Sister Adele Mann

Sister Adele Mann

“For me life has been a blessed dance, from cradle to adult to loving spouse of Christ.” (Poem in Sister Adele Mann’s celebration of life materials)

“Sister Adele thoroughly enjoyed the days of teaching primary children and of ministering to the sick and dying in more recent years, but more than anything she wanted me to tell you how much she loved life!” shared Sister Mary Mundy in her commentary for Sister Adele Mann, who died Jan. 4.

“She wanted you to know she loved those times and the many people who were part of her life. The relationships were genuine and delightful in so many ways. They fed her, nourished her and called her forth into great life — a life centered in God!” continued Sister Mary.

Mary Ida Mann entered this world Sept. 9, 1926, in Indianapolis to John and Adeline (Miller) Mann. She was one of four children and was educated at St. Francis de Sales Grade School and St. John Academy, both in Indianapolis. Sister Adele entered the Congregation Feb. 2, 1946, and professed first and perpetual vows Aug. 15, 1948, and 1953, respectively. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree in education from Indiana State University.

Sister Adele began teaching in 1948 at St. Andrew, Chicago. She spent one year at Blessed Sacrament in Burlington, N.C. Her remaining years in education were spent in Indiana at St. Jude, Fort Wayne; St. Joseph, St. James and St. Philip Neri, Indianapolis; and St. Patrick, Terre Haute. Sister Adele spent four years in pastoral ministry at St. Francis Hospital, Beech Grove, Ind.

After earning her CPE at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, Sister Adele returned to Beech Grove and served as a pastoral associate at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center. She spent 20 years as a chaplain at either St. Joseph Hospital or Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, Ind. From 1999 to 2007, Sister Adele ministered as a pastoral minister at St. Therese Parish, Fort Wayne. She returned to the Woods in 2008 and volunteered at St. Ann Clinic, Terre Haute, Ind.

“Life was an inner and outer adventure for Sister Adele. There was sky diving in celebration of her 70th birthday and a glorious six-month sabbatical traveling through Europe. She wrote poetry and prayer and comfortably shared what she reaped from that contemplative time with God. Ah, and she loved to dance; she smiled often; being with others in the Red Hat Society energized her. Those of us privileged to be around her were beneficiaries of that deep joy that spilled over into our lives. Sister Adele was simple, in the best sense of the word, and a person who grew to believe in herself. She remarked more than once how blessed she felt in growing old. I don’t know that I’ll ever imagine Sister Adele as ‘growing old.’ However, I do and will think of her as a wise elder, a woman of Providence, who blessed our lives,” said Sister Mary.

“Sister Adele asked me to tell you to love life and to enjoy every single day. Seven words she wrote in recent years, knowing deep in her bones that life was precious and precarious, still resound within me: ‘I hope to make each day special,’” said Sister Mary.

“So, she played cards; she e-mailed jokes and humorous stories to friends; she tended plants indoors and out. The Eucharist was always a central part of her day. The sacrament of reconciliation was important, not because she saw herself as a sinner as much as she loved the intimacy of being one of God’s beloved,” shared Sister Mary.

“Sister Adele, we thank you for your faithfulness to your family, your friends and your community of Providence. We thank you for your faithfulness to God, and we offer thanks for God’s faithfulness to you. May you enjoy the dance with your God in heaven for truly God is and has always been your beloved partner. We know as you do that the dance goes on! Life is not ended, merely changed!” concluded Sister Mary.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Adele was celebrated Jan. 12, with the Rev. Daniel Hopcus presiding. She is survived by one sister, Sue Kosegi, of Indianapolis.