Sister Kathleen (Janice) Egan, my role model

Mother Teresa with Sister Janice (Kathleen) Egan
Sister Kathleen Egan, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, in Atchison, KS, turns 100 on March 13. She was my speech teacher in college and my mentor and friend in later years. She is a remarkable woman who was a strong advocate for peace and justice throughout her life. She began the Neighborhood Center for tutoring and activities for Atchison youth in the 1960s, and chaired the regional Co-Workers of Mother Teresa of Calcutta in the 1970s and 1980s. She co-authored books about Mother Teresa with her sister, Eileen. I think she always felt overshadowed by Eileen, who was well-known for her work with Catholic Relief Services and Pax Christi USA and the recipient of many awards. But for me Sister Kathleen is the epitome of what it means to be a Benedictine woman, prophetic and courageous, who never took no for an answer. She was a promoter of women's equality long before that became a rallying cry. Her ready smile and compassion endeared her to all who knew her. I always saw her as an encourager of others who might not see their giftedness or who needed a spokesperson to realize their value. Her legacy of care for the poor and a voice for the voiceless will live on.


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