Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer

Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer passed away on Sunday, August 23, in Providence Health Care at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 92-years-old and was a Sister of Providence for 75 years.

Commentary

By Sister Betty Hopf

This reading is taken from Proverbs 31 and adapted in “Providence; God’s Face toward the World.”

Who shall find a Providence woman? She is far more precious than jewels.

She offers to all her life of passionate caring, seeking to do justice all the days of her life. She seeks out the word, listening with eager care, and the word is to her life the course for her ship. She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.

Her lamp does not go out in the night; she opens her hands to the poor and reaches out with her life to the needy. Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come, knowing that God will care for her as sure as the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. She opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of compassion is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her community and does not eat the bread of idleness. She is gifted and given and remembered as Providence, and her friends call her HOPE. Many women have done excellently well but the Providence woman surpasses them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain but the woman who knows intimately the Providence of God is to be praised. Give her a reward of her labor and let her works praise her at the city gates.

Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer was born Aug. 29, 1933, in Hammond, Indiana, to Joseph and Ellen Keitzer, and was given the name Rosemary Ellen. She had a brother who died at birth, so she grew up as an only child. Sadly, her mother died when she was only 8, and her father and a friend helped her through the years ahead. Keitzer attended All Saints Grade School in Hammond, Indiana, where she was taught by the Sisters of Providence. She later went to Hammond High School. But it was her eighth grade teacher, Sister Mary Damien, who planted the seed and suggested that Keitzer think about joining our community, even though she had an aunt who was a Sister of St. Francis. Her father was not in favor of her entering community, but she felt the call and entered the Sisters of Providence on May 26, 1951.

Her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees were in music and music education from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Ball State University, respectively. She started her ministry as a music teacher in 1954, taking her to Texas, New Hampshire, California, Indiana and Illinois. She taught music at St. Angela’s until things in the Illinois parish changed, and then she switched to pastoral ministry. From 1976 until she returned to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 2023 — 47 years — she ministered with the students and parishioners of St. Angela’s in Chicago. As she took on various parish duties, she took advantage of opportunities for further education and training in those ministries. In addition to her regular parish responsibilities, she became involved in prison ministry, drug rehab, prevention of substance abuse and domestic violence situations. That’s when her whole life changed from her early days of being a music teacher to practically running a parish. It changed from what she was familiar with to a totally new and unfamiliar life.

It was at St. Angela’s that the real Joseph Ellen emerged. She was small but mighty. She was frail but strong. She was like our St. Mother Theodore in unfamiliar territory, but like St. Mother Theodore, she gave her all (even in frail health at times), and built a beautiful, vibrant community through her compassion and love for God’s people. She certainly practiced love, mercy and justice in her every endeavor. She took “the bull by the horns,” so to speak, and did everything possible to be the best minister that she could be. Her job description changed from one simple task to doing numerous ministries, ranging from administrator of religious education to sacramental preparation, to instructing servers, and many more, including almost being in charge of the parish. She took on all those needed responsibilities and did a great job because she cared and because she fell in love with the African American community at St. Angela’s. She saw her ministry as a loving relationship and a caring, Providential presence that brought hope and healing.

After the parish changed from five priests to one non-resident priest, there were several different priests from various other countries assigned to the parish, some of whom she had to train in the duties of parish work. One priest was going to take Communion to a parishioner and came in a T-shirt and shorts. She looked at him and said, “You are not going in that. Go back and change into long pants and the collar.” He did! She also found time to companion several persons on their journey to becoming Providence Associates.

Keitzer wrote a beautiful paper titled, “A Journey of Providence on Chicago’s West Side.” I’d like to quote a couple of sentences. She says that, “this journey is not so much my personal story as it is the experience of God’s presence and how God has led the people of St. Angela and myself through the various phases of these years and our ministry together. It has been a journey of Providence and God has always provided what was needed and then some.” These words express the beautiful faith that was hers.

In our HOPE magazine, Beverly Adams, a Providence Associate, describes how Keitzer was a beacon of hope for her when her son was murdered at the age of 17. She tells of the white flight from the area, and that Keitzer chose to remain and proudly become a vital part of the community there. Adams also said, “She always brought a beacon of hope, especially when I was going through one of the hardest times of my life. Without her Providential love and care, I’m afraid to think where I would be today.”

