members of the IHM Congregation.
The funeral will be Friday, January 27, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Thursday, January 26, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Friday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
Funeral: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/99382863
Vespers: https://video.ibm.com/recorded/99361530
Reprinted from "In Memoriam" section of Journey, Spring 2017 issue
Reflection given by Sister Ellen Maroney, IHM Congregation President
Sister Ann Helen Seguljic, Funeral 1/27/17
“Words cannot express my gratitude to …the community for the opportunities given to me ...With God’s help, I pray that I
will be able to bring many [students] closer to Him and His mother, and many blessings on the community.”
(Letter to Superior General during her early years as teacher)
These words were in a letter written by Sister Ann to the IHM Superior General at the time of her final profession, and capture the essence of Ann’s life as an IHM: trust in God, gratitude and love for the congregation, and dedication as a teacher to impart not only knowledge, but love of God as well. Those same qualities were referred to by family members and friends who shared memories of Ann at yesterday’s wake service. Her nephews recounted that on the surface, Ann could sometimes appear demanding, but underneath was a kind, sentimental core that showed itself in so many acts of thoughtfulness and kindness throughout their lives. They saw, as did those who came to know Ann, that she was the ultimate teacher who used daily encounters, in and out of the classroom, as opportunities to teach life-long lessons, such as how to do a proper handshake and so much more. Her goal was fundamentally to help them become better human beings, and in so doing, to draw closer to their loving God.
On the wall in Ann’s room was a needlepoint with the words, “Seasoned with love.” What a wonderful description of Ann’s life journey. Her prayer was central to her life. Her family, her IHM sisters, her students, and those she met saw a woman whose gratitude to God for her vocation and for the many gifts in her life was always evident. A person of integrity, Ann lived and spoke her truth even when it may not have been accepted or popular. She was a great friend who loved to share stories about her family, or hear a good joke, or quietly listen to another’s story. The arrival of her annual tomato plant delighted her. She enjoyed caring for the plant and then giving away the ripened tomatoes to whoever came to her door – and there were many! Her love of putting intricate puzzles together was legendary — many of them so beautiful, they were framed and hung in her or other people’s rooms. Her competitive side was always up for a game of Rummy Cube, though she probably enjoyed the camaraderie even more than winning.
A woman of many talents and interests, Ann’s true passion was always teaching. She taught for over fifty-six years in schools in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey and at each of the schools, she left a tradition of excellence, caring, and generous commitment. So many young adults benefitted from her bright mind and wonderful Math skills, enabling them to be as knowledgeable about the angles of a quadrilateral triangle as they were about the latest style in clothing. She loved her students and took time to know them as individuals. No problem, math or otherwise, was too complicated for her to listen and offer words of advice, encouragement, or comfort as needed. She taught, as we know, not only by word but by example as well. We will miss her presence, but remember her lessons.
We pray very specially today in memory of Ann’s parents, Kate and John, and her brothers, John, Nicholas, and Joseph, who have gone before her and with whom she is celebrating a wonderful reunion in heaven today.
We pray for those people whose lives were touched by Ann’s kindness and dedication, especially her sisters-in-law, Joan and Virginia, her many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and cousins. We pray also for the sisters, staff, and administrators here at Our Lady of Peace Residence, especially those in Household 2C, her band members, and all who knew and accompanied Ann on her life’s journey, especially her faithful friend, Sister Ruth. We hold in our prayer, too, the caregivers from Hospice of the Sacred Heart, who provided comfort for Ann in her final days.
I think we can say with certainty that Ann’s wish as a young sister to bring her students closer to God and bring blessings on the congregation was fulfilled through the witness of her life. And so today we give abundant thanks to God for the gift of Ann’s life and celebrate the beginning of her eternal life in heaven. I now ask her niece, Diane, to place the scriptures on Ann’s casket, for she heard the Word of God; indeed, she staked her life upon it, and received life to the full ... the Word now beckons Ann home.
