Sister Jane Gaughan, IHM: “It’s the right place at the right time.”

“Do not let your heart be troubled…”

John 14:1

In high school, I was on the speech team. My event? Extemp. If the tournament was at my school, JV members were timekeepers in their event. I had Extemp Heroes. One of them was Jane Gaughan from Holy Rosary.

Jane is the oldest of four children and the only girl (a blessing and a curse!) of Thomas and Mary Timlin Gaughan. Jane’s father “made electricity!” (Aka he worked for the PP&L!) Jane spent K-12 at Holy Rosary School in North Scranton with IHMs. As a Marywood freshman, she made the annual retreat at the Passionist Monastery on Green Ridge Street. Though seriously considering a vocation, Jane was doing so in a monastery with contemplative sisters. So, she did consider a call to the contemplative life until her father reminded her that contemplative sisters don’t speak! And, like so many, Jane’s final decision to become an IHM was that “they were happy!”

Professed Sister Thomas Maria, Jane decided to replicate her own high school experience. Jane taught English. She wanted to give to her students the same great memories she had, so she moderated the school’s Speech and Debate Teams and also directed the school play.

A “long-stayer,” in 24 years Jane only served in 3 locations. It was at St. John’s in Pittston that she realized she must be a capable teacher because the work always made her happy. Jane developed some deep relationships with many students. Returning for one 50th class reunion, Jane realized they were also celebrating her 75th birthday!

Jane moved on to Altoona. She discovered at Bishop Guilfoyle High School the value of building faculty friendships and, at East Stroudsburg, Notre Dame High School, some of those faculty friendships turned into “friendship vacations.”

In 1994, Jane was elected to IHM Leadership as the Northern Sector Superior. During her travels she discovered the giftedness of the sisters and watching them teach only increased her love for the community. For Jane, the hardest part was accompanying a sister who was making the journey to confront an addiction.

After serving as Sector, Jane needed to find a job and, because her mother had significant health issues, she needed one with a flexibile schedule. She connected with Father Steve Savoy, then Chaplain at Notre Dame High School, and current Pastor at St. Patrick’s Church in White Haven. He needed a Pastoral Minister. He hired Jane and she served for 20 years!

Back in Scranton, Jane, Susan Hadzima and Kathy Kurdziel separately contacted Terry O’Rourke about forming an independent community and the three of them lived together at The Florence Apartments until they were asked to form the core group of the formation community at the “House on Capouse.” Margo McCormick and Jane Connolly joined them to complete the professed community. One unique feature is that, at both locations, young sisters were always invited to be a part of their community.

Jane is a member of the OSP IHM Haiti Committee. She made one trip to Haiti and planned a second in 2010 but that year, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake killing more than 200,000 people.

In 2018, Jane began losing her balance and having trouble speaking. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. She retired from her ministry in White Haven and did both pastoral care and support services at OLP.

Of her residence here at OLP she says, “It’s the right place at the right time.” Of her Parkinson’s, Jane sees it as a gift as she has realized the deeper relationships she now has with those who have helped her along this part of her journey.

When it’s time to remember Jane, she hopes we experienced her gift of enthusiasm and, like the IHMs who attracted her in the first place, that we remember her as happy.