Sr Catherine (Mary Cyril) Wellinghoff

S R CATHERINE (Mary Cyril) WELLINGHOFF , ASC, 86, died peacefully at 2:15 am, Friday, October 28, 2022, at Benedictine Living Community on the grounds of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows near Belleville, Illinois.

Baptized Catherine, she was the third of seven children born to Bernard and Frances ( nee Kohlmann) Wellinghoff on November 26, 1935 in Bartelso, Illinois . She made her first profession on July 1, 1953 and her final vows on July 1, 1958. She had been professed for 69 years.

Sister Catherine received her bachelor’s degree in Theology from St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Indiana , in 1968. She earned her master’s in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame, in Notre Dame, Indiana , in 1974, and her certificate from the Institute for Retreat and Pastoral Ministry from Notre Dame in 1983. She also spent a Spanish Immersion summer in Bogota, Colombia, in 1968.

Her ministry of teaching spanned almost 20 years. She served as teacher at St. John the Baptist School in Smithton, I llinois ; as teacher and organist at St. Bruno in Pinckneyville, Holy Family in Cahokia and St. Rose at Metropolis, all in Illinois ; as teacher, principal and organist at St. Stephen in Flora, I llinois ; as principal and teacher at St. Patrick in Ruma, Illinois .

In the D iocese of Belleville, Sr. Catherine served as Director of Worship for seven years, traveling to parishes and speaking to groups about the need for a dynamic liturgy, following the

spirit of Vatican Council II.

Sr. Catherine then found her niche in an individual parish. She served as Pastoral Associate for St. Dominic in Breese, Illinois , then at Queen of Peace in Ewing, Missouri . Her final position was as Parish Life Coordinator for 17 years at St. Paul in Johnston City, Illinois . In this role she served as administrator of the parish, attending to all the duties of a pastor when there was no resident priest.

Sr. Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bernard Wellinghoff , sister Joan (Edward) Foppe, and sister-in-law Martha Wellinghoff.

She is survived by her brother Paul Wellinghoff , her sisters Marie Davis , Grace (Paul) Goedde, and Marjorie (Paul) Schnires, sister-in-law Dorothy (Bernard) Wellinghoff, nieces and nephews, and members of the Adore r s of the Blood of Christ.

Mass of Christian Burial :

2:00 pm, Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows

726 Community Drive, Belleville, Illinois

Immediately following Mass, the funeral procession will travel to the Convent Cemetery in Ruma, Illinois for burial

Visitation:

Wednesday – 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Prayer of Welcome and Sharing of Memories will begin at 1:00 pm

Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows

Donation in memory of Sister Catherine Wellinghoff may be sent to the ASC Retirement Fund, 4233 Sulphur Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109 or online at www.adorers.org “Support our Ministries”