[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 5 (Tuesday, January 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E17-E19]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HOMILY/EULOGY FOR SR. CATHERINE PINKERTON CSJ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 9, 2018

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following Homily 
and Eulogy for Sister Catherine Pinkerton:

       The readings chosen for Catherine today by her CSJ sisters 
     are wonderfully descriptive of who she was.
       Catherine's life was all about bringing glad tidings to the 
     poor and letting the oppressed go free. She was so powerfully 
     passionate and so dedicated to her mission of justice, who 
     can doubt that the Spirit had indeed anointed her for this 
     work?--And is she not a true daughter of Joseph? (Luke 4: 14-
     23)
       The first reading from the Book of Wisdom (Message version) 
     describes her so well: inquiring mind coupled with 
     dedication. She was one of a kind, able to multitask and keep 
     an edge; nimble in argument, able to conduct three 
     conversations at the same time; kept a clean record, always 
     had her wits about her; wouldn't hurt a fly; was drawn to the 
     good; sharp as a tack, nothing got past her; always had an 
     orange in her pocket; cordial with humans, kind to animals; 
     (Some examples--I'm told that one

[[Page E18]]

     fish in the motherhouse fish tank actually always responded 
     to the sound of her voice. She loved the deer on our 
     property, and was once found after hours roaming the kitchen 
     trying to find some food for a wounded doe. Her great niece 
     Kelly Haas recalls how much Catherine loved the horses at the 
     stable where Catherine came to watch her learning to ride.) 
     could hold her own in male company. She was a model of 
     virtue, didn't miss a trick; she could discern the movements 
     of the soul--whether intellectual or moral, subtle or not-so-
     subtle.'' (Wisdom 7: 22-23)
       The only thing that's missing from this fascinating list is 
     that her hair and makeup were always perfect, her two 
     business suits beautifully tailored, and she always looked as 
     if she had just stepped out of a band box.
       Seriously.
       So how shall we eulogize our Catherine?
       Perhaps we should begin at the beginning--her heart for the 
     marginalized was instilled at age seven, when her parents 
     were about to buy a new home right before the Great 
     Depression, Catherine loved the house they were considering, 
     particularly because of its large library. ``I told all my 
     friends about it,'' she said. ``But Dad sat us down and said, 
     `Mother and I have decided not to buy that house.' I said, 
     `Why, Daddy?' He said, `Because something terrible is going 
     to happen in this country, and there will be people who won't 
     have food or housing or jobs and . . . we have to help 
     them.'' And I said, `Why can`t they help themselves?' He 
     said, 'Some people don't have resources like education and 
     jobs.' And then he said, `And besides, missy, you don't need 
     a big house when other people don't have food on the table.' 
     And that was my first lesson in justice.''
       Later, involvements with Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker 
     Movement and friendship with Mother Margaret Mary Neary were 
     influential in Catherine's decision to join the Congregation 
     of St. Joseph.
       After Vatican II, Catherine quickly acquired multiple 
     involvements in Cleveland. She was a respected teacher, 
     skilled choir director and principal at St. Joe's Academy 
     where she annually taught the entire student body to sing the 
     Battle Hymn of the Republic in four-part harmony. She worked 
     closely with Cleveland groups that focused on the poor and on 
     advancing women's roles in church and society. In the 1970s 
     she worked as a consultant to Cleveland's parish councils and 
     other religious communities. She was president of the 
     Sisters' senate and became a founding member of the Cleveland 
     Women's Ordination Conference.
       Among her local awards are two naming her as one of the 
