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On
September 10, 2000, at the 25th anniversary celebration of Elizabeth
Seton's canonization, the Daughters of Charity presented the Founder's
Award to Sister Hildegarde Marie Mahoney of the Sisters of Charity
of Convent Station, NJ. Sister Elyse Staab, Mother Seton's successor,
made the presentation. Nearly 100 of Sister Hildegarde Marie's
sisters and several members of her family were in Emmitsburg to
share in the festivities.
An
educator for many years and president of the College of St. Elizabeth
from 1952-1971, Sister Hildegarde Marie worked to broaden the
vision of the young women who attended the college. As a member
of the Executive Board of Independent Colleges and Universities
she lobbied the New Jersey legislature to enact the first law
allowing state-funded scholarships to be used at independent colleges
in 1959. She was a member of the New Jersey Governor's Commission
on the Status of Women.
As
General Superior of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth from
1971—1979, she was active in the Sister Formation Movement.
She actively implemented the decrees of Vatican II on the renewal
of religious life. As a
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Sr.
Elyse Staab, D.C.,
(on
the left) Provincial
Superior,
Emmitsburg
Province
after presenting the Seton Founder's Award to Sr. Hildegarde
Marie Mahoney, S.C.
(on
the right)
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member
and as chair of the Seton Federation, in 1975 Sister Hildegarde
Marie worked with the Seton communities in preparing for
the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann. On the day of the
canonization she proclaimed the first reading at the liturgy,
the first woman to read the Scriptures at a Papal Mass.
In recalling that day, Sister Hildegarde Marie evoked memories
of Sister Isabel Toohey and Sister Eleanor McNabb, Emmitsburg
provincials, who had worked with her in preparation for
the canonization.
For
the last several years, Sister Hildegarde Marie has ministered
to the sick and bereaved,
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especially
among the alumnae of the College of St. Elizabeth. She has
also served as a consultant to each of the bishops of Patterson.
In recognition of her service, in 1994 Bishop Frank Rodimer
conferred on her the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal.
A
former General Superior has described her as: a woman
of integrity, of diligence, of scholarship; a woman of
prayer, of reverence, of commitment; a woman of humility,
simplicity, and charity.
Sister
Eleanor Casey, D.C.
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