Associate Barbara Beades, CSJA

In 2024 Barbara Beades of Kansas City, MO, is celebrating 25 years of association. She says it is hard to believe it has been that long. Thinking about the people who brought her to this place, she says she did not grow up with CSJ’s. The first people she met were Srs. Marilyn Peot & Helen Miljour at several retreats and other occasions in Kansas City in the mid-seventies. Then she met Sr. Gabrielle Smits and other Sisters in KC & St. Louis in the mid-eighties. At that time Barbara was looking at vowed life in the community, but gradually she realized over the next 15-20 years that it was not her calling. She thought maybe she was a slow learner!

Barbara joined St. Therese Little Flower Parish in 1980, and found many ways to share her gifts, including various liturgical ministries, choir and pastoral care. Then in 1988 Barbara met Sr. Helen Flemington when Helen came as a pastoral associate at St Therese in Kansas City, Missouri. Over the next nearly 25 years until Helen died, Helen was a friend, mentor, and cause for laughter, as she always knew what to say raise your spirits, and she could tell great stories. Helen filled this role for many, many people, not just Barbara.

About nine or ten years after these encounters, the chance to become an associate came through Georgia Walker and some of the sisters living at St. Therese. Learning about the charism and the community, going to St. Louis once or twice, led seven women, including Barbara, to make their initial commitments as associate members in May of 1999.

Barbara took “serving the dear neighbor without distinction” to heart. In 1989, Barbara began working at welfare offices in MO and KS, where it was not hard to find many opportunities to serve the dear neighbor. It might just be a listening ear or a smile. At other times it was offering resources that they needed, even though they may not have called for that reason. Barbara helped clients find jobs and job training, she helped them to overcome barriers to being self-sufficient, such as overcoming mental health issues, finding childcare, applying for disability and more. Although Barbara is retired now, she still sometimes works part of the year from home helping those same people.

As for ministry in retirement, Barbara says it can be as simple as chance encounters with others and praying for others. And for hobbies, she likes to watch sports on TV, baseball, college basketball and football are her favorites.

Barbara is very thankful that she crossed paths all those years ago with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

Click here to make a donation in honor of Associate Barbara Beades.