Jubilarian 2023 - Sister Jane Elizabeth Gerard

Sister Jane, baptized Helen Marie, was born in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. She was received into the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1948. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and violin performance from Fontbonne College (now University) in 1959 and a master’s in violin performance from Duquesne University in 1966.

In 1950, Sister Jane began teaching in St. Louis at Notre Dame de Lourdes. She taught music at St. Philip Neri Grade School, Nativity of Our Lord Grade School, and St. Margaret of Scotland Grade School.

In 1962, Sister Jane taught music history, music theory and private piano and violin at Fontbonne College, in addition to teaching group violin at several grade schools in St. Louis. From January to June of 1961, she also taught at Rosati-Kain High School. Sister Jane was on the Fontbonne College music faculty until 1968.

Sister Jane studied musicology at the University of Chicago from 1968 to 1974. She went on to serve as assistant chaplain at Calvert House Catholic Student Center at the University of Chicago until 1976. The following year, she was associate director of the Parish Evaluation Project in Chicago. Sister Jane then served as the registrar at the Jesuit School of Theology in Chicago until 1981. She served as registrar and formation team member until 1984 at De Andreis Institute of Theology in Lemont, Illinois. In 1986, after two years in transition, she served for a year as a clerical worker at the law firm of Van Emden, Busch, Van Emden.

In 1987, Sister Jane began 25 years of service at DePaul University. Sister Jane served as an assistant to the director of the Institute for Religious Organizations until its close. She served as an administrative assistant as well as an assistant dean for the School for New Learning at DePaul University. Sister Jane taught a night course every fall and winter for 11 years at the School for New Learning. Her final position at DePaul University lasted 11 years, serving as the associate vice president for Academic Affairs as an administrative and research assistant until 2012. During this time, she also served on the Spiritual Director Roster for the Archdiocesan Permanent Diaconate Program. From 2002 to 2004, she also served her CSJ community as interim novice director.

Sister Jane retired in 2012 in Chicago and continues manuscript transcription and spiritual direction. She moved to St. Louis in 2015.

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