Obituaries

Grace Maria Saia, SCN, 91, a native of Helena, Arkansas, died at Nazareth Home, Louisville, Kentucky, Feb. 19, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 68 years. Sister Grace served in educational ministries, teaching primary grades at St. William, Millington, Tennessee; St. Andrew, Roanoke, Virginia; Annunciation Academy, Pine Bluff, Arkansas; St. Anne and St. Anthony, Memphis, Tennessee; St. Helena, St. Thomas More, St. John Vianney, St. Luke, and Whitney Young, Louisville; and Holy Name School in Henderson, Kentucky. In Kentucky, from 1972-1978, Sister Grace served as a social worker. She also served for many years in Memphis in school administration at St. Michael, Blessed Sacrament, Holy Rosary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and St. John School. From 2003-2015, Sister Grace served as a consultant to urban schools for the Diocese of Memphis. Sister Grace wrote “Catherine Spalding, Woman of Kentucky,” the first book for children on the life of Mother Catherine, published in 2013. Sister Grace is survived by her sister Agnes Saia Smith; her extended family; and by her religious community.

Honorary and Memorial Donations With gratitude, gifts are acknowledged that support ministries of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in memory or in honor of others. To view a listing visit: scnfamily.org/hons Teresa Velloothara, SCN, 83, formerly Sister Thomas Aloysius, a native of Alleppey, Kerala, died at Nazareth Hospital, Mokama, India, Feb. 23, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 60 years. Sister Teresa joined the Congregation on July 9, 1955, as one of the Indian pioneers. She completed her General Nursing training at Nazareth Hospital. In 1960, she obtained a diploma in X-Ray Technology from Mercy Hospital, Jamshedpur, India. After completing the one-year preuniversity studies at Ram Ratan Singh College, Mokama in 1969, she pursued a further degree in Nursing at Christian Medical College, Vellore in Tamil Nadu. For 40 years Sister served the people of Mokama through Nazareth Hospital. Between 1955 to 1979, she served in a number of roles, as a nurse, a supervisor of several wards, director of Nursing Service, and as an X-Ray technician. Sister Teresa also served as the administrator of the Community Health Centre in Bakhtiarpur from 1979 to 1981. She served in the social ministry in Sokho from 1982 to 1984. In 1985, she was in the Jamtara mission attending to the health needs of the Catholics. From 1985 to 1995, she resumed ministry at Nazareth Hospital as supervisor of the X-Ray department and other departments. From 1995 to 2001, she served in the spiritual care department. One among the four Indian pioneers, Sister Teresa celebrated her Golden jubilee in December 2009 and Diamond Jubilee in October 2019. Sister Teresa is survived by her brother George; her sister Molly; nieces and nephews and their extended families; and by her religious community.

Helen Carbol, SCN, 92, formerly Sister Frederica, a native of Lansing, Ohio, died at the Motherhouse, Nazareth, Kentucky, Apr. 14, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 67 years. Sister Helen served in educational ministries, teaching primary grades in Kentucky and Maryland. She served as principal at Resurrection School in Louisville, Kentucky, and Corpus Christi School in Wheeling, West Virginia, where she also served in family ministry. Sister Helen taught history at La Salette Academy in Covington, Kentucky, and history and English at St. John Central High School in Bellaire, Ohio. From 1995-1998, Sister Helen served as an English teacher at Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth High School in Warsaw, Poland. From 1998-2011, Sister Helen served her SCN Community in a variety of ministries in Bardstown and Louisville as a community service volunteer. Sister Helen is survived by her brother John F. Carbol of Grove City, Ohio; her sister Mary Dolores Crawford of Elyria, Ohio; and by her religious community.