     Most Influential Women in Cleveland as well as the John 
     Carroll University Centennial Education Medal. From 1976-1984 
     she served in leadership with our Congregation of St. Joseph 
     and in 1982 was elected to the presidency of Leadership 
     Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which at the time 
     represented all 130,000 US sisters.
       And so began Catherine's national ministry--first via 
     LCWR--and then in 1984 when she began working as a lobbyist 
     for NETWORK, the Catholic Social Justice lobby founded by 
     LCWR sisters.
        I'd like to take a moment now and reprise a tribute from 
     her LCWR and NETWORK sisters when in 2006, they gave her the 
     highest honor any former LCWR president could receive--the 
     Outstanding Leadership Award. It is a good snapshot of how 
     Catherine lived out her anointing to work for justice and the 
     poor:
       The late Sr. Bette Moslander, CSJ who was part of the LCWR 
     presidency with Catherine said: ``Catherine was in LCWR 
     leadership at a time when the conference and US women 
     religious were the focus of intense scrutiny by the church 
     and by the US government. The major shifts of Vatican II 
     renewal had brought about changes that were not yet 
     completely accepted by the Catholic population in this 
     country or by the Congregation of Religious in Rome.''
       The late Sr. Miriam Therese Larkin, CSJ, also in the LCWR 
     presidency with Catherine, says: ``Catherine's wisdom, 
     insight and straightforwardness during these times enabled 
     her to make her point so clearly and cogently that further 
     protests lost their meaning and simply died. We really cannot 
     measure the value of her service to women religious in the 
     United States and in the world.''
       Former Network Director Sr. Kathy Thornton RSM wrote: ``It 
     is perhaps on Capitol Hill that [Catherine] has had the 
     strongest impact, commanding attention with her intelligence 
     and unwavering determination as an advocate for those unduly 
     burdened by the injustices of society. . . . Catherine has 
     become a formidable presence in the halls of Congress.
       Jean Stokan, policy director of Pax Christi USA: ``When 
     Catherine walks the halls of Congress, she parts waters. 
     Heads turn and useless chatter ceases when she enters a 
     room.''
       NETWORK colleague Michael Culliton concurs. ``I remember 
     trips to Capitol Hill with Catherine. I was struck by the 
     number of times we were stopped by staffers and elected 
     officials who knew Catherine by name. Ever a woman of 
     justice, her warm return of a greeting was typically followed 
     with a strong injunction related to an upcoming vote or 
     policy debate.''
       Kathy Thornton again: ``Catherine has become at home in 
     centers of power. She has won the respect of many heavy-
     hitters in the political world and can ably tease Bill 
     Clinton, confer with Hillary Clinton and chide Ted Kennedy, 
     who when he does not see Catherine for a while, admits to 
     really missing her.''
       Sr. Janet Mock CSJ--the former Executive Director of LCWR--
     notes: ``She is equally at home, however, with the people who 
     live on the margins. Her co-workers note that Catherine puts 
     the same effort into building relationships with the world's 
     power brokers as she puts into building relationships with 
     the marginalized people whom she knows from the streets of 
     DC. As she uses her intellect to analyze social ills, she 
     uses her heart to understand the people affected by them.
       U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur`, who knew Catherine for 
     over 30 years, told us at her wake last night that Catherine 
     was the founding face of NETWORK and of Catholic Social 
     Teaching in Congress. ``Network in its early years would not 
     have been possible without her inspired leadership.''
       By way of background, during Clinton admin--Catherine 
     worked with then First Lady Hillary Clinton and Senator 
     Edward Kennedy in an effort to craft comprehensive health 
     care legislation. She brought Catholic Social Teaching 
     principles to the debate and was a strong advocate for 
