A funeral Mass for Sister Catherine Ann Gleason, CSJ, was celebrated June 28 at Nazareth Living Center. Sister Catherine died June 23. She was 93 and a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 74 years.
Born Feb. 15, 1924, in Ishpeming, Mich., Sister Catherine joined the community in 1942, inspired by sisters who taught her in grade school. She received the name Sister Mary Hanora (her grandmother’s name) but switched back to her baptismal name, Catherine Ann, in 1968.
She spent her life ministry in education. In the Archdiocese of St. Louis, she was a teacher at Notre Dame and Holy Rosary schools, principal at St. Blaise School and junior high teacher at St. Gregory School. She also taught in Texas, Illinois and Michigan.
After a career in teaching, she was a youth minister in Michigan and also directed religious education and parish school CCD programs. In retirement in her hometown, she visited the sick and shut-in and helped with parish spiritual programs.
In March 2012, Sister Catherine moved to Nazareth and quickly made friends with an engaging personality and smile.
