Sue was one of six children, 2 brothers Tom and Rick and 3 sisters, Carol, Catherine and Francis. Sue went to St. Matthew’s grade School and St. Hubert’s in Philadelphia. She was a Bambi!
When Sue applied to enter at age 18 she was already a member of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate and had been thinking of Religious Life for four years. Her older sister Carol was in the community. Sue was accepted and entered on August 5, 1964. She took first vows in 1965 and continued studies in the MSBT Juniorate program, as well as in classes in at Holy Family. She made final profession of vows into the hands of Sister Mary Gerald on March 25, 1971.
Her first ministry was two months at a Summer School program in Norfolk, VA. Then in August of 1968, she went to Coamo, Puerto Rico and taught at the Valvanera School. After three years of teaching and learning Spanish, she was sent to the Motherhouse as summer help. For the next three years she worked in Religious Education in Uniontown, PA. During this time she completed her B.A degree in Religious Studies at Villanova University. The same school as Pope Leo XIV.
She continued in Religious Education in Beloit, WI for two years and in Kiln, MS at Our Lady of Fatima. In September 1977 Sue went to Our Lady of Victory Parish in East Los Angeles where the MSBT shared ministry with our ST Brothers. She worked with Youth Ministry and Adult Education there. Fr. Francisco Gomez, ST mentioned Sr. Sue and the positive impact she had on people in the parish. On hearing of her death a man from the parish said, “She really changed my life for good.”
In 1982 she returned to the Greensburg Archdiocese as a Religious Ed. & Youth Ministry Consultant. In the summers she worked on her Masters which she received from St. Louis University in 1983.
In 1987 she served as Director of Spirituality at St. John’s Center Philadelphia for four years and lived at Summer Court. She found the community very life giving. In 1991, Sue moved to St. Mary Parish in Red Bank NJ, as Spiritual Director. The Pastor Fr. Bill Bausch was very supportive of her ministry and understanding when Sue’s mother was ill. Her mother died in 1991. Sue celebrated her 25th Jubilee that same year. In 1994 Sue went to Stirling, NJ and worked with the Trinity Ministries Center for a time.
She went back West in 1996 to the Yakima Diocese where she and Sr. Pat Winder, MSBT worked in Missionary Formation of Lay Evangelizers throughout the diocese. In this mission, Sue was able to use many of her gifts for writing and presenting. She wrote a monthly piece for the Diocesan paper centered on family life and the Church.
In 2006, Suzanne accepted an appointment as Custodian of the Sisters in the Motherhouse. She committed to three years. She really loved the sisters and wanted to be present and attentive to them. She took advantage of Avila University program on Gerontology. Sue was conscientious about getting education to benefit the people with whom she worked.
Sue served a year as Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in Dothan deanery in Alabama. She then served as a pastoral associate at St. Johns Parish in Madison, AL. In 2010 Sue had a fall at home that resulted in both a dislocation and fracture of her elbow. That was a trauma for Sue. She found the Local Council of MSBTs in AL very supportive.
Sr. Sue served at Trinita Retreat in CT briefly, but it wasn’t a fit and she returned to the Motherhouse for a time of transition. In 2017, Sue responded to the call to serve as Custodian at Wesley. Sue worked very hard to build good relationships with the sisters, communicate with all the people involved and advocate for good care. In her Ministry Witness and planning Tool, Sue shared her desire to treat sisters and staff with respect. She knew her own need to grow in patience and in tolerance of others. Throughout the years, Sr. Susanne was very generous to the MSBT Community serving on many committees, both voluntary and appointed. Over the past couple of years Sue was faithful in service to others such as her regular visits to Sister Maria Mulieri, MSBT at Artis Memory Care.
As Sue suffered more health issues, she continued her efforts to stay in the presence of God and respond to Divine Providence. We know now, Susanne, you are with your Lord whom you loved so. May she rest in peace!