     ensuring that those without coverage would have access to 
     healthcare. When that effort faltered, she became a 
     passionate advocate for the Child Health Insurance Program 
     for families too poor to have health insurance but did not 
     qualify for Medicaid.
       At the Wake Service last night, the current Executive 
     Director of NETWORK, Sr. Simone Campbell reflected that 
     Catherine's perseverance and lobbying had actually prepared 
     the way for the Affordable Care Act, and related how happy 
     she was to see it passed just before Catherine retired so she 
     could experience the rich fruits of her over 25 years of 
     dedicated lobbying.
       Sr. Nancy Sylvester IHM remembers that when Catherine came 
     to NETWORK ``[She] also took a great interest in our young 
     interns/associates. She mentored them and took time to drive 
     them home if needed or to assist them in other ways.''
       Sr. Theresa Kane RSM--LCWR president just before Catherine: 
     ``Catherine Pinkerton was a dedicated, enthusiastic and a 
     most gracious woman religious to all who encountered her. She 
     lived a full, joyous and most worthwhile life and meets her 
     loving God with many graces. Indeed she has earned and been 
     gifted with the hundredfold!''
       At a DC farewell for Catherine, the well-known Washington 
     Post Columnist EJ Dionne praised her this way: ``It has been 
     said that while we are born with original sin we also have 
     access to original grace...Sr. Catherine's public witness has 
     always been about grace--about the capacity to solve problems 
     and help people. We have heard her preach, we have watched 
     her work, and boy are we grateful--this city could use a 
     whole lot more people like you, Sr. Catherine. You make us 
     proud to be Catholic.'' (Full remarks can be found at https:/
     /www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0qHNO3GquO)
       So, are we getting the idea that Catherine was sort of a 
     larger than life kind of person? Well, yes--and no.
       We, Cleveland sisters were immensely proud of her but we 
     also dealt gently with her frailties.
       Last, unbeknownst to any but her closest confidantes, there 
     were the insecurities that sometimes plagued her. So this 
     closing quote comes from someone Catherine has described as 
     her soulmate: Sr. Felicia Petruziello, who lived with her in 
     Washington for a number of years and is a lifelong friend:
       ``We were soulmates in our earthiness--our human 
     weaknesses,'' says Felicia. ``Both of us were always doubting 
     ourselves--we were connected in being anxious and wondering 
     if what we were doing or saying was right or not. It wasn't 
     the big and famous things she did that connected us but our 
     insecurities. When she gave a speech, she needed to have five 
     people read it first to see if it was OK. Before she received 
     her award at LCWR she spent most of the time in the bathroom 
     because she was so anxious about whether her speech was good 
     enough. And she found it so helpful to ride up in the 
     elevator with Joe Biden's mother just before her benediction 
     at the 2008 Democratic convention. She felt more secure that 
     another ``old lady'' was present.''
       ``This is something most people didn't know,'' concludes 
     Felicia. ``She often felt very insecure inside--but that 
     didn't stop her--she is a model for how we can do big things 
     when we move beyond our insecurities.''
       ``She is a model for how we can do big things when we move 
     beyond our insecurities.''
       I'd like to close with Catherine's own words from a news 
     story at the time of her LCWR award: ``Our foundresses dealt 
     with chaos,'' she said, ``and we have to deal with chaos now 
     because only out of chaos is going to come the creativity of 
     the future. Women Religious are the prophetic dimension of 
     the church. Religious life is a prophetic gift given to the 
     church and humanity. We stand on the line of what is and what 
     is yet to be, and that is our role.''
       ``We stand on the line of what is and what is yet to be . . 
     . .''
       And isn't this a daughter of Joseph?

