A funeral Mass for Sister Mary Ruth Rault was celebrated Nov. 19 at the Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind. Sister Mary Ruth died Nov. 15 at Seton residence. She was 88 years old and a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul for 70 years.
Born in New Orleans and baptized Dolores Ruth, she was educated by the Daughters of Charity in both elementary and secondary schools. She entered the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis in July 1949. Following her initial formation, Sister Mary Ruth pursued studies at Marillac College in St. Louis. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Fontbonne College (now University) in St. Louis in 1954.
Sister Mary Ruth taught at St. Vincent High School in Perryville from 1951-53 and at St. Louise de Marillac School in St. Louis from 1953-58. She also served in St. Louis as business office manager at DePaul Hospital from 1964-65.
Elsewhere, Sister Mary Ruth taught in California and was a business office manager in Alabama. In 1975, having earned certificates in Pastoral Associate Healthcare and Advanced CPE from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains in Washington, D.C., she began serving as a pastoral care associate at a hospital in Michigan. She served as jail minister and volunteer with Team for Justice in Detroit. She served as director of Vincent House Family Shelter in Fort Wayne, Ind. Sister Mary Ruth served from 1992 to 2007 in the Catholic Jail Ministry in Saginaw, Mich. She moved to Seton Residence in Evansville in 2007. She served as local community supervisor along with several of her ministries.
Burial was in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville.
