Issue of February 27, 2005

Sr. Mary Lorraine Heinz
teacher
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary Lorraine Heinz, 93, died Feb. 14 at Dominican Motherhouse in Sinsinawa, Wis.
Born in Watertown, South Dakota, Sister Heinz made her first religious profession in 1936, and her final profession in 1939. She was a kindergarten teacher for 21 years, and from 1957-2001, she taught art and was an art consultant and artist. Sister Heinz ministered in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota and Washington D.C.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught kindergarten at Visitation School, Chicago, (1953-57) and was an art instructor at Trinity High School in River Forest (1957-63).
She is survived by one sister and several nieces and nephews.

Sr. Ann Elizabeth Phelps
educator
Sister of Charity Ann Elizabeth Phelps died Feb. 3 at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa, at the age of 92.
Born in Silvis, Ill., she entered the BVM congregation in 1930, professed her first vows in 1933 and her final vows in 1938.
In Chicago, she was a classroom and music teacher at Sacred Heart (18th St.), 1933-35; St. Ferdinand, 1937-41; and St. Jerome, 1941-45. She also taught in Pontiac and East Moline, Ill.; and in Iowa, South Dakota, California and Hawaii.
She is survived by four half-sisters.

Sister Dorothy Stang
Served in the Amazon region
Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Dorothy Stang, 73, died Feb. 12. She was shot and killed in Anapu, Para, a section of Brazil’s Amazon rain forest.
She had once ministered in the Chicago area.
Sister Stang had moved to the Amazon 22 years ago to help poor farmers build independent futures for their families.
A citizen of Brazil and the United States, Sister Stang worked with the Pastoral Land Commission, an organization of the Catholic Church that fights for the rights of rural workers and peasants, and defends land reforms in Brazil. Her death came less than a week after meeting with the country’s human rights officials about threats to local farmers from loggers and landowners.
After receiving several death threats, Sister Stang said, “I don’t want to flee, nor do I want to abandon the battle of these farmers who live without any protection in the forest. They have the sacrosanct right to aspire to a better life on land where they can live and work with dignity while respecting the environment.”
Born in Dayton, Ohio, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur community in 1948 and professed final vows in 1956. From 1951-66 she taught elementary classes at St. Victor School in Calumet City, and St. Alexander School in Villa Park.
She began her ministry in Brazil in 1966, in Coroata in the state of Maranhao.
Last June, Sister Stang was named “Woman of the Year” by the Brazilian State of Para for her work in the Amazon region.
In December 2004, she received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Brazilian Bar Association for her work helping the local rural workers. Earlier this year, she received an “Honorary Citizenship of the State” award from the state of Para.
Sister Stang is survived by four sisters and four brothers.

Sr. Mary de Chantal Buchta
teacher
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary de Chantal Buchta, 79, died Jan. 29 at Saint Dominic Villa in Sinsinawa, Wis.
Born in Faribault, Minn., she made her first religious profession in 1946, and final profession in 1949. She served as a primary and elementary teacher for 26 years, and later in pastoral work. She retired to the Dominican Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, in 2004.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary de Chantal taught at St. Brendan School, (1946-48).
She is survived by two sisters and a brother.

Sr. Advota Seisenberger
Gardener, homemaker
School Sister of St. Francis Advota Seisenberger died Jan. 30 at St. Joseph Convent in Campbellsport, Wis.
Born in Eiselsdorf, Germany, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis community in 1926 and made profession of vows in 1933.
Sister Seisenberger lived her religious ministry as a gardener and a homemaker at various convents in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. She spent six years ministering in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Sister Seisenberger was a homemaker at St. Matthias Convent (1926-28) and at St. Joseph Convent in Waukegan (1928-32).

Sr. Paulita Wood
teacher
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Paulita Wood, 92, died Feb. 8 at Saint Dominic Villa in Sinsinawa, Wis.
Born in Appleton, Wis., Sister Wood made her first religious profession in 1931, and her final profession in 1934. She was a primary and elementary teacher for 43 years, and a pastoral associate for five.
Sister Wood ministered in Wisconsin, Iowa, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and Colorado.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Wood taught at St. Basil School in Chicago, (1936-37), and St. Mary School in Evanston, (1951-54).
She is survived by one sister, Franciscan Sister Mary John Wood, and nieces and nephews.

Fr. Rian Clancy
Hospital chaplain
Passionist Father Rian Clancy died Feb. 12 at Resurrection Hospital.
Born in Windsor, Ontario, he joined the Passionist Community in the United States in 1947 and was ordained in 1953.
For 51 years, Father Clancy preached actively in a variety of styles: parish missions, AA retreats, and Marriage Encounters. In recent years he served in the Chicago area as hospital chaplain at Oak Park Hospital and Alexian Brothers Hospital.
He is survived by his sister-in-law, June, and several nieces and nephews.