Sister Carolyn Strack
January 5, 1932 - January 2, 2022
(S. Marie Clare)
Prayerful, genuine, hard-working
Eugene and Clara (Busald) Strack of Indianapolis, Indiana, welcomed their fourth child and first daughter on January 5, 1932. Carolyn felt their family life was fairly typical of the time. Except for a time when Carolyn’s dad lost his job, her mother was a stay-at-home mom. Other family members were close by and the neighbors were a mixture of Catholic and non-Catholic. She had Sisters of Providence in grade school. She recalls that the Sisters of Saint Joseph at Sacred Heart High seemed so much friendlier than her elementary school sisters. When she decided to enter the convent, she was determined not to burden her parents with any expenses. After earning the necessary funds, Carolyn entered Carondelet February 11, 1951, received the habit August 15, 1951, and the name Sister Marie Clare. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fontbonne College (1962).
Sister Carolyn’s ministry began in Missouri at Saint Philip Neri Grade School, Saint Louis (1953) followed by Saint Gregory, in Saint Ann (1956), and Assumption in Kansas City (1961). S. Carolyn was then sent to Saint Viator in Chicago, Illinois (1964), and returned to Missouri to Saint Mary, in Bridgeton (1965), ending her classroom teaching where she started at Saint Philip Neri (1969). In 1970, Sister Carolyn became involved in teacher training for religious education programs at the Religious Education Office in Jefferson City, Missouri. Religious education coordinator at the Saint Blaise Parish School of Religion (1971) followed. Next she traveled to Shawano, Wisconsin, where she organized a religious education school at Sacred Heart Parish (1974).
In 1979, S. Carolyn returned to her home state of Indiana as the religious education director at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aurora. She then worked at the Catholic parish at Fort Benjamin Harrison, in Indianapolis as religious education coordinator. After her time with the military families, S. Carolyn became pastoral associate for Saint Catherine/Saint James parishes in Indianapolis (1986-1992) while also acting as the parish life coordinator for both parishes (1990-1992).
After a sabbatical, Sister Carolyn returned to Saint Louis to work in pastoral care at Nazareth Living Center (1993-1999), followed by time as a receptionist for the Development Office until she retired in 2006, though she continued to volunteer there part time. She also did part-time volunteer ministry in Archives from 2009 until 2019 when she embraced her ministry of prayer and presence.
When I think of Sister Carolyn Strack, the words “100% wool and a yard wide” come to mind. I was privileged to live with Carolyn for 23 years. We didn’t know each other at all when Sister Frances Virginia took us in as we landed in St. Louis in 1992. However, it was soon clear to me what God had in mind in facilitating this encounter. God knew that I would need a lot of personal support as I started serving as province treasurer with no previous experience working in a finance office. I was overwhelmed by what I discovered were very great financial needs of the community. Carolyn didn’t understand all of that either, but she did trust that God would be there to lovingly and gently guide me and us into a future none of us could see. Hers was
an authentic and humble approach to life and profound appreciation of the CSJs and our mission of unifying love .—Mary Frances Johnson, CSJ
Sister Pat Dunphy fondly remembers Sister Carolyn at Nazareth:
On her birthday, Keena [Sister Marianne] and I would go to her room for happy hour as she enjoyed a good bourbon. I will cherish those celebrations ... Carolyn valued communal prayer so she asked if we could meet at 4:15 p.m. in the small dining room in Carondelet Manor to pray as a community. Anyone was welcome to come ...
By Sister Helen Oates