Sr. Mary Jacqueline Buckley: Embracing the Call to Be Sent

Sister Mary Jacqueline Buckley, SSND, made her first profession July 11, 1956. “Mary’s words, ‘Do whatever He tells you,’ finally became mine,” said Sister Jacqueline. “I gave into the Hound of Heaven and entered and was accepted by the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) on November 1, 1954.

“God’s plans for me have been more than I could have ever imagined. Each ‘obedience’ assignment prepared me for the next one. To select one experience would be like pulling a stitch out of a beautifully knitted garment. God is still working with me and the best is yet to come,” said Sister Jacqueline.

Sister Jacqueline’s first ministry assignment was as a high school teacher in Chicago. However, after one year of teaching, she came to Milwaukee to serve as a faculty member at Mount Mary University. “After living in Chicago for one year as a professed sister, I moved to Mount Mary and stayed there for 17 years,” explained Sister Jacqueline. “It’s an exciting place for me to be again [in December].”

During her time there, from 1957 until 1975, not only did she serve as a faculty member, but also as the alumnae director and dean of students. After working at Mount Mary University, Sister Jacqueline served as the provincial leader of the former Milwaukee Province, and then as a member of the general council in Rome, Italy.

“I was in Rome for 10 years as a member of the general council. Rome was our home base, but we visited the missions of the congregation around the world. It was a marvelous experience getting to know our sisters and their ministries,” said Sister Jacqueline. “I learned so much about the world and the congregation during that experience. Those were wonderful days.”

After returning to the United States, Sister Jacqueline began the Mission Effectiveness/Integration Office for the former Milwaukee Province and served as the associate director. Responding in obedience once more to God’s call, Sister Jacqueline moved to Dallas, Texas, to serve as coordinator of hospitality for one year at the provincialate of the former Dallas Province. “I went down to join a small community to do some volunteer work. It was the year of Hurricane Katrina, so I ended up doing a lot of work within the province, helping with mailings and that sort of thing,” shared Sister Jacqueline. I loved the climate and getting away from winter for one year; and I got to meet different sisters and experience a different culture. It was not what was planned for me, but it was a wonderful experience and I was happy to be there.”

Now retired, Sister Jacqueline moved to Notre Dame of Elm Grove, Wisconsin, in May 2021. She had lived in Milwaukee, and moved to Elm Grove after undergoing surgery. “I was loved into wellness,” she said. “Elm Grove was always home, of course, because Mother Caroline is buried here and because so much of our history is here. Many of my sister friends are also buried here. It is very dear to me.”

Notre Dame of Elm Grove, Wisconsin

Established in 1859 as an orphanage for children and a home for elderly or infirm sisters, Notre Dame of Elm Grove is rich in history. Mother Caroline Friess, who led the growth and expansion of SSND in North America, is buried in the cemetery. The grape arbor leading to the cemetery and pointing to the grave of Mother Caroline was built in 1886. The grape vines were brought with the sisters from Germany and they are still flourishing to this day.

The sisters who reside at Notre Dame of Elm Grove are preparing to move to Trinity Woods at Mount Mary University (MMU) in Milwaukee. Trinity Woods is an intergenerational community on the campus of Mount Mary University. SSND sisters, lay seniors and single women MMU students with children will live in the community. Living options include independent living, assisted living and student housing. The new complex will open in December 2021.

“Certainly, [with] the diversity of people that will be at Trinity Woods – the other seniors, the young mothers and their children, and the Mount Mary campus itself – I look forward to being there and meeting new people,” said Sister Jacqueline.

“I will miss the natural beauty that is here [in Elm Grove] every season of the year. It’s peaceful and certainly there’s an awareness of God’s creation that is around you all the time,” Sister Jacqueline said. “I have memories here from over 65 years, as a novice, picking strawberries and apples. We would also visit the sick and elderly sisters. Many precious memories will be hard to leave.”

Notre Dame of Elm Grove also houses an impressive collection of historical artifacts from Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger, foundress of SSND; Mother Caroline; and the various convents that once existed in the state of Wisconsin. The oldest part of the building is itself remarkable and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sister Mary Jacqueline Buckley, SSND, made her first profession July 11, 1956. “Mary’s words, ‘Do whatever He tells you,’ finally became mine,” said Sister Jacqueline. “I gave into the Hound of Heaven and entered and was accepted by the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) on November 1, 1954.

