Sister Mary Josél Zender, SSND

Mankato Mortuary 1001 N. Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 388-2202 Our beloved Sister Mary Josél Zender, 95, died peacefully at 8:10 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2015, in Notre Dame Health Care, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mankato, Minnesota. She had been in declining health for some time, but was able to participate in liturgy, prayer and community activities until shortly before her death. The funeral Mass for Sister Mary Josél, with Father Eugene Stenzel as presider, will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 15, in Good Counsel Chapel, Mankato, followed by burial in our cemetery. The vigil service will be at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. We extend our sympathy to her sister, Eunice Wickstrom, her sister-in-law, Ruth, her nieces and nephews and their families, her friends, former colleagues and students, and her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Rose (Rathman) Zender, her sisters, Sister Mary Virginia Zender, SSND, Loretta Hovden, DeVota Stolze, Irene Gross and Rose Schwab, and her brothers Francis, Stanley, and Donald. Sister Mary Josél wrote about her birth, "On the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1920, in a terrific snowstorm, I was born to good Catholic parents, Michael Zender and Rose Rathman Zender. I was immediately baptized, named Josephine Ardelle, tucked in a downy blanket, put in a shoebox and placed in a warming oven with the prayer St. Joseph, build a secret door around this eighth child of ours.'" Ardelle, as she was called, had the Rite of Baptism completed at the Church of St. James, St. James, Minnesota, on March 31. Sister Mary Josél described her family life on the farm between St. James and Butterfield: "There were seven girls and three boys in the creative, competitive, fun-loving and feuding family. However, our parents taught us a deep sense of accountability and responsibility to each other and for our neighbors. My parents believed in empowering each child with a deep faith and a good education through good schools, Farm Bureau and 4-H work. They taught us that the family farm was our family bank and we took great pride in making it run smoothly and successfully." Ardelle attended Butterfield Public School for most of her elementary and secondary education. However, during the years that she received the sacraments of Penance, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation, she stayed with her aunt and attended the Catholic school in St. James, where she was taught by Franciscan Sisters. During her high school years, she worked as a clerk and buyer for local grocery and variety stores. Following graduation in 1938, she took a job at the jewelry store, where she clerked in the silverware, glassware and chinaware departments. That position soon expanded, as she explained, "After a few months our jeweler took me to the bank, where I was bonded' - given the keys and the secrets of the vault, with the privilege of selling diamonds, watches and other precious jewelry." She worked at the store until 1943, when she made plans to enter the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was familiar with SSND, with an aunt and an older sister already members (Sister Lucinia Zender in the Milwaukee Province and Luverne, Sister Mary Virginia, in the Mankato Province). Sister Mary Josél later wrote in a reflection based on John 15:10, "Why did I want to give up this world for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven? . . . It took a great leap of faith to surrender what I really knew for the great unknown! Yet the mystery of Religious Life always intrigued me. Gradually as I grew in wisdom and grace, I realized it is life that leads to a greater and more radical following of Jesus in Celibacy, Poverty and Obedience." She entered the SSND candidature in 1943 and became a novice in 1945, receiving the name Mary Josél. Sister Mary Josél professed first vows in 1946 and began a ministry of elementary grade and later secondary teaching. She taught at St. Stanislaus, St. Paul; Holy Rosary, North Mankato; St. Stanislaus, Winona; St. Felix, Wabasha; St. Mary, New England, ND; St. Francis de Sales, St. Paul; St. Dominic, Northfield; Don Bosco, Gilbertville, IA; Emmons Central, Strasburg, ND; Holy Childhood, St. Paul; St. Adalbert, Silver Lake; Lonsdale-New Market-Veseli Catholic School; and St. Agnes, St. Paul. She earned a teaching certificate from Diocesan Teachers College in St. Paul in 1949 and a degree in Education with a home economics major in 1955 from Mount Mary College. During her years as a teacher, she received several grants including the Freedom's Foundation, Valley Forge, PA; a political science grant from the University of Colorado, Boulder; and the Foundation in Economic Education (FEE) from Irvington on the Hudson, NY. In 1974 she was accepted as a teacher and counselor for the Scholastic International European travel program, "Culture of Man" University on Wheels. She accompanied students as they traveled through England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. She was also active in the Red Cross and received the Red Cross Medal for Service in 1975. Her background in home economics prepared Sister Mary Josél for her next ministry - that of seamstress for the sisters of the Mankato Province. Beginning in 1969, School Sisters of Notre Dame could change from the traditional habit to modern dress. During the 1970-71 academic year, Sister Mary Josél worked in the Good Counsel sewing department, helping sisters make this transition. She taught for four more years at St. Agnes, and then returned to Good Counsel in 1975. She worked for a short time in the interprovincial communications department, and then became the resident seamstress until her retirement in 2001. She also traveled to convents, sharing her sewing skills with sisters on mission who were very grateful for this service. At Good Counsel, her role expanded to driver and purchaser, as well as seamstress, and she conducted classes in sewing as part of the Education Center's summer program. She continued to provide community service in a variety of ways after her years in the sewing department. Sister Mary Josél's reflection provides an apt conclusion: "To live in the Father's vineyard has been a privilege. It will always be mystery to me why He chose me. . . . I can truly look into the face of God and say, Lord, if it weren't for You, I wouldn't be here. You are the author, norm, goal and achievement of my whole life. Alleluia!'" May the Easter "Alleluia!" be Sister Mary Josél's continual song of praise.