A celebration of life for Sister Catherine “Kate” Filla, CSJ, was held Sept. 21 at the Holy Family Chapel located at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Motherhouse in St. Louis. Sister Kate died Sept. 9 at Nazareth Living Center in south St. Louis County. She was 80 years old.
Sister Kate was born on Jan. 9, 1944, in University City to parents Francis Thomas and Rose Ann (Zemann) Filla. Sister Kate was born, baptized and confirmed at All Saints Parish in University City. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1961 and was received into the novitiate in 1962 as Sister Joan Thomas. A graduate of Rosati-Kain High School, Fontbonne College, Case Western Reserve and Colorado College, she earned a bachelor’s degree in French and a master’s in teaching foreign language.
Sister Kate began teaching at Little Flower High School in Chicago from 1966-69. She moved to Denver and taught at St. Francis de Sales High School from 1969-73. Returning to the St. Louis Archdiocese, she taught at Valle High School in Ste. Genevieve from 1973-85, then at St. Louis Preparatory Seminaries until 1991, also serving as the student council moderator in both schools.
Sister Kate served as the administrative assistant for the Sisters of St. Joseph St. Louis Province Office. She served as office manager and secretary at Our Lady of Life Apartments in St. Louis. She also taught in high schools in Denver and Chicago.
From 2000-13, Sister Kate served as an administrative team member for CSJ Care, providing home services for the elderly while working in collaboration with other home care agencies in the St. Louis area.
She served her CSJ community as the director of candidates from 2010-12. Since 2013, she served as docent at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in Carondelet, providing tours for visitors, conducting research and writing articles about the early foundation in the U.S. of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet until the spring of 2024. She had recently moved to Nazareth Living Center to carry out her ministry of prayer and presence.