“God’s plans for me have been more than I could have ever imagined. Each ‘obedience’ assignment prepared me for the next one. To select one experience would be like pulling a stitch out of a beautifully knitted garment. God is still working with me and the best is yet to come,” said Sister Jacqueline.

“God is still working with me and the best is yet to come.”

SIster Jacqueline buckley

Sister Jacqueline’s first ministry assignment was as a high school teacher in Chicago. However, after one year of teaching, she came to Milwaukee to serve as a faculty member at Mount Mary University. “After living in Chicago for one year as a professed sister, I moved to Mount Mary and stayed there for 17 years,” explained Sister Jacqueline. “It’s an exciting place for me to be again [in December].”

During her time there, from 1957 until 1975, not only did she serve as a faculty member, but also as the alumnae director and dean of students. After working at Mount Mary University, Sister Jacqueline served as the provincial leader of the former Milwaukee Province, and then as a member of the general council in Rome, Italy.

“I was in Rome for 10 years as a member of the general council. Rome was our home base, but we visited the missions of the congregation around the world. It was a marvelous experience getting to know our sisters and their ministries,” said Sister Jacqueline. “I learned so much about the world and the congregation during that experience. Those were wonderful days.”

After returning to the United States, Sister Jacqueline began the Mission Effectiveness/Integration Office for the former Milwaukee Province and served as the associate director. Responding in obedience once more to God’s call, Sister Jacqueline moved to Dallas, Texas, to serve as coordinator of hospitality for one year at the provincialate of the former Dallas Province. “I went down to join a small community to do some volunteer work. It was the year of Hurricane Katrina, so I ended up doing a lot of work within the province, helping with mailings and that sort of thing,” shared Sister Jacqueline. I loved the climate and getting away from winter for one year; and I got to meet different sisters and experience a different culture. It was not what was planned for me, but it was a wonderful experience and I was happy to be there.”

Now retired, Sister Jacqueline moved to Notre Dame of Elm Grove, Wisconsin, in May 2021. She had lived in Milwaukee, and moved to Elm Grove after undergoing surgery. “I was loved into wellness,” she said. “Elm Grove was always home, of course, because Mother Caroline is buried here and because so much of our history is here. Many of my sister friends are also buried here. It is very dear to me.”

Established in 1859 as an orphanage for children and a home for elderly or infirm sisters, Notre Dame of Elm Grove is rich in history. Mother Caroline Friess, who led the growth and expansion of SSND in North America, is buried in the cemetery. The grape arbor leading to the cemetery and pointing to the grave of Mother Caroline was built in 1886. The grape vines were brought with the sisters from Germany and they are still flourishing to this day.

The sisters who reside at Notre Dame of Elm Grove are preparing to move to Trinity Woods at Mount Mary University (MMU) in Milwaukee. Trinity Woods is an intergenerational community on the campus of Mount Mary University. SSND sisters, lay seniors and single women MMU students with children will live in the community. Living options include independent living, assisted living and student housing. The new complex will open in December 2021.

“Certainly, [with] the diversity of people that will be at Trinity Woods – the other seniors, the young mothers and their children, and the Mount Mary campus itself – I look forward to being there and meeting new people,” said Sister Jacqueline.

“I will miss the natural beauty that is here [in Elm Grove] every season of the year. It’s peaceful and certainly there’s an awareness of God’s creation that is around you all the time,” Sister Jacqueline said. “I have memories here from over 65 years, as a novice, picking strawberries and apples. We would also visit the sick and elderly sisters. Many precious memories will be hard to leave.”

Notre Dame of Elm Grove also houses an impressive collection of historical artifacts from Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger, foundress of SSND; Mother Caroline; and the various convents that once existed in the state of Wisconsin. The oldest part of the building is itself remarkable and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As Sister Jacqueline prepares to move to Trinity Woods, she finds comfort in God’s will that is manifested through the mission of the congregation saying, “It’s our mission to be one and to unify, so it will be wonderful to be there.”

by Caroline Harvey