Sister Jane Ann Comerford, CSJ
75 years
Sister Jane Ann Comerford entered religious life with the founding community of Tipton, Indiana, on September 7, 1947, from St. Charles Parish in Peru, Indiana. She started teaching elementary school at St. Peter in Winimac in 1950, then taught at various other area parishes including St. Joseph (Delphi), St. Paul (Marion), St. Joan of Arc (Kokomo), St. Paul (Marion), St. Bernard (Crawfordsville), and St. John (Tipton).
In 1969, Sister Jane Ann became the Program Director of the Newman Center at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. She then became the Director of Religious Education for Our Lady of Grace Parish in Noblesville where she served for five years. In 1979, Sister Jane Ann joined the Administrative Council for the founding community of Tipton where she served for 4 years. In 1983, she transitioned to a new position – Counselor for the Methodist Episcopal Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.
Sister Jane Ann retired in 2008 and a few years later, moved to our center in Cleveland, Ohio, where she stayed active by volunteering at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, holding and cuddling premature newborn babies, a ministry she loved. She currently resides at Regina Health Center in Richfield, Ohio, where she stays active in prayer ministry.
Sister Cecilia Nagel, CSJ
75 years
Sister Cecilia Nagel entered religious life on September 8, 1946, from St. Rose Parish in Cleveland, Ohio. She served as Choir Director at St. Augustine in Cleveland, St. John in Lorain, Immaculate Conception in Akron, St. Aloysius in Cleveland, St. Peter in Akron, St. Angela Merici in Fairview Park, and St. Anthony in Parma. She served as Principal of St. Joseph in Canton for three years, then went on to teach and become Director of Religious Education at St. Francis de Sales in Akron. She also served as Director of Religious Education at St. Francis Xavier in Medina and St. Joan of Arc in Streetsboro, and as Pastoral Minister at Annunciation in Akron and St. Paul in Salem.
Currently, Sister Cecelia resides at Regina Health Center in Richfield, Ohio, where she is active in prayer ministry.
Sister Rita Shinhearl, CSJ
(Sister Ceciliamarie)
70 years
Sister Rita Shinhearl entered religious life as a Sister of Notre Dame on September 8, 1951, from St. Aloysius Parish in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended St. Aloysius grade school and Notre Dame Academy high school in Cleveland, graduating in 1951. She earned a B.S. in Education in 1960 and an M.S. in Education in 1973, both from St. John College in Cleveland.
Sister Rita served as an educator from 1954-1973 teaching at grade schools in Cleveland, Youngstown and Avon in Ohio, and also in Florida and Washington D.C. In 1974, after a period of discernment, she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph in Cleveland and accepted the position of Director of Religious Education in the diocese, a position she held for ten years. She then returned to teaching until 1986 at St. Ignatius Elementary School and at St. Vincent de Paul in Cleveland. Later that year, she joined the staff at Transitional Housing Inc. in Cleveland where she stayed until 1990. She then returned to teaching at Jesus and Mary Immaculate Conception School until her retirement in 1997.
Since retiring from teaching, Sister Rita has remained active in the community and at St. Joseph Center in Cleveland where she resides. She has served in transportation ministry driving other sisters to appointments, and is a member of the Congregation’s anti-racism team. She is also very active with her parish, St. Agnes + Our Lady of Fatima Church in Cleveland, where she is a member of the Wisdom Council.
Sister Mary Lou Storey, CSJ
(Sister Eileen Marie)
70 years
Sister Mary Lou Storey entered religious life on September 8, 1951, from Our Lady of Angels Parish in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended St. Vincent de Paul grade school and Saint Joseph Academy high school, graduating in 1951. She went on to earn a B.S. in Education from St. John College in Cleveland in 1960.
Sister Mary Lou began her journey as an educator in 1954 at St. Mary School in Berea, Ohio, where she taught fourth grade until 1955. She then went on to teach second, third, and fourth grades at St. Rose School until 1960. She returned to St. Mary School to teach sixth, seventh, and eighth grades until 1967. Sister Mary Lou then taught at St. Colman School for a year before transitioning to Our Lady of Angels School in Cleveland, where she taught second and seventh grades from 1968 to 1978. She was also the Principal of the PSR program there. In 1978, St. Vincent de Paul in Cleveland welcomed her as an eighth grade teacher where she served until 1981. That year, she transitioned to Sts. Joseph and John School in Strongsville, Ohio, where she taught fourth grade until 1984. She then went on to teach at St. Bridget School in Parma, Ohio, until 1991. In 1992, she began substituting in the Cleveland school district, which she did until 1995. Also in 1992, she began a part-time position as a caregiver for Renaissance in Cleveland, where she stayed until 2003. Soon after, she retired and began volunteering at St. Joseph Center in Cleveland.
Currently, Sister Mary Lou resides at Regina Health Center in Richfield, Ohio, where she is active in prayer ministry.
Sister Janet Bednar, CSJ
(Sister Marie Corde)
60 Years
Sister Janet Bednar entered religious life on September 3, 1961, from St. Francis de Sales Parish in Parma, Ohio, where she also attended grade school. She attended high school at Nazareth Academy in Parma Heights, Ohio, graduating in 1961. She then earned a B.S. in Education from St. John College in Cleveland in 1966, and an M.A. in Religious Education from Notre Dame University in 1973.
