Sister Helen Flemington, CSJ

(S. James Barbara)
September 30, 1943 - December 27, 2022
"She was prayerful, caring, attentive to others' needs. And lots of fun!" —Sister Marilyn Peot

Helen Ann was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 30, 1943, the first of Alexander and Grace (Conrad) Flemington’s five girls and two boys. Graduating from St. Teresa’s Academy, Helen entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1960 and received the habit and the name Sister James Barbara in 1961. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Fontbonne College in St. Louis (1966) and a master’s in French elementary education from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, in 1973.

Sister Helen began her ministry work as a primary teacher at St. Matthew in St. Louis (1965), followed by Immacolata in Richmond Heights, Missouri (1967). She was then called to serve as principal at Nativity of Our Lord in Chicago (1974). In 1981, she accepted a position as pastoral minister and director of religious education at St. Leo the Great Parish in Ava, Missouri. S. Helen moved back to Kansas City to serve at St. Therese Little Flower Parish (STLF) as a pastoral associate (1988-95) and pastoral administrator (1995-2006). She also took a short sabbatical in 2002 to study at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California.

Returning to elementary education in 2006, S. Helen was principal of St. Thomas More in Kansas City for two years. She was then selected to be a member of the 2008-2014 CSJ Province Leadership Team. After a year-long sabbatical, she returned to STLF and served as pastoral minister (2015). When serving there as pastoral associate, Sister Rosemary Flanigan shares that “the parish loved her. She was a highly effective leader.”

Associate Barbara Beades recalls:
She was a great listener, and if comment or advice was needed, she seemed to have just the right thing to say. And there was always humor, but always appropriate. … She certainly lived the heck out of her life, doing all she could do wherever she was.”

Sister Barbara Jennings described S. Helen similarly:
… a servant of the servants, a companion, a woman of prayer, very seldom fazed about anything, very understanding of human frailties and strengths. Helen was a listener who could reflect back what she heard, ask questions, and express respect, if not agreement

In her oral history, S. Helen said, “My life has been so blessed. … I love being a Sister of St. Joseph.” When asked about the associates, she replied, “I think our associates are filled with the charism and filled with mission and ministry. … I think they are central to who we are, and they were central to who we were in our beginnings. …”
From 2018 to 2022, S. Helen became the mission advisor for the Kansas City Regional Mission Advancement Office, and served on the Board of Directors at St. Joseph Medical Center and the Board of Trustees at Avila University. She moved to Nazareth Living Center in 2022, joining the ministry of prayer and presence while holding the title of Kansas City Mission Advancement Advisor Emerita.

By Sister Helen Oates

Sister Helen Flemington's recordings are available.
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