                    Sister Catherine Pinkerton, CSJ

                      (Congregation of St.Joseph)

                       Formerly Sister Mary Pius

                        Born September 22, 1921

                 Entered Eternal Life December 28, 2017

       Catherine was born, the third of four children, on 
     September 22, 1921 to Charles D. and

[[Page E19]]

     Anne Berry Pinkerton. She grew up on Cleveland's west side in 
     a family that was both politically conscious and socially 
     active and where discussion of ``issues'' (which almost 
     always included the children) was a regular part of family 
     interaction. Her father ran a steel foundry supply business 
     and was a salesman most of his life. Her mother was both a 
     homemaker and helped her husband with the business.
       Catherine talked about Sunday afternoon walks to the lake 
     with her father where she learned many valuable things among 
     which was that a woman could do anything if she understood 
     how the world and business worked. Catherine attended St. 
     Ignatius Elementary School from which she graduated in 1935. 
     She then went on to St. Joseph Academy, graduating in 1939. 
     During her high school years, she was introduced to the 
     Catholic Worker movement and was soon volunteering at a soup 
     kitchen. She became very close to Mother Margaret Mary Neary, 
     who was instrumental in helping her make the decision to 
     enter the Sisters of St. Joseph, which she did immediately 
     following graduation.
       Her parents were reluctant to see her enter, but they did 
     support her in her decision. She received the habit in 1940 
     and was given the religious name, Sister Mary Pius. She 
     attended St. John College from which she received her BSE in 
     1950 and her MA (Curriculum, English, and Education) in 1957. 
     She did further study at both John Carroll University 
     (certification in secondary school administration) and Laval 
     University in Canada (music). As was the case with most 
     sisters at that time, much of her formal education was done 
     on Saturdays and during summers while she was teaching.
       Sister Mary Pius's teaching assignments were: St. Rose 
     (1943-50); St. Joseph, Canton (1950-57); St. Joseph Academy 
     (1957-73). During her time at St. Joseph Academy, she was a 
     teacher, the principal, and the director of the Junior 
     Professed Sisters. This was around the time of the Second 
     Vatican Council and Mother Margaret Mary Neary (Catherine's 
     friend from high school) told her that she would be 
     responsible for preparing young sisters for a Church and a 
     community which didn't yet exist. What a challenge that was!
       In all the different capacities which Catherine served at 
     St. Joseph Academy, she was always involved with teaching 
     music. She was especially skillful in getting large groups to 
     sing well. There was nothing like hearing the entire school 
     sing, ``The Battle Hymn of the Republic''!
       It was during these years that Catherine was elected to the 
     Diocesan Sisters' Senate and eventually became its president. 
     She gradually became more and more involved in organizations 
     of women religious. From 1973-75, she was the chairperson of 
     NAWR (National Association of Women Religious). In 1975, she 
     came back to Cleveland and worked for the Diocese in pastoral 
     planning as the Director of Parish Councils (1975-80). 
     Shortly after, she was elected to the leadership team of the 
     Congregation of St. Joseph. (1976-84). When her term was 
     completed, Catherine went to work for NETWORK, a national 
     Catholic social justice lobby in Washington, D.C., which was 
     affectionately known by some as the ``nuns' lobby'' (1984-
     2010). NETWORK was founded in the early 1970's by Catholic 
     sisters to do research on and lobbying in Congress regarding 
     those issues which affect the lives of the poor and 
     minorities in our country and in the world. Catherine was 
     honored to give the benediction at the 2008 National 
     Democratic Convention in Denver, pausing before praying, and 
     delivering a prayer of hope and gratitude to the crowd and 
     the nation.
       Catherine's health caused her to decide in 2010 to return 
     to Cleveland and to St. Joseph Hall where she remained a 
     vibrant part of the local CSJ community. We are grateful for 
     having shared in the life and the gifts of Sister Catherine 
     and we celebrate her entrance into eternal life.
       The following are a few additional reflections about 
     Catherine:
       ``Catherine has a remarkable capacity to build 
     relationships. In the mystical body of Christ, Catherine is 
     sinew and nerves: connecting and loving each unique 
     expression of the Divine.'' (Michael Culliton)
       ``Catherine, politically astute and passionately committed 
     to the Gospel, never backed away from the way of justice and 
     peace in the concrete and often messy reality of our time.'' 
     (Bette Mosslander CSJ)
       ``Catherine has ventured into the halls of Congress to 
     speak truth to power. She approaches Senators and 
     Representatives not with money to line campaign coffers, but 
     with faith, a deep knowledge of the issues, and a belief in 
     the social Gospel of Jesus. As a consequence, she has touched 
     the hearts--and changed the votes--of countless members of 
     Congress.'' (Kathy Thornton, RSM)

                          ____________________