Sister Janet began her journey as an educator teaching third grade at Annunciation School in Cleveland. She transferred to Our Lady of Angels School in 1967 to teach sixth grade. The next year, she continued teaching sixth grade at St. Colman School in Cleveland until 1969. Later that year, she began teaching seventh and eighth grades at St. Anthony of Padua in Parma until 1971. She then returned to St. Colman School and taught eighth grade until 1974. She also served as a Pastoral Minister there until 1978. In 1988, Sister Janet joined St. Ignatius Parent Ministry, and later that year went to Our Lady of Lourdes in Cleveland where she served as a Pastoral Minister until 1989. For thirteen years, Sister Janet was a Pastoral Associate at Annunciation Parish in Cleveland, then became a Parish Life Coordinator for the parish until 2010. She then transitioned to volunteer work at Blessed Trinity Parish.
Currently, Sister Janet resides at Kirby Manor in Cleveland and stays active doing volunteer work including paper recycling, cooking, and knitting scarves for the homeless.
Sister Christine Mihalek, CSJ
(Sister Mary Ralph)
60 Years
Sister Christine Mihalek entered religious life on January 23, 1962, from St. Bridget Parish in Parma, Ohio. She attended St. Charles grade school in Parma and Nazareth Academy high school in Parma Heights, graduating in 1961. She earned a B.A. in French from Ursuline College in Cleveland Heights in 1966, and a M.A.T. in Spanish and Religious Education from St. Mary’s in Winona, Minnesota in 1973.
Sister Christine began her journey as an educator at Saint Joseph Academy in Cleveland, where she taught Spanish from 1966 until 1970. That year, she returned to her alma mater, Nazareth Academy, to teach Spanish from 1970 until 1977. She then transitioned to St. Ignatius High School in 1977, again teaching Spanish, until 1980. Sister Christine then went on to serve as a Campus Minister and Assistant Principal of Notre Dame Junior-Senior High School in Wichita Falls, Texas until 1981. That year, she returned to Cleveland to accept a position as a member of the administrative team at Saint Joseph Academy. She also taught Spanish there in 1985. In 1989, Sister Christine transitioned to Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio, where she taught Spanish until 1996. Later that year, she joined Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, where she taught French for one year and Spanish for the rest of her years there until she retired at the age of 72.
Sister Christine is currently retired and resides at St. Joseph Center where she enjoys walking the property and high school track. She also stays active by swimming, visiting family and helping out when needed by family and the community.
Sister Mary Brinkman, CSJ
50 Years
Sister Mary Brinkman entered religious life on August 23, 1970, from St. Joseph Parish in Strongsville, Ohio. She attended grade school at St. Michael’s in Independence and high school at Nazareth Academy in Parma Heights. After graduation, she attended Cleveland State University where she earned her nursing degree, and Dyke College in Cleveland where she earned her degree in secretarial science. She later earned a BA in Business Education from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, a masters degree in Institutional Administration from Notre Dame, and her RN in Nursing from Meridia Huron School of Nursing in Cleveland.
Sister Mary began her career teaching at Saint Joseph Academy in Cleveland where she taught from 1972-1979. She then transitioned out of teaching and went to work for the Diocese of Cleveland where she served as a Comptroller until 1988. She then served in various financial and bookkeeping positions until accepting a position as a Patient Care Technician with the Cleveland Clinic where she served from 1992-1994. After she earned her RN degree in 1994, she worked in nursing at the Clinic until 1999. That year, Sister Mary was elected to the leadership team for the Congregation of St. Joseph in Cleveland where she served until 2004. She returned to the Cleveland Clinic afterward where she stayed until her retirement.
Currently, Sister Mary currently resides at Arden Courts in Westlake, Ohio, where she is active in prayer ministry.
Sister Judith Minear, CSJ
25 Years
Sister Judith Minear entered religious life with the founding community of Wheeling, West Virginia, on June 20, 1997, from St. Margaret Mary Parish in Parkersburg. She attended high school at Parkersburg High School and college at West Virginia University, where she earned an AB in French and English, credentials as a secondary education teacher, and a Master’s Degree in Education Administration.
She began her career in education teaching French and English, and was instrumental in beginning the gifted education program in Wood County Schools. She served as principal of Parkersburg Catholic Elementary School for 5 years and Parkersburg Catholic High School for 3 years. Sister Judith then became the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston, a position she held for 9 years. After entering the Wheeling Congregation, she completed the National Association of Catholic Chaplains certification program after CPE training in hospital chaplaincy at RUSH Medical Center in Chicago, and was certified as a Spiritual Director from the Haden Institute. Positions she has held within the Congregation include Co-Executive Director of the SSJ Health and Wellness Foundation for three years and a member of the Congregation’s Vocations Team for nine years.
In 2008, Sister Judith moved to Cleveland and served on the Congregation’s Mission Advancement Team, working in social media management. She currently resides in Cleveland and serves as Coordinator for Mission Integration for CSJ Ministries, which provides support and oversight of the Congregation’s CSJ Mission Network. She is also a member of the Editorial Ideas Team which sets the direction for the Congregation’s magazine, imagineONE. She considers herself blessed and is grateful to be a member of such a spirit-led, forward-thinking congregation of amazing women!