Olive Pinto, SCN, formerly Sister Theresa, 76, a native of Mangalore, Karnataka, India, died at Nazareth Convent, Mokama, India, Apr. 30, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 55 years. After First Vows in 1965, and one-year of pre-university studies at Sophia College, Bombay, Sister Olive taught English to new candidates in Mokama. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology, a degree in Hindustani music, a Bachelors in Education, and also equipped herself with skills in rural handicrafts from Kerala, and Montessori training. Sister Olive served as a pioneer in Lupungutu, Chaibasa, from 1971 to 1975. In 1976, she was commissioned to Nepal to explore ministry. She was also a pioneer in Mandair from 1983 to 1984. Sister Olive served as candidate director for six years. She often traveled to Mangalore, Karnataka, for vocation promotion. She became tertian director, served in formation, and in the novitiate. Sister Olive commissioned to the Mission Office at Nazareth, Kentucky, as a liaison of the then Province Board, of which she was a member. She also served in Sokho, in Jamtara, and the Ararghat mission, as well as Biharsharif where she joined St. Xavier’s Middle School, Lupungutu, as principal. In 2001, Sister Olive joined the social work center for the pavement dwellers in Dockyard, Mumbai. At 63, Sister Olive’s dream of being a missionary in Africa came true as she ministered in Lobatse, Botswana, starting in 2009. In 2015, she taught English at Nazareth Academy, Mokama, and was appointed coordinator of Pastoral Ministry in 2018. An accomplished musician, she composed new hymns both in English and Hindi, and taught music. Sister Olive is survived by a brother; three Sisters; and by her religious community. Helen Blodgett, SCN, 71, a native of Danbury, Connecticut, died in Danbury, May 22, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 43 years. In 1977, Sister Helen made her First Vows. The next year, she began her ministry in healthcare at Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, where she served in pastoral care. Sister Helen served in several ministries in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In Washington, she served as the director of Harvest House and SOME Thrift Shop. For many years, she served as a therapist for drug, alcohol, and mental health issues at Shalom, Inc. in Philadelphia. She was also a therapist at Pennsylvania Hospital. From 1979-1982, Sister Helen served her SCN Community as Coordinator at the Motherhouse in Nazareth. She is survived by her brother John Blodgett; her sisters Frances B. Wheeler and Ruth D. Blodgett; her extended family; and by her religious community.

Vivian Mary Sabelhaus, SCN, 96, formerly Sister Georgia Lee, a native of Tell City, Indiana, died at the Motherhouse, Nazareth, Kentucky, June 1, 2020. She was a professed Sister for 70 years. Sister Vivian Mary served in elementary education. She taught fifth and sixth grades at St. Cecilia in Louisville, Kentucky; Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia; St. Mary of the Woods in Whitesville, Kentucky; and St. Barnabas in Louisville. From 1965-1971, she served at St. Monica in Bardstown, Kentucky, as a social worker and teacher. She also taught in Kentucky at Our Lady of Lourdes in Owensboro; St. Joseph in Bowling Green; and St. Joseph in Bardstown. Sister Vivian Mary served in healthcare ministries at St. Joseph in Lexington, Kentucky, as pastoral associate and at Sts. Mary and Elizabeth in Louisville as sacristan. From 1984-1989, Sister Vivian Mary served her SCN Community as the Community Service Coordinator at Nazareth Home, Louisville. For many years she volunteered at the SCN Media Center and Motherhouse Library. She is survived by her sister Joan Conner of Tell City; brothers Stephen Sabelhaus of Tell City, Patrick Sabelhaus of Sacramento, California, and Dr. Jerome Sabelhaus of Port Orchard, Washington; her extended family; and by her religious community.

Sisters prayerfully remember the following former students of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth:

Mary Patricia Nusz Reynolds, Louise Kaufman Williams, Sts. Mary Nazareth Academy, Nazareth, 1943 and Elizabeth School of Nursing, 1951

Martha Flanagan Casper, Charles Michael Fitzmorris, Nazareth College, Nazareth, 1968 St. Peter, Memphis

Office of Mission Advancement P.O. Box 9 Nazareth, Kentucky 40048

scnfamily.org | 502-348-1500

Nonprofit U.S. Postage PAID Louisville, KY Permit No. 715

Join the Journey

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 12:30 p.m. Online Virtual Event

Join via Zoom or live webstream at scnfamily.org a virtual fundraising program

Please join us for an hour to hear the stories of how the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth are transforming lives in Kentucky and around the world. Be inspired.

For more information, please call (502) 348-1586 or email lwilson@scnky.org.

There is no cost to attend. Attendees will be asked to consider a donation. Proceeds from the program will support Sisters of Charity of Nazareth ministries in the U.S., India, Nepal, Belize and Botswana.