Sister Janet Mary Feager

Quiet, long-suffering, gentle, joyful

Orlando and Irene (Moorhem) Feager of St. Louis welcomed daughter Arlene Mary on February 13, 1936. Eventually, there were six children in the family. By the time Arlene was ready to start school, the family had moved to Sullivan, Missouri. “We had a happy childhood … Right next to our home was a vacant lot, which was like a playground.”

After two years in the public school, she continued her education at St. Anthony’s Catholic School, which consisted of three classrooms taught by School Sisters of Notre Dame. Since there was no Catholic high school in Sullivan, Arlene completed her education at the public school. Her dad died after a long illness, so, after graduation, Arlene found work to help support the family.

At some point, Arlene confided in the pastor of her parish that she was interested in entering religious life. He happened to be familiar with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. One weekend, he drove her to Carondelet where she met the sisters for the first time. Just a single visit and she knew that Carondelet was where she belonged. She entered the community on September 15, 1958, receiving the habit on March 19, 1959, and the name S. Janet
Mary. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Fontbonne College in 1963.

Sister Janet Mary’s ministry in elementary education began with three successive two-year assignments in Missouri: Immacolata Grade School, St. Louis (1963); St. Cecilia Grade School, St. Louis (1965) and Saints John and James Grade School, Ferguson (1967). St. James Grade School in Denver, Colorado, was S. Janet Mary’s next ministry (1969), followed by St. Catherine of Siena (1975).

“My memories of Janet are so positive,” shared Sister Mary Ann Figlino. “I enjoyed Janet's way of enjoying the fun and laughter around here when we lived together at St. James in Denver. “

Returning to St. Louis in 1979, S. Janet Mary taught at St. Luke the Evangelist until 1988 when she moved to Holy Innocents School. In 1990, S. Janet Mary returned to Denver to St. Francis De Sales until she retired in 2010. She stayed in Denver during her fi rst two years of retirement, volunteering at various tasks when able. She moved to Nazareth Living Center, joining the prayer and presence ministry in 2012.

Reflecting on her life, S. Janet said,

I’m just so grateful because I have been just so blessed throughout my whole community life. I have worked with such wonderful people, people who have been such wonderful mentors since I started out … The only thing that has been not so good is that I have had health problems. And that’s been very limiting.

S. Mary McGlone remembers S. Janet:

[She was] a dedicated teacher, as an explorer who was among the fi rst to live in community outside convent walls, as a person of gentle presence, attentive to whomever was before her. Janet had a great deal of physical pain in her life, but she never spoke of it or complained. What she suff ered seemed to not be worth sharing with others when there were so many other things to share … We are blessed to have had her as our sister.

S. Suzanne Giblin shares,

Gentleness, peace and joy describes my experience of Janet Mary. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of knowing her as a member of the same reception. Janet Mary had a quiet presence that radiated care for others, even though she lived with intense chronic pain throughout her vowed life. I … rejoice that she is free from pain and all that held her captive. Alleluia!