Sister Marie Janesch, MSC (M. Cecilia)
1931-2024
As a Missionary Sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sr Marie Janesch (also known as Sr. Cecilia) witnessed to the Charism of Love. The story of her life was one of loving others, acknowledging their gifts, using her own gifts as seen in her nursing skills, and enjoying the fun times of life.
Soon after her First Profession Sr. Marie trained to be a nurse and her love for children urged her to do advanced studies in Pediatric Nursing. She dedicated herself to the care of children and gave her heart of loving to these youngest patients. She shared these skills as Head Nurse in Pediatrics and as a Nursing Instructor. As the years passed and she moved on to other areas of ministry, Sr. Marie stayed in contact with the nurses by attending the meetings of the Sacred Heart Hospital Alumni.
In 1994 Sr. Marie was called to share her charism of Love by serving her congregation as a General Councilor to the Superior General while living in Rome, Italy. The next six years saw her visiting the MSC Sisters around the world, again witnessing to the Love of Jesus as lived amidst various cultures in multiple countries around the world. These were years of assisting the MSC sisters around the world to be on earth the Love of Christ.
From 1992-2008 Sr. Marie ministered in what is now Namibia on the continent of Africa. For six of these years, she was on the Leadership Team for the Province of Namibia. Here, too, her living of the charism of love took on a new dimension as she adapted to the local culture and shared the Love of God which is for all peoples in all places. Sr. Marie truly loved the Namibian people and when she returned to the USA in 2008, it was said that she left her heart with the Namibian people.
Back in the USA, Sr. Marie assumed the responsibilities as Provincial Archivist, assuring that the heritage of the MSC sisters would be preserved appropriately. At the same time, she did Pastoral Care in Country Meadows where she gave her heart to the elderly and the sick by faithfully praying the rosary with them and assuring that the Mass was celebrated regularly. These friendships stood the test of time and continued to be nurtured by Sr. Marie’s charism of Love.
Sr. Marie was also a great friend of the members of the Laity of the Chevalier Family also knows as the Lay MSC. They spent many hours visiting and talking with her. They acknowledge that they enjoyed her sense of humor.
Her last years were spent in St. Joseph Villa where she and her fellow MSC sisters lived together in community with the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters. It was here where Sr. Marie died accompanied by these sisters. She had lived her life of embracing the Love of God and sharing it with one and all.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved everywhere!
United in the Love of God,
Sr. Dorothy Fabritze, MSC
Province Leader