Sister Dolores Ann Linhart

“See what love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

—– A reading from John 1

In his book, “The Four Loves,” British author C.S. Lewis suggests to those who wonder how we shall recognize God when at last we come face to face with him in the eternal Now. His perception is that we will know God at once for we shall see reflected there the faces of all those whom we have loved on Earth with a pure, unselfish love.

Awkward and stumbling though we may be in practice, in truth it is God we are seeking in each of our loving encounters with others. Our relationships do not fail: They simply cannot measure up to our destiny, union with the divine.

In the final phrase, John suggests that, like Mary in the Easter garden, we do not always recognize our God in the multiple manifestations by which He comes to us. In one of the prayers we say each hour in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, we ask God to be present with us in our prayer. How could God not be with us? It is rather we who tend to be elsewhere.

Today, as we sit here reflecting on the ever present God of love, Sister Dolores Ann is experiencing within her deepest self this profound mystery, said Sister Mary Roger Madden in her commentary for Sister Dolores Ann Linhart, who died Wednesday, May 6. She was 88 years old and had been a Sister of Providence for 69 years.

Born on May 5, 1927, in Chicago, of Anton and Ann Zielinski Linhart, Dolores Ann Linhart was a Sister of Providence product all the way.

She attended St. Genevieve parish school and Providence High School where she graduated in 1945. The following February 2, she entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Providence. After the customary six months postulancy and two-year novitiate, she took her vows for the first time on Aug. 15, 1948, returning for her second novitiate and her profession of perpetual vows on Aug. 15, 1953.

Sister’s professional career from 1948 to her time of retirement was in education: Elementary, secondary and adult. Her first major was in Latin, graduating from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, and her master’s degree from Marquette University was in counseling. Sister never traveled far from her Midwestern roots.

In 1969, Sister returned to Mother Theodore Guerin School in River Grove, Illinois, to serve as a student counselor. From 1969 to 2007, Sister served in the Field of Career Counseling for both high school students and adults. Between 1969 and 1974, Sister served as career counselor at Triton and Mundelein colleges as well as at our River Forest Academy.

During three years between 1978 and 1981, Sister served as Regional Career Counselor for a six-state area of the United States Department of Labor, where she directed a career development program for federal employees.

Sister Dolores Ann returned to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 2007, at 80 years of age, at which time, according to our records, her ministry was “to be arranged.”

Now it has indeed been arranged by our God of Providence. May she rest in peace. Amen.

Funeral services for Sister Dolores Ann were Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Sister Dolores Ann is survived by a brother, Robert A. Linhart (Patricia), niece Laurie Kruchten, nephew Christ Linhart (Janet) and niece-in-law Mary Linhart (Michael).

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Anthony J. Linhart.

A wake took place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Vespers at 4:30 p.m., on Friday, May 8.

Mass of Christian Burial took place at 11 a.m., on Saturday, May 9.

We welcome you to share your memories of Sister Dolores Ann in the comment section below.