August 21, 1939 – February 10, 2023
She wrote to Mother Sebastian when she was sixteen and said, “My chief purpose of writing this letter is to tell you a little about myself. I have always liked the way the sisters work and everything. I’ve always liked the vocation of Sisterhood. With all my heart, I would always want to be a sister. I’m sure that that is the best life anybody could have. I would like to enter the community next August if you will permit me to… I will pray for you, too. Will you please pray for me?”. She was very close to Sr. Marie Jean and Father Gerard. They thought very highly of Joaquina. She mentions many of the priests and sisters in her letters. Because Joaquina was very young she was encouraged to wait before entering, but she persisted, and entered our community on August 5, 1956. In the Novitiate, she received the name of Sr. Mary Gerard of the Crucifixion. She made her first profession on March 25, 1958 and her perpetual profession of vows on March 25, 1963.
Joaquina received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico in 1972 and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University in 1974 with a concentration on community organizing. Joaquina had a wide educational experience culturally. She participated in many workshops, courses, conferences, and experiences in Latin America, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Cuba, and Peru. She was part of a group that went to Cuba in 1989 as part of a delegation at the invitation of the Episcopal Conference of Cuba. It was the largest official delegation of Catholics to visit Cuba in 30 years.
Joaquina also served our MSBT community in many ways. She was appointed to the MSBT Endowment Board, elected to leadership as a General Councilor, and participated in various standing committees and ad hoc committees over the years.
Sr. Joaquina’s missionary life was full. Her first assignment was to our mission in Ponce, Puerto Rico from 1960 to 1966. Next, she was missioned to Long Island City, New York and then to the San Juan area working at Catholic Social Services in Roosevelt, Puerto Rico. During that time, she studied at the Catholic University Puerto Rico and after graduation she was assigned to Catholic Social Services in San Juan.
From 1972 to 1974, she studied at Fordham University and lived in our Cenacle in 80th Street. After graduation, Joaquina served in Catholic Social Services in New York until 1977.
1n 1977, She was missioned to Casa del Carmen, Hispanic Ministry, in Philadelphia. In 1979, she was missioned to Parish Social Ministry in Sacred Heart Parish in Lorain, Ohio, her home parish.
From 1982-85, along with her ministry at Catholic Social Services in Lorain, Joaquina became part of the team developing the Program for Lay Ministers and the permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio. This program was in response to the spiritual, cultural and language needs of the 35,000 Hispanic Catholics in the Diocese. She was thrilled to be part of this effort because she saw the development and strengthening of the role of the laity as so integral to our charism.
In 1985, she was appointed as the Diocesan Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Cleveland. In requesting Sr. Joaquina for the this position, Bishop Pilla wrote to the General Councilor saying, “Sr. Joaquina emerges as the best qualified for the position. Her knowledge of the Diocese as well as her national and international contacts are invaluable. She would be the first Hispanic, as well as the first woman, to hold this position in the Diocese. It is anticipated that such an appointment would be most favorably received, especially by the Hispanic community.”
She was seen as a treasure to the Hispanic Community in Cleveland. In an article in the Diocesan publication, they wrote, “Like all wonderful gems, her brilliance and clarity shine through and brighten the lives of all those around her. Joaquina was elected to our General Council in 1998 and served until 2003 in that role. She then took a time of Sabbatical at Sangre de Cristo Center, which she found renewing.
From 2004 to 2018, she served as the Associate Protector of the Mission, and later as the General Protector of the Mission, of Los Centros Sor Isolina in Puerto Rico where the goal was to work collaboratively with the Centros’ staff and Board to ensure Mission Effectiveness. She saw the empowerment of the Laity as key in achieving that goal.
In 2010, Trinity College of Puerto Rico celebrated its seventeenth graduation and dedicated the graduation to Sister Joaquina for her commitment and dedication to this alternative to education for their youth and adult population and in gratitude for her support to the faculty and students. Joaquina understood from personal experience the challenges that students faced at times regarding their education. She often shared that her own educational struggle when she moved to the States. She was quoted as saying, ‘We must improve the quality of our children’s education. Without a good education the domino effect comes into play- low education leads to low employment leads to low self-worth can lead to violence, drugs, crime, etc.”
In the Fall of 2017 Sr. Joaquina felt it was time to come to the Motherhouse. It was the year of Hurricane Maria. She wanted to see the year through until June 30, 2018. Joaquina came to the Motherhouse to live in July 2018 and was missioned to the ministry of Prayer in 2020. In September of 2020, as she became weaker, Sister Joaquina was missioned to Mother Boniface Missionary Cenacle at Wesley.
When Sister Joaquina wrote to Mother Marie to request permission to take her Final Vows in 1963, she said, “ As I have prayed, I will continue praying that God give me all the necessary years to serve Him as I should. I hope to cooperate with these graces so that I may be a true Missionary Servant and daughter of Father Judge.”
We have been witnesses to Sister Joaquina’s life in community and mission and to the gift she was to her family, to the Cenacle Family and to the People of God. We are so grateful to the Triune God for Joaquina’s life as a Missionary Servant of the Most Blessed Trinity.