COUNCIL #13713 - TRANSFIGURATION REMEMBERS
SISTER JANE CLAIRE SIMON

 

Sister Claire helped to start TCC

BALTIMORE – Sister Jane Claire Simon, SSND, 86, died at St. Joseph Hospital on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. She was a vowed member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 65 years.
According to her autobiography, Jane Claire Simon “entered God’s beautiful world” on August 7, 1930. Jane Claire was the fifth child of Joseph Bernard and Rose Massel Simon. The Simon family consisted of three girls and three boys. She was baptized at St. Joseph Monastery Church in the Irvington section of Baltimore. Jane Claire received her first Holy Communion at St. Joseph Monastery Church in 1938 and was confirmed there in 1943 by Bishop McNamara.
“Having made known my desire to become a School Sister,” Jane was encouraged by her eighth grade teacher to attend the Juniorate of the School Sisters of Notre Dame at Holy Angels Academy, Fort Lee, N.J. Jane felt that she made her parents the “happiest and most proud in the world” by her decision. Completing her high school years, Jane Claire graduated in June, 1948. She received the bonnet of the School Sisters of Note Dame in the chapel of St. Joseph Monastery convent on Aug. 28, 1948. She was missioned to teach the sixth grade at St. Ambrose School, Baltimore and spent the second year of the candidature at Most Holy Redeemer, Fourth Street, New York City, teaching fifth grade.
Jane Claire entered the novitiate in Baltimore on July 17, 1950, receiving the name Sister Mary Melania. She was professed on Aug. 4, 1951. Sister Mary Melania’s first mission as a professed sister was teaching intermediate grades at Christ the King School, Tampa Fla. (1951-1962). She served as a teacher and principal at St. Mary the Virgin Mother, Hartsville, S.C.(1962-1968) and St. John’s Parish, Charleston, S.C.(1969-75, 1977-81).
Sister Jane Claire’s later career was centered in the fields of religious education and pastoral ministry. She was involved with the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and catechetical programs for all ages. She organized retreats and workshops for parish groups and catechists. While still at St. John’s, she served as director of religious education (1975-1981) and also at Prince of Peace parish in Taylors, S.C. (1981-1986) and St. Anthony, Greenville, S.C. (1986-1987).
Sister continued to ministering these fields, serving at additional parishes: St. Joseph, Zephyrhills, Fla.; St. Joseph, Columbia, S.C.; Our Lady Star of the Sea, N. Myrtle Beach, S.C. and St. Patrick, Mt. Savage, Md. (1987-1998). She was the director of evangelization at Transfiguration Parish, Columbia, S.C. and had a freelance ministry which included catechetical workshops for the Archdiocese of Miami (1999-2002).
During intervening years, Sister Jane Claire had been introduced to SSND leadership as motherhouse superior at Villa Assumpta (1968-1969). She completed her education receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now University) (1971). Sister Jane Claire came to Baltimore as the assistant coordinator of Associates (2002-2004) and volunteered in the activities department of Maria Health Care Center (2005). She retired to prayer and presence at Villa Assumpta.
A memorial Mass was held in the chapel of Villa Assumpta on April 25. Rev. David Carey, a dear friend of Jane Claire and former chaplain of Villa Assumpta, celebrated the liturgy with Rev. Roman Kovacheson OFM Cap., present chaplain, as the co-celebrant. Sister Jane Claire’s cremains will be buried at Villa Maria Cemetery, Glen Arm, Md. Sister Jane Claire is survived by her sister, Ramona Riggs and nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Atlantic-Midwest Province, c/o Development Office, 345 Belden Hill Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 or online: http://atlanticmidwest.org/ways_to_make_gifts.html