Benedictine sister marks 50 years of monastic profession

Special to Horizons

WARREN, Ohio — Byzantine Catholic Benedictine Sister Mary Martha Kacmarek celebrated her golden jubilee of monastic profession this past summer. Sister Mary Martha is a member of Queen of Heaven Monastery in Warren, Ohio.

Metropolitan Archbishop William Skurla of Pittsburgh celebrated the Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving for her 50 years of monastic profession at Sts. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Parish June 24. Father Simeon Sibenik, pastor of the parish, concelebrated and preached the homily. Monsignor George Appleyard and Abbot Leo Schlosser also attended. 

Along with friends, family and members of her monastic community, the Oblates of St. Benedict and several Sisters of St. Basil the Great were also present.  A festive dinner at Cafe 422 followed.

Almost a dozen members of Sister Mary Martha’s family from Indiana and the Chicago area attended, including her remaining sibling, Joseph, the oldest of the family.

Sister Mary Martha is the youngest of nine children born to the late Joseph and Mary Kacmarek of Chicago. A member of St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Parish in Chicago, she entered the Benedictine Sisters of the Byzantine Church in Warren in 1966, professed temporary vows two years later, and made perpetual profession June 5, 1971. 

She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Saint Xavier College in Chicago and a master of science in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame.

Sister Mary Martha has taught classes at the elementary, high school and college levels, as well as adult education, including catechetical classes at local Byzantine parishes. For more than 20 years, she regularly visited the shut-ins and hospitalized of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Warren. 

Ministry for her community over the years has included being sub-prioress, community secretary, treasurer, formation team member and monastic council member.  Presently her primary ministry is faithfulness to prayer and continuing the responsibility of being community treasurer.
 
Caption: Sister Mary Martha Kacmarek poses for a photo after the Divine Liturgy celebrating her golden jubilee. (Photo: Joseph Rudinec)
 
As published in Horizons, Sept. 30, 2018.
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