Sister Pauline Sweeney, S.F.P., a native of Visitation B.V.M. parish, Red Hook, who has returned to reside there, is marking her 60th year as a Franciscan Sister of the Poor.
Throughout her lifetime, she has ministered in a variety of roles, including health services, ongoing formation, music and song ministry, internal and external committees and board memberships.
Sister Pauline is a graduate of Visitation School and Bay Ridge H.S. Following her volunteer work at St. Peter’s Hospital in Cobble Hill, she entered religious life.
In 1959, she graduated from the X-ray School at St. Francis Hospital in the Bronx. She worked at St Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken, N.J.; Francis Schervier Home and Hospital in the Bronx; Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Manhattan; and also as director of the Retreat Center at Mt. Alverno, Warwick, N.Y.
She also served her congregation working in vocations recruitment and then in professed membership development.
For 35 years, she served as the leader of music for the 12:15 p.m. liturgy at St. Paul the Apostle Church, Yonkers, N.Y.
Currently, she is serving as the chair of the Schervier Home Development Committee for Bon Secours Schervier Nursing Care Center in the Bronx and as the Secretary of Region 1 of the Franciscan Federation (New York/New Jersey area).