Community touched by life, work of LeDieu

by Melissa Lessig news editor

The Cabrini College community, as well as the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, suffered the loss of former administratorand art professor Sister Salesia LeDieu, MSC, who died from cardiac arrest on Oct. 1, 1998.

All students on campus see her art work whenever they pass the large stained glass window in the Widener Center.

LeDieu came to Cabrini College in 1969 as director of admissions.In 1971 she became the fine arts department chair and held that position until 1979 as she taught. While she existed as part of the college community, those who possessed a relationship with her or had some contact with her felt touched by her talent and presence.

Dr. Joseph Romano, professor of philosophy and coordinator of the honors program, said that he truly got to know LeDieu in 1979 while he was the academic dean and she was head of the fine arts department. Romano said that they worked together in hiring a new studio artist to teach at the college. He had taught with her prior to this, but when hiring the new teacher, they worked side by side.

"She was intellectually sound and artistically astute," Romano said. "She was a gentle person. I enjoyed working with her so much. She taught me a lot about art. I learned so much in working with her. She was a fine artist."

Nancy Costello, provincial director of mission integration, was a student when LeDieu taught. "She was very talented and a great educator,"

Costello said. "She was very kind in teaching us. She was a gentle woman."

Sister Eileen Currie, MSC, director of formation for the Stella Maris Province, possessed a more personal relationship with LeDieu. As a fellow sister, Currie lived with LeDieu in the late 1960s at Mother Cabrini High School in New York City. According to Currie, LeDieu was a teacher there from 1930 to 1967.

"She was always interested in everything and always took time to ask how things were going. Sally was a very insightful and wise woman," Currie said. "She never made snap decisions nor made hasty rash judgements. I never, ever beard Sally make any judgment about another person. Situations she could judge, but not people."

Romano, as well as Currie, noted the major contributionofLeDieu to the college as an artist. LeDieu created the stained glass window that adorns the Widener Center.

Currie said she misses LeDieu, but has benefited by having LeDieu in her life.

"Sally was definitely a wisdom figure for me," Currie said. "She had deep faith and intellectual capacity. There were a lot of hard times in her life, but she was always even and discrete."

Currie believes that LeDieu's love of God motivated her life.

"Salesia's love of the Sacred Heart was strong, clear, and unwavering, and was, I believe, the source of strength of all she did in her life," Currie said. "One can't help but miss her, but I am grateful that she was a part of my life."