Sister Bernadette Mooney, OP,

Sister Bernadette Mooney ,OP, of Grand Rapids (born in Ionia, MI) died September 10, 2018. She was 85 years old and a Dominican Sister for 66 years. Sister Bernadette earned a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College; a M.A.R.E. (Masters in the Art of Religious Education) degree from St. Paul Seminary, Saginaw; and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan. Sr. Bernadette served as a teacher at St. Philomena in Beal City; St. Andrew, St. Alphonsus, Marywood Academy, and St. Stephen, Grand Rapids; St. Francis, Traverse City; Holy Rosary Academy, Bay City; St. John, Essexville; St. Mary, Lake Leelanau; SS. Peter and Paul, Saginaw; and Catholic Central, Muskegon. For ten years Sr. Bernadette served in both Grand Rapids Public and Catholic Schools as a social worker. During these years, she initiated and taught classes for parents and teachers. After acquiring a certificate in American Sign Language, she spent nine years in the Diocese of Lansing with the Catholic Deaf Ministry. Her goal was to empower the deaf community to develop their own leadership and carry on without a hearing director. Among her many ministries, Sr. Bernadette served at Hope Network in their program assisting patients with brain injuries; at St. Alphonsus Food and Clothing Center as coordinator of volunteers and computer operations; as an intern to the Hispanic community of St. Andrew Parish and a Hispanic Ministry Outreach program in the city. She became a Master Reiki Practitioner using these skills to minister to the Sisters at Aquinata Hall and Marywood Health Center. Study and itinerancy marked Sister Bernadette Mooney’s extraordinary and productive years as a Dominican Sister~Grand Rapids. She was ever open and responsive to calls to ministry in new forms and places, never afraid to take risk, always willing and eager to learn. Sr. Bernadette is survived by her sisters Esther (Arnold) Johnson of Grand Rapids, MI and Martha (Michael) Baczewski of Sand Lake, MI and her brother Bob (Eileen) Mooney of Charlotte, MI; nieces and nephews; many friends and members of her Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids Community. Sister Bernadette will repose at Dominican Chapel/Marywood, 2025 Fulton Street East, with visitation on Sunday, September 16 from 6:00-7:00 pm, followed by a Remembering Service at 7:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Monday, September 17 at Dominican Chapel/Marywood. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials in Sister Bernadette Mooney’s name may be made to the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters.

Tributes

Sister Bernadette Mooney, OP,

April 13, 1933 - September 10, 2018