Sister Kathleen Reynolds celebrates 50 years of service

Warwick — Sister Kathleen Reynolds, SFP, recently celebrated along with many Sisters and friends at a Noon Liturgy of Thanksgiving at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Bayonne, N.J. A reception followed. “I saw the Sisters at work in the hospitals in the Bronx,” Sister Kathleen said in explaining what attracted her to religious life. “As a young adult, I visited the Sisters and saw first-hand how they took care of the poor. This had a great and lasting influence on me so I decided to go on a retreat in Warwick. The rest is history!” Kathleen was born in New York City. She graduated from St. Catharine’s Academy in the Bronx in 1954 and entered the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor on Aug. 15, 1957. Her Parish of Entrance was Annunciation in New York City. She received her spiritual formation at Mount Alverno Convent, Warwick, and made First Profession of Vows on March 8, 1960, and Perpetual Profession of Vows on Aug. 22, 1965. Sister Kathleen attended St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing and received her RN degree in 1975. She also has many professional certifications. Among these are gerontological nursing and clinical pastoral education certification. She also is a certified massage therapist. Sister Kathleen has responded to the healing mission of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor by serving in nursing, massage therapy and administration for close to 50 years. She is a gifted nurse and has served in a wide range of responsibilities. Sister Kathleen currently ministers as a certified massage therapist at Hoboken University Medical Center and is a Eucharistic Minister at her Parish of St. Vincent de Paul. She also served as a massage therapist for six years (1999-2005) at the former St. Francis Hospital of the Bon Secours New Jersey Health System, in Jersey City, NJ. Sister served as the clinical coordinator and the nurse in charge at Mount Alverno Center for nine years (1986-1995). She also ministered at the former Anthony House in Jersey City for two years (1984-1985) and was Head Nurse in Pediatrics at St. Francis Community Health Center in Jersey City for eight years (1975-1983). In addition Sister was in nursing at St. Michael Medical Center for two years (1970-1972) and in nursing at the former St. Francis School of Nursing in Jersey City for three years (1973-1975). She also served as a nurse at the former St. Francis Community Hospital in Greenville, S.C., for three years (1967-1970). “I hope and pray that we will carry on our ministry of living out the Gospel way of life and continue to touch the lives of the poor as well as many other lives,” she concluded. “This is still our ministry. We have many opportunities daily to reach out and bring the love of God to the poor; these people also touch our lives and teach us each day.”