Sister Pauline Komrska, CSJ

(S. Paul Christine)

March 4, 1926 - January 28, 2020

An energetic, caring woman who loved travel and adventure

Dorothy Frances, the second daughter of Albert and Anna (Malecek) Komrska, was born March 4, 1926, in S. Louis. in St. Louis. Three younger brothers completed the family. Dorothy’s elementary education at St. Wenceslaus School was followed by Roosevelt High School. During her junior year, she took a part-time job at Western Union as a teletype operator. The money she earned helped her pay for some classes at St. Louis University after graduation from high school. Of her vocation, she said:

Then, there was a trip to California with my sister to visit her husband at Beale Air Force Base in Marysville, California, that led to my vocation. During a visit to St. Joseph Church, I felt a sudden awareness that all my activities did not bring me any peace of heart ... On my return to St. Louis, I tried entering several communities—first of all, the Carmelites. Then, I tried the Maryknoll Sisters, and the Sisters of Notre Dame—the teaching sisters by whom I was taught at St. Wenceslaus. None of those appealed to me. Somehow, I felt they weren’t for me.

Her sister, who had attended Rosati-Kain High School, suggested she call Carondelet.

I did not know any Sisters of St. Joseph, but she told me she admired them for their humility and kindness. That touched my heart. As soon as the voice answered the phone, I knew right away that this was the group I would enter.

She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on February 11, 1947, and was received into the novitiate on August 15, 1947, as Sister Paul Christine.

S. Pauline began her ministry in primary education in the St. Louis Archdiocese at St. Mary Magdalene (1949), St. Patrick in University City (1951) and St. Mary in Bridgeton (1955). Beginning in 1958, she taught in secondary education at Sacred Heart Central, Indianapolis, Indiana; Little Flower, Chicago, Illinois (1967); and St. Thomas Aquinas, Florissant, Missouri (1968). There she began a friendship with Sister Karen Langhi, which continued the rest of S. Pauline’s life. While at Aquinas, she took classes to qualify as an assistant librarian and also received a certificate of religious studies from Paul VI Institute.

Then, S. Pauline began a new ministry in religious education at parishes in Northern California: St. Vincent, Petaluma (1984); St. Isidore, Danville (1986); and St. Simon, Los Altos (1997).

Returning to St. Louis in 2003, she ministered as a secretary at the Jesuit White House Retreat Center on West Pine Boulevard. In 2004, she became an assistant librarian at St. Joseph’s Academy until she retired in 2016. Then, she spent her time volunteering in various ways before moving to Nazareth Living Center, where she participated in the ministry of prayer and presence (2019).

Sister Jeanene Yackey shared, “Those of us who had lived with Pauline often referred to her as the 'energizer bunny.’”

The last time I spoke to S. Pauline was at a recent funeral at Nazareth. She was near S. Karen's wheelchair and she was typically caring about S. Karen's comfort. She was so solicitous for me also. As I reflected on her always-caring attitude, I could not but continue to keep that beautiful picture of her caring in mind ... The lady at the desk in McGovern told me about how good Sister Pauline always was to her ... how solicitous she was, always seeing to what her needs might be.
—S. Ida Berresheim

While serving the sisters at Nazareth, I was so amazed and touched by the faithfulness of S. Pauline to S. Karen. It is the fulfillment of the observation in Peter 1:32, ‘See how they love one another.’ Thank you, S. Pauline, for your lived example of loving.—A. Gerry Rauch

By Sister Helen Oates