Oral Histories | U.S. Catholic Special Collection | University of Dayton

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Religious Sisters in Health Care: The Conspicuous Love of Jesus

This collection includes oral histories recorded in 2019 and 2020.

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Interview with Fr. Joseph P. Cardone, January 28, 2020

Fr. Joseph P. Cardone dicusses his work in health care, including the very practical ways that Catholic hospitals fulfill the corporal acts of mercy. He describes the wisdom of the religious sisters who planned how to ensure their hospitals' survival in face of the decreasing number of sisters.
Interview with John M. Starcher Jr., February 4, 2020

John M. Starcher Jr., President and CEO of Bon Secours Mercy Health System in Cincinnati, discusses his views on Catholic health care and the role of religious sisters in ensuring Catholic mission is maintained.
Interview with Michael Doring Connelly, February 7, 2020

Michael Connelly describes his work in the Catholic health care system. He tells how Catholic identity in these hospitals has moved from being implicit to explicit, as the number of sisters has decreased.
Interview with Michelle Isaacs, January 16, 2020

Michelle Isaacs discusses her work as a social worker at the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. She describes what the presence of sisters in the hospital has meant to her, and how Catholic identity can continue to be nurtured even as the number of sisters declines.
Interview with Sr. Dolores Blanchard, June 23, 2020

Sr. Dolores Blanchard discusses her life as a Grey Nun of Montreal, and her work in health care. She emphasized the importance of orientation to Catholic healthcare institution's mission and values.
Interview with Sr. Doris Gottemoeller, January 28, 2020

Sr. Doris Gottemoeller discusses her life in the Sisters of Mercy, and her work in hospital administration.
Interview with Sr. Ella Christian, June 18, 2020

Sr. Ella Christian became a Grey Nun at age 62. She reflects on her journey and the role of individual Catholic conviction in how doctors and nurses interact with patients.
Interview with Sr. Jeanne Poor, June 15, 2020

Sr. Jeanne Poor, a Grey Nun of Montreal, describes her work as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), and the importance that the Catholic philosophy of care be maintained at Catholic health care institutions.
Interview with Sr. Joan Manion, June 15, 2020

Sr. Joan Manion describes her life as a Grey Nun of Montreal, and her work as a pediatric nurse. She emphasized the centrality of caring for the poor to the mission of Catholic health care.
Interview with Sr. June Ketterer, June 18, 2020

Sr. June Ketterer, a Grey Nun of Montreal, discusses her work as a registered nurse, and the process of transitioning Catholic hospitals to lay leadership.
Interview with Sr. Marcia Wiley, June 23, 2020

Sr. Marcia Wiley, a Grey Nun of Montreal, discusses her work as a nurse in Catholic hospitals. She also talks about charism and ensuring that new lay leadership has a firm grounding in an order's charism in order to continue its mission.
Interview with Sr. Marie Hartmann, January 29, 2020

Sr. Marie Hartmann describes her life in the Sisters of Mercy. She discusses the effect of Vatican II on religious life, and the growth of lay leadership of Catholic health care facilities.
Interview with Sr. Marjorie Bosse, January 28, 2020

Sr. Marjorie Bosse describes her life in the Sisters of Mercy. She has worked in both nursing and hospital administration, and discusses the importance of respecting the dignity of their hospital patients.
Interview with Sr. Mary Thill, February 19, 2020

Sr. Mary Thill, a Sister of St. Francis of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, reflects on her work in Catholic health care. She also discusses how Vatican II changed the lives of sisters and her education and work in gerontology.
Interview with Sr. Rita Mary Wasserman, February 25, 2020

Sr. Rita Mary Wasserman, a Sister of Mercy, discusses her work as a nurse. She also reflects on the changing role of religious sisters in health care, as their numbers decrease.
Interview with Sr. Theresa Rousseau, June 15, 2020

Sr. Theresa Rousseau, a Grey Nun of Montreal, describes her work as an accountant in Catholic health care institutions. She discussed the importance of ensuring that the mission of the Grey Nuns continues to be carried out at these institutions, even as the number of sisters decreases.
Interview with Sr. Dorothy Thum, November 22, 2019

Sr. Dorothy Thum, a Sister of Mercy, describes her work as a dietitian in Catholic hospitals. She also discusses her vocation as a Sister of Mercy and the crucial role that mission leaders play in Catholic hospitals.
Interview with Sr. Mary Maxine Young, November 14, 2019

Sr. Mary Maxine Young, a Sister of Notre Dame, describes her vocation to religious life and the effects of Vatican II. She also discusses her work in palliative care.