Obituary

Sr. Lisa Marie Lazio, OP, the former Nancy Ann Lazio, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, (born in Chicago) died February 8, 2008. She was 72 years old and had been a Grand Rapids Dominican Sister for 53 years.

From 1971 to ‘76 Sister Lisa Marie taught at Aquinas College, MI.  She founded and coordinated the campus ministry team and served on the Graduate Council of the Aquinas Institute of Religious Studies.
 
 “Parish Sister” became Sister Lisa’s title in 1976.  She was the first to fill such a role at Guardian Angels Parish, Manistee, MI.  Through her efforts the religious educational program was expanded to include church nursery, youth ministry, adult education, children and adult choirs, parish library and resource center.  In 1982 she moved to Boyne City, MI and served as pastoral associate at St. Matthew and St. Augustine parishes; then at St. Mary, Charlevoix, MI and at Resurrection of the Lord Parish, Standish, MI.

In 1994 Sr. Lisa Marie was elected to serve on the Leadership Team of the Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids. She served on the Team as the Councilor for Life Development until 2000.

Bringing together all of her abilities in spirituality and art, Sister Lisa Marie founded the Dominican House of Blessings near Alpena, MI “a place to get away for peace and quiet, maybe some reflection.”

Sister Lisa Marie is survived by her sisters Susan Lazio of Sarasota, FL; Kay (George) Bidinger of Rockville, MD; Cecilia (Phil) Merkel of Oakton, VA; Sister Mary Margaret Lazio, CSJ and Sister Lisa Ann Lazio, CSJ of St. Louis, MO; many nieces, nephews, devoted friends and a loving Community.

Obituary

Sr. Rita McManus, OP , 80, died January 4, 2008 after a long illness at St. Catherine Center, Caldwell, NJ,  Sr. Rita served as the President of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’ Ricci, Elkins Park, PA from 1990 – 1998.  A gifted musician, Sr. Rita served for over 25 years at the Dominican Retreat House, Elkins Park as a liturgist, preacher, and spiritual director.  A composer who recorded three successful albums of spiritual hymns and songs, Sr. Rita’s music became a heartwarming source of reflection and spiritual renewal for thousands of women and men who attended retreats.

In the early days of Church renewal of the late 1960s, Sr. Rita’s attention to the musical settings of the Mass and her ideas for meaningful liturgy were innovative and thoughtful. Women who came on retreat could relate their everyday experiences to the movement of God in their lives through her talks, her music and personal encounters.  “People could easily connect to Rita’s music and to her own transparent love of Sacred Scripture,” said Sr. Carolyn Krebs, OP President of the congregation.

Sr. Rita led the congregation at a time when shifting trends in the Church moved away from the changes brought by Vatican II renewal but she insisted that personal prayer and genuine reflection on Scriptures were essential to spiritual life regardless of changing tides. She steered the community’s planning process of moving the motherhouse property in Media, PA to the campus at Elkins Park.

Sr. Rita earned graduate degrees from Fordham University in English and in Sacred Scripture from Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island. She served the congregation’s mission in Cuba and later as the community coordinator at Elkins Park from 1978 to 1989. She entered the Dominican Sisters in 1954 and professed vows in 1960. She is survived by her sister, Sr. Judith McManus, OP of Detroit, MI.