SISTER MARY RAYMOND CLARK'S GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION
Two wonderful celebrations were held to honor Sister Raymond; one with her family and close friends on April 24th at Visitation House, Nyack, NY and a second, the Congregational celebration on September 18th at Marydell Convent, Nyack.
Dolores Clark left Bayonne, New Jersey on September 24, 1954 to begin her life anew by becoming a postulant with the Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine. It did not take long to be charmed by Dolores' stories of work after school in the doll factory - putting the dolls' eyes in place, or better still, her job in the bakery, and then, after high school gradulation, to the Bank of New York, Manhattan, where she excelled in her secreterial skills. Here she was secretary to one of the most important investment managers and she loved every minute of it. In 1954 new ventures were initiated. Dolores would become a great catechist, a compassionate nurse, and would continue to use her secretarial skills for many years with the Mother General and her Council.
In March of 1955, Dolores was received into the Congregation as a novice and given the religious name of Sister Mary Raymond, a name she cherished because of her love and pride in her father, Raymond Clark. A few years later, as a vowed religious, Sister Raymond again excelled in story telling, this time ministering to children as a catechist. The words of Jesus to "let the children come unto Me" resulted in hundreds of children coming to know a gentle, compassionate Jesus because Sister Raymond introduced them to Him.She was a wonderful religious educator for both children and the adults she trained to be catechists.
She ministered as a religious educator in Rockland County, the Bronx, NY, Beaufort, SC, and Concord, NH. While in Corcord, Sister Raymond became acquainted with a priest who was very, very ill. She not only became his friend, but came to a sense of a new call within herself, which was to be of service to priests who were ill. Upon returning to New York in the 1970's, Sister Raymond became involved in a special ministry to the patients at Rockland State Psychiatric Hospital, where together with the chaplain, Monsignor Cox and Sister M. Gabriel Coughlin, RCD, pastoral ministry was provided to the patients. At this time Sister Raymond also pursued new studies and bacame a Licensed Practical Nurse, a position she held until 1998.
For a number of years, Sister Raymond cared for the sick and infirm Jesuit priests at Gonsaga-Seven Springs in Monroe, NY. A Jesuit priest, Father Dan O'Hare, with whom she worked writes this testimony: "Mary Raymond, "Ray" as I called her is very special to me. She had an uncanny respect for priests and a remarkable ability to make those who were tired, lonely, and broken, feel loved again" Sister Raymond's last ministry to priests was to the retired priests of the Archdiocese of New York who were in residence at Stepinac Hign School in White Plains, NY.
We, the members of your religious congregation, thank you Sister Raymond for your years of faithful service and for being our sister and companion on the journey.
-Sr. Virginia Johnson, RCD
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