Notre Dame sister welcomed home to parish that booted her 23 years ago

Sr. Teresita Weind preaches at Sunday Mass on Sept. 7 celebrating the 125th anniversary of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church in Oak Park, Ill. (David Pierini/OakPark.com staff photographer)
Sr. Teresita Weind preaches at Sunday Mass on Sept. 7 celebrating the 125th anniversary of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church in Oak Park, Ill. (David Pierini/OakPark.com staff photographer)

by Tom Holmes

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Editor's note: This article is reprinted with the permission of OakPark.com, which ran a three-part series last week on Sr. Teresita Weind and her work. Read the other two stories: Sr. Teresita listens long and lovingly and Becoming Sr. Teresita.

On the morning of Sept. 7, Sr. Teresita Weind took the pulpit at St. Catherine-St. Lucy Church in Oak Park, Ill. And she preached about how long it takes for the deep hurts in people to heal. 

She knows.

From 1979 -- when this black nun was invited by the pastor to join the parish staff, to preach, to minister -- until 1991 -- when another pastor booted her from the parish for overstepping boundaries set by the archdiocese -- Weind had been in the pulpit at least monthly. She had also led retreats, ministered to the sick and helped create and nurture a racially integrated faith community that continued to encompass both Oak Park and Austin, just as St. Catherine's and St. Lucy's parishes had done for a hundred years.

The weekend of Sept. 5-7, as the parish launched its 125th anniversary celebration, Weind was back for a Friday reception, led a well-attended Saturday retreat and attended Sunday Mass at the church at Austin and Washington boulevards. 

Read the full story at Global Sisters Report.

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