Mother M. Kathleen Hart, IHM
Mother M. Kathleen Hart, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Wednesday, January 31, 1962 at St Joseph's Hospital in Carbondale, Pennsylvania.
She was born on June 20, 1891 in Ashley, Pennsylvania, and given the name Helen. She was the daughter of the late James B. and Mary Sullivan Hart. She entered the novitiate at Marywood in September 8, 1908, received the religious habit on October 15, 1910, and made profession of her vows in August 2, 1912.
Sister Kathleen served as teacher at the following schools: St. Mary of the Mount Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA from 1912 to 1913; St, Joseph Elementary School in Spokane, WA, from 1913 to 1914; St. Paul High School in Scranton, PA, from 1914 to 1924; St. Leo High School in Ashley, PA, from 1924 to 1926; and St. Patrick High School in Oneida, NY, from 1926 to 1927.
She was superior and principal at the following IHM schools: St. Mary School in Goldsboro, NC, from 1927 to 1934; St. John High School in Scranton, PA, from 1934 to 1935; St. Bernadine Elementary School in Baltimore, MD, from 1935 to 1941; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Elementary School in Forest Hills, NY, from 1941 to 1944; and St. Ann High School in Scranton, PA, from 1946 to 1948. She served as superior of the Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1948 to 1949.
Sister Kathleen served as the supervisor of schools for the Congregation, from 1946 to 1948. Then she became a member of the community council, serving as First Councilor from 1948 to 1949, then as First Assistant to the Mother General (and local Superior at the Marywood Motherhouse) 1949 to 1955. Sister Kathleen was elected Mother General in 1955 and re-elected to that office in 1961.
During her term of office, Mother Kathleen directed the completion and occupancy of the Marian Convent, a residence for the sick and aging members of the community and for those recuperating from temporary ills. Her untiring efforts won for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary a long sought goal - the approval by Rome of their Constitutions.
Mother M. Kathleen’s latest highly successful work was the planning and construction of the new Novitiate on Marywood’s expanded campus. The building is now near completion and will be occupied in the early spring.
Throughout her life, Mother M. Kathleen was distinguished as a kind Mother, and able administrator, and an exemplary religious.
Mother M. Kathleen is survived by three sisters, Miss Mary Hart, Miss Alice Hart, and Mrs. Catherine (Frank) Johnson, a niece and a nephew, Joanne and Frank Johnson, all of Upper Montclair, NJ.
The Solemn Mass of Requiem, will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, on Saturday, February 3. Interment will be at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA. Friends may call all day on Friday at the Motherhouse.
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.
Archival Remembrance:
Mother M. Kathleen was a gracious lady, an exemplary religious, and an outstanding administrator. She reached the full stature of holy womanhood when in God's providence she was chosen to lead our Congregation to greater heights. For this end she toiled, planning, pursuing, and accomplishing great things for God's honor and the good of her Sisters. Never did she remove herself from a task; never did she evade an issue. When a problem was presented, it was met courageously and effectively but always with telling kindness and deep respect for others. Illness did not lessen her concern and her generous care of all that pertained to the welfare of the community. Her deep religious spirit and her loyalty to the Church and its laws, motivated all her decisions. Trials were may, but always she would remark: "God has permitted this trial; we must accept it." Her prayer life and her official acts were all of one stamp, for they were done with God and for God. God had blessed her with a splendid mind, a strong will, and the ability to see the wholeness of a problem and to make valid decisions. Her was a life of complete dedication to God's work, as it presented itself in our beloved Congregation. Her own striving for perfection made every detail important, every task an opportunity to labor for God's glory.
Our Congregation has lost an exceptional Superior. Her Sisters can truly call her blessed and are privileged to pay their debt to her by their fervent and frequent prayers. May God grant her eternal rest.
"Congregation's Mother General
Mother M. Kathleen, IHM, Buried
Scranton — A Solemn Mass of Requiem, coram episcopo, was celebrated in St. Peter's Cathedral, Scranton, on Saturday, February 3, for Reverend Mother M. Kathleen, Mother General of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Rev. Leo W. Gildea, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, West Wyoming, was celebrant of the Mass which was presided over by the Most Reverend Jerome D. Hannon, D.D., Bishop of Scranton, Rt. Rev. Msgr. John J. Masher, LL.D., Diocesan Superintendent of schools, preached the sermon.
Seated in the sanctuary were: Most Reverend Henry T. Klonowski, S.T.D., V.G., Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton; Most Reverend J. Carroll McCormick, D.D., Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown; Most Reverend George L. Leech, D.D., Bishop of Harrisburg, and Most Reverend Lawrence F. Schott, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Harrisburg.
Rev. Malachy McGill, C.P., vice-rector of St. Ann's Monastery, Scranton, was deacon and Very Rev. Louis J. Wolken, rector of Maryknoll Junior Seminary, Clark's Summit, sub-deacon; Rev. James C. Timlin, assistant pastor at St. Peter's Cathedral and Rev. William J. Pakutka, professor of philosophy at Marywood College, were masters of ceremonies.
