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Community report

Brandon: Catholic school mourns loss of quiet strength

Sister Irene St. Jean, the longtime principal of Nativity Catholic School, succumbs to cancer.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published November 12, 2004

Sister Irene St. Jean never had to raise her voice.

The mere sight of her often was enough to quiet a rowdy classroom. It's not that she was an imposing figure. After more than two decades as principal of Nativity Catholic School, Sister Irene's presence commanded the respect of her students.

When words became necessary, Sister Irene only needed to invoke the Lord's name, saying, Would Jesus do this?

She would often pop into classrooms and roam the hallways of Nativity. In a school with 730 students, she had a knack for knowing students' names and sometimes even picking out those whose parents had been students at the school.

She carried a whistle she would blow whenever she spotted students with their shirttails untucked. A simple nod of the head or a wagging finger was enough to get the students to stop, drop their books and tuck in their shirts.

"It wasn't that they were fearful of her," said Kathy Dotson, whose two children attend Nativity. "They just respected her so much."

Sister Irene died Saturday of cancer at a nursing home in Brandon. She was 67.

At noon Wednesday, students and their families gathered outside Nativity Catholic Church to dedicate this year's Novemberfest to the memory of Sister Irene.

Teachers and students released almost 1,000 white and blue balloons into the clear skies, each with a special message attached. "I really hope you like heaven," one student wrote.

Sister Irene would start the school day at 7:55 a.m. with a prayer and a Scripture reading. Her voice would come through the school intercom firm and clear.

Good morning, students, she would say, enunciating each word in a typical New England manner. She always ended the broadcasts with the words, May you walk in the light of Jesus this day.

She was a mentor to parents as well as students. She was known to counsel parents who were going through difficult times such as divorce or a death in the family. "She was so good at being a listener," Dotson said.

A private person, she had a gentle and colorful side. During School Board meetings, she took notes with a pen that had a big, bright fuchsia flower on the end. "It just tickled me to see ... this principal with such a commanding presence show her feminine side," Dotson said.

Sister Irene's sudden death took faculty, parents and students by surprise. After her battle with cancer was made public in a September newsletter to parents, Sister Irene's prognosis was said to be good. She had chemotherapy but took a turn for the worst about two weeks ago.

Despite her declining health, Sister Irene dictated her funeral arrangements to other nurses. She wanted the theme of the funeral ceremonies to be peace. Irene, translated from Greek, means peace.

So at a Funeral Mass on Tuesday evening at Nativity Catholic Church, everything was in keeping with her chosen theme. Hundreds of families, including students in their uniforms, packed the church to hear the Rev. Msgr. James C. Lara deliver a homily filled with humor and candor.

He noted that Sister Irene never took time off from school. "Jesus, I don't know anybody like that," he joked. He also praised Sister Irene for her unwavering commitment to the children, noting her 27-year tenure as principal. "She showed excellent leadership," he said. "I always looked to her for wisdom."

Sister Irene's burial was scheduled for Thursday at St. Augustine Cemetery in her hometown of Manchester, N.H. She is survived by two nieces, Donna Brown and Linda Royer; and a great-niece and a great-nephew.

[Last modified November 11, 2004, 12:41:05]