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 Sr.
Kateri McCaffrey, OP
Diamond Jubilarian
60 years (August 14, 1944)
Samuel Adams once proclaimed, “It does not take a majority to prevail
... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires
of freedom in the minds of men." He could have been speaking of Sr.
Kateri McCaffrey, OP.
Sr. Kateri is celebrating 60 years as a professed religious this spring
and she opined that “this life has been beautiful, inspiring and
lots of fun!”
Her distinctive New York accent and easy smile engaged her mathematics
students through more than 50 years of teaching. In schools from Pittsburgh
to New York City and from New Haven to Peru, Sr. Kateri loved her classroom
years. She admits however that actually she is quite shy – something
others would be surprised to hear her claim. “I make an effort because
I know we need one another and we are sent to one another.”
Dearest to her heart are issues of justice, “I feel so for homeless,
refugee people and for the hungry of the world,” commented Sr. Kateri,
“and I feel that what I can do now is urge others to care too.”
For Sr. Kateri, focusing on justice issues is essential to being a Dominican,
and staying hopeful about the state of the world is the challenge of her
faith.
Her now diminutive stature belies the magnitude of her mind, wide-reaching
interests and her dogged study, just as her altered gate belies her fiery
pursuit of causes for the poor. In 1966, her willingness to embark on
missionary work in Peru opened her eyes to conditions she had never imagined.
She has carried a missionary heart ever since.
Asked what she would like people to know about her 60 years as a sister
Sr. Kateri answered unhesitatingly, “Since the day I entered in
1942, prayer has had the biggest impact on my life.” She further
shared, “My biggest regret is that I have not taught my students
or my family about the gift of my prayer life, the comfort of resting
in the ancient communication with God. Sharing the daily office at Matins
and Lauds with my community, I see the wisdom of the ages poured forth
in poetry.”
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