Jubilarian 2021 - Sister Carolyn Strack

Sister Carolyn Strack was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on February 11, 1951, and was received into the novitiate on August 15, 1951, as Sister Marie Clare. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College in 1962.

For more than 30 years, Sister Carolyn taught in elementary education. She taught in Missouri at St. Philip Neri Grade School in St. Louis (1953-56 and 1969-1970); St. Gregory Grade School in St. Ann (1956-1961) and Assumption Grade School in Kansas City, Missouri (1961-64). She taught in Chicago, Illinois, at St. Viator Grade School (1964-1965) and at St. Mary Grade School in Bridgeton, Missouri (1965-69).

In 1970, Sister Carolyn left elementary education and began a long career in various religious education programs starting in the diocesan Religious Education Office of Jefferson City, Missouri, in teacher training. She then went back to St. Louis to St. Blaise Parish School of Religion (1971-74), which was larger than the parish elementary school. Having organized this religious education school, she moved to Shawano, Wisconsin, to again organize a large school of religious education, this time for Sacred Heart Parish (1974-79).

In 1979, she moved to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aurora, Indiana. A year later, she went to the Indianapolis area where she was religious education coordinator for the Catholic community, located at the Army military base of Fort Benjamin Harrison, until 1986. During this time, she also did pastoral ministry with the families as Catholic chaplains became less available for these small military bases.

Following her years with the military families, Sister Carolyn was pastoral associate for the parishes of St. Catherine (1986-91) and St. James (1990-92) in Indianapolis. She also ministered as parish life coordinator for these two parishes.

After a sabbatical, Sister Carolyn returned to St. Louis to serve as pastoral care director at Nazareth Living Center (1993-99). She retired in 1999, but ministered for her community wherever she was needed, including as receptionist for the province’s Development Office from 1999 to 2006.

Sister Carolyn became a resident of Nazareth Living Center in June 2015 and has enjoyed its new complex. Nazareth gives her the time and space for prayer for our world as we all deal with the devastating effects of the coronavirus, and time to relax with her crocheting and reading.