The resident students of the college formed a guard of honor at Marywood, the non-resident students at the Cathedral.
Representing Most Reverend Patrick A. O'Boyle, D.D., Archbishop of Washington were: Rt. Rev. Msgr. Henry F. Graebenstein, Vicar for Religious, and Rt. Rev. Msgr. John S. Spence, Director for Education.
Representing Most Reverend Vincent S. Waters, Bishop of Raleigh, N.C., was Rt. Rev. Msgr. Edward T. Gilbert, Superintendent of Schools.
Representing Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, D.D., Bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., was Rev. John F. McGough, Superintendent of Schools.
Mother Kathleen died on Wednesday, morning, January 31 at St. Joseph's Hospital, Carbondale, where she has been a patient for several weeks. She was the daughter of the late James B. and Mary Sullivan Hart of Ashley, Pa.
Mother M. Kathleen entered the novitiate at Marywood in September, 1908, was invested in the habit of the Congregation in October 1910 and was admitted to religious profession in August, 1912.
She taught in the high schools of her community at St. Paul's, Scranton, and St. Leo's, Ashley. She was Superior and Principal at St. Mary's, Goldsboro, N.C; St. Bernardine's, Baltimore, Maryland, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills, New York, and at St. Ann's, Scranton.
From 1946 to 1948 she was Supervisor of the schools of her community. Since that date she has been a member of the community council serving as First Councilor from 1948-1949, as First Assistant to the Mother General (and local Superior at Marywood), 1949-1955. She was then elected Mother General and re-elected to that office in 1961.
During her term of office Mother Kathleen directed the completion and occupancy of the Marian Convent, a residence for the sick and aging members of the community and for those recuperating from temporary ills. Her untiring efforts won for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary a long sought goal— the approval by Rome of their Constitutions.
Mother M. Kathleen's latest highly successful work was the planning and construction of a new Novitiate on Marywood's expanded campus. The building is now near completion and will be occupied in the early Spring.
Throughout her life Mother M. Kathleen was distinguished as a kind Mother, and able administrator, and an exemplary religious.
Mother M. Kathleen is survived by three Sisters, the Misses Mary and Alice Hart, and Mrs. Frank Johnson, and by a niece and a nephew, Joanne and Frank Johnson, all of Upper Montclair, New Jersey.
The remains were first taken to the Convent of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Marywood's Campus. A Solemn Requiem Mass at the request of the students of Marywood College was offered on Friday morning in the college auditorium. The student body attended, attired in the traditional academic costume.
Burial was at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow."
from The Scranton Times newspaper
" The Reverend Mother Mary Kathleen, IHM
No county in the United States, and this includes the biggest country, has furnished more leadership to government, organizations, defense, religion, business and other lines than our own Luzerne. It is an amazing record that the area's native sons and daughters have compiled.
The local contribution to America and the world for more than a century was recalled today as the result of the passing of the Reverend Mother Mary Kathleen, IHM, mother general of the religious order of Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with headquarters at Marywood College, Scranton. The congregation, one of the three bearing this name in the United States, has a membership of 1,100.
Mother Kathleen, who was born at Ashley, a daughter of the late James and Mary Sullivan Hart, and who, as a nun, taught at St. Leo's parochial school in her home town, was one of a number of local residents who have headed Roman Catholic sisterhoods. The present Mother General of the Maryknoll Sisters is Mother Mary Coleman, a former Wilkes-Barrean. The city and neighboring towns also have furnished ranking executives to the Sisters of Mercy, as well as to the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Sisters of Christian Charity and the Bernardine Order, among others.
Mother Kathleen, who entered the novitiate 54 years ago, would have observed the golden jubilee of her profession in August, if death had not intervened. Her service included tours of duty as a teacher, principal and superior until 1946 when she was named supervisor of schools for the order and subsequently advanced until the election of her present office in 1955. Last year, she was retained for another term of six years.
A religious of tremendous vitality, foresight and dedication, Mother Kathleen enhanced her reputation as an educator with her enterprise as the head of the order. Apart form the discharge of her routine duties, she was known for her concern for the welfare of the Sisters whose work she supervised. Her spiritual example was matched by her unrelenting zeal and a becoming modesty. Perhaps the acomplishment (sic) for which she will be remembered best was he role she played in the approval of the order's Holy Rule after the congregation was elevated to the rank of a Pontifical Institute.
This county had official ties with her through Marywood College and the parochial schools at Ashley, Sugar Notch, Kingston, White Haven, Forty Fort, Wyoming and Pittston, as well as the personal relationship because of her roots in Ashley. The regret over her passing will be tempered by the pride in her achievements."
from the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News newspaper, Thurs. February 1, 1962