Keitzer also told the beautiful story of how she got to know her close friend, Robin Moss, who was a nurse for one of Keitzer’s doctors. After Moss’ husband died, Keitzer refused to let her struggle through this hardship alone and persisted in helping her cope. They became very close friends and Moss has journeyed with Keitzer all the way through the rest of her life. Keitzer was always a strong-willed person who made her own choices. I maintain that it was this and Moss’ close attention to Keitzer’s health needs that kept her going until just six days before her 93rd birthday.

In relating stories about her ministry, Keitzer shared some other ways she brought hope to people, such as going to court on behalf of a young man who was falsely accused; getting a woman into a drug rehab program; and obtaining money for the burial of one of her former parishioners. She also was very influential in her neighborhood. One of the parishioners was going through very difficult times and had her gas turned off. The parish helped out financially and Keitzer took her to the gas company to get the utility restored. When Keitzer entered the building, the woman was crying because she had been refused. Keitzer stepped up to the counter, identified herself and it was settled. Again, she was a beacon of hope.

Keitzer went the whole mile with her parishioners, especially during the difficult transition of 10 parishes into four. She stayed in touch with many local and archdiocesan organizations so that the inner-city parishes were not lost on the radar screen. In fact, Cardinal Francis George asked her to give him feedback on the merger. She gave a detailed and insightful four-page response from her expertise and experience.

Keitzer was a very thoughtful, caring, kind and giving person. As she said to Adams, “What would Jesus do?” She did exactly that in her whole ministry. She was such a generous person. Anytime she was given a gift, she used it for others. As some of us know, she always had candy available for staff and visitors to enjoy. She touched many lives in a deep, caring, loving way. She believed a person should never have to hurt alone. Each of us, I’m sure, has an example or a story of the footprint she left on our hearts.

Sister Tracey Horan shared how grateful she was to find a kindred spirit for racial justice in Keitzer. In 2017, Keitzer responded to Horan’s reflection on racial justice, saying, “So many times we can read or hear about incidents of racism or marginalization, but actually being present to hear and witness the prejudice and injustice leaves a lasting imprint on one’s heart.” Keitzer had been present to hear and witness injustice, and she allowed her heart to be moved by it.

We are all better people for having known her and let us go forth today in Keitzer’s footsteps and make a difference as we give hope to others.
In closing, I’d like to read something Keitzer wrote. She said, “I hope and pray that we may one day be one church with racial equality, that the richness of the culture be shared with the entire church. My journey in pastoral ministry has been very transforming for me. I have had the privilege and opportunity of stepping inside another race, culture and hearts. The African American community has enriched my life with their giftedness, spirituality, deep faith, trust, friendship and love. Together we have had the opportunity to be a sign of God’s love and Providence to others.”

We thank you, Sister Joseph Ellen, for being a beacon of hope to us and to so many others. May you enjoy the reward that is now yours to treasure.

Funeral Information

Services for Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer took place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception as follows:

A wake was held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. EST Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. An additional wake took place from 10 to 11 a.m. EST Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 11 a.m. EST, followed by a traditional burial. Those who were able were invited to the Rite of Committal in the cemetery.

Memorial contributions may still be made in honor of Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer to the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Friends and family are invited to share memories of Sister Joseph Ellen Keitzer in the comments section.

Complete Ministry

In Texas: Teacher, St. John, Robstown (1952-54).

In New Hampshire: Teacher, Lady Isle, Portsmouth (1954-58).

In Illinois: Teacher, St. David, Chicago (1958-61); Parish Director of Religious Education/Part-Time Music Teacher, St. Angela Parish, Chicago (1987-94); Pastoral Associate/Director of Religious Education, St. Angela Parish, Chicago (1994-2001); Pastoral Associate, St. Angela Parish, Chicago (2001-05); Pastoral Ministry, Westside of Chicago (2005-08); Pastoral Ministry of Presence, Northwest Austin African American Community, Chicago (2008-22).

In Indiana: Teacher, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute (1961-66); Teacher, St. Andrew, Indianapolis (1968-69);p Teacher, Immaculate Heart, Indianapolis (1969-76); Prayer, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2023-26).

In California: Teacher, St. Therese, Los Angeles (1966-68).