Maureen Francis Kottenstette, CSJ
June 15, 1937 - June 13, 2025
Grateful, dedicated, diligent worker
Francis and Maurine (Kerrigan) Kottenstette of Denver welcomed their fourth child and daughter on June 15, 1937. They named her Joan. Eventually, their family included six sons and three daughters. Joan’s dad died while she was a senior in high school. After completing her education,
she decided to stay at home and help her mother. However, her mother told her it was not necessary. Joan thought about becoming a religious, and after reading a Maryknoll magazine, missionary work appealed to her. However, Sister Agnes Marie, a Sister of St. Joseph, shared with her that even though the CSJs did not have foreign missions at that time, missions in Japan and, eventually, in South America were going to open. Joan entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 15, 1955. She received the habit and the name Sister Maureen Francis in March of 1956.
S. Maureen’s served her first 10 years of ministry
in grade school and junior high education at the following schools: St. Elizabeth in Kansas City, Missouri (1960); Nativity of Our Lord in Chicago (1962, 1965); Ste. Genevieve in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri (1964); St. Lawrence Martyr in Redondo Beach, California (1966); St. Bede the Venerable in Chicago (1967); and St. Gregory in St. Ann, Missouri (1968). In 1969, she taught students at the primary, intermediate and junior high levels at St. Patrick in St. Joseph, Missouri, while also serving as principal and/or superior at times.
In 1970, she moved into pastoral work at St. Francis, St. Theresa and St. Gregory parishes in Kansas City, Missouri, and at St. Patrick’s Parish in Denver (1971). In 1974, S. Maureen became involved with
the Movement for a Better World (MBW), an international renewal movement to train and educate the Catholic community on the changes of Vatican II. She was a retreat team member (1974-76) and the West Coast regional coordinator (1976-80) in Kenmore, Washington
S. Maureen moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, in 1980, and served at St. Mary's Parish as a pastoral assistant. Returning to Colorado a year later, she served as a pastoral minister at Holy Apostle Parish in Colorado Springs, and then as a pastoral associate at St. James in Denver (1984). From 1985 to 1992, S. Maureen ministered to the dear neighbors in Denver in a variety of direct service roles, including as an outreach education coordinator for the Community Support Systems Program; a mental health worker for the Heart of Boardwalk Community and an advocate for CHARG Resource Center. She became the executive director at Sacred Heart House, a shelter for homeless mothers with children and single women. She served at Community Housing Services, Inc. (1998-2000) as a community housing specialist and then at Senior Support Services as a case manager for two years.
From 2002 to 2009, S. Maureen returned weekly to CHARG to cut hair and, at the same time, occasionally serve as house manager in the evenings at Sacred Heart House. She retired in 2009 and continued to volunteer at Sacred Heart House and served on their board of directors. In 2018, she moved to Nazareth Living Center in St. Louis to continue her ministry of prayer and presence.
MEMORIES
From Associate Cathy Hart
We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear S. Maureen. ... She said so many times that she cherished the heart space we shared. We will miss her gentle presence.
From Associate Peggy Maguire
Maureen often told me, when I visited her, how grateful she was to be a member of our community. I always assured her that we were grateful for her presence and all that she shared with us.
By Sister Helen Oates