Sister JoAnn Bonauro, S.C., a Sister of Charity-Halifax for 32 years, died at Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York, on March 30, at the age of 73.
Sister JoAnn attended Saint Thomas Aquinas School and Saint Brendan Diocesan High School, both in Brooklyn.
Sister JoAnn spent all of her ministry years in her native New York, except for two years in Boston for her novitiate from 1990-92. Sister JoAnn was missioned at Saint Patrick’s School, Brooklyn, from 1985-89; Our Lady of the Angelus School, Rego Park, from 1989-90.
Sister JoAnn became the Religious Education Director and the Director of Faith Formation at Saint Aidan Parish in Williston Park, New York, a position she held from 1992-99. From 1999-2019, she served as Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of Peace, Lynbrook, and Saint William the Abbot, Seaford.
During her years serving as Pastoral Associate, Sister JoAnn received a Theology degree from St John’s University, Jamaica, while residing at convents within the Brooklyn-Queens Diocese.
In 2019, Sister JoAnn sought to broaden her ministry and received a certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Linwood Retreat Center, Linwood, New York.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 3 at St. Barnabas the Apostle Church, Bellmore, New York. Interment followed at Saint John’s Cemetery, Middle Village, New York.
Sister Virginia Marie Monahan, OP (formerly Sister Grace Regis), died on April 2 at age 88, having served as a Sister of St. Dominic for almost 67 years. Sister Virginia was raised in St. Albans, Queens. She and her family belonged to St. Catherine of Siena Parish, and the children attended the parish elementary school, which was staffed by the Sisters of St. Dominic. After high school at Our Lady of Wisdom Academy, Ozone Park, she went on to study at Fordham University.
In 1956, Sister Virginia entered the Novitiate at Amityville, and on August 5, 1957, she was clothed in the Dominican habit and received her religious name, Sister Grace Regis. On August 7, 1958, she pronounced her first vows, and on the same date, in 1961, she pronounced her final vows. She received a Bachelor of Science at Fordham University, Bronx; a Master of Science at Boston College, Boston; and a Master of Science at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska. She also studied at the Institute of Pastoral Ministry.
Sister Virginia’s early ministries were in elementary education at Cure of Ars, Merrick, New York; St. Catherine of Sienna, Franklin Square, New York; and St. Joseph, Sullivan County, New York. In 1968 she became principal at Sacred Heart, East Glendale, New York. Her time as principal was followed by five years as a school supervisor for the Diocese of Brooklyn, where her passion for education was extended throughout the Diocese.
In 1976 Sister Virginia embraced a new ministry in Religious Education, first at St. Jude Parish, Brooklyn, then at St. Joan of Arc Parish, Jackson Heights. From 1992- 1996, she was a pastoral associate at St. Joan of Arc Parish.
After a year-long sabbatical, Sister Virginia took on the role of administrative assistant at Holy Spirit School, New Hyde Park, New York, and later at Corpus Christi School, Mineola, New York. In 2016, due to ill health, she became a resident in Carlin Hall at the Motherhouse in Amityville.
All services for Sister Virginia were held in St. Albert Chapel at Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse. The Mass of Christian Burial was held Tuesday, April 11, followed by interment in St. Dominic Cemetery located on the Motherhouse grounds.
Joan M. Flynn, a longtime employee with the Diocese of Brooklyn, died Monday, April 17, at home in Breezy Point, Queens. She was 90 years old.
Flynn was born April 8, 1933, in Brooklyn, the daughter of the late William J. and the late Mary C. (Holt) Flynn. She attended St. Brendan’s Diocesan H.S., Midwood. She worked as a secretary for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens for a short time and then began a long stint as executive secretary for the diocesan public information office. After she retired, she continued to work part-time for The Tablet.
Beloved partner of 56 years to the late Rocky A. Summa, Flynn is survived by her sister, Susan Colandone. She was predeceased by seven other siblings: Catherine Flynn, Robert Flynn, Jack Flynn, William Flynn, Edmond Flynn, Brendan Flynn, and Gerard Flynn.
She was a cherished aunt to many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian burial for Flynn was held on April 20 at St. Thomas More R.C. Church, 204-25 Rockaway Point Blvd., Breezy Point. Burial followed at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale.
Sister Maria Rose Kelly, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died on April 9 at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She was 80 years old.
She was born on Oct. 17, 1942, in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late Frank and Rosemary Roemer Kelly. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1960, made her temporary profession of vows on June 26, 1963, and her final profession of vows on June 26, 1968. Sister Maria Rose received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Arts degree in counseling, both from Marywood College, and a Master of Arts degree in religious education from Manhattan College.
Sister Maria Rose served as a teacher in the following schools: St. Ephrem Elementary School in Brooklyn from 1965 to 1967; Maria Regina High School in Uniondale, New York, from 1967 to 1973; West Catholic High School in Scranton, from 1973 to 1974; and Bishop Klonowski High School in Scranton, from 1974 to 1978.
She also served as director of vocations for the IHM Congregation from 1978 to 1983. Sister Maria Rose was faithfully committed to the work of the Diocese of Scranton Enthronement of the Sacred Heart Guild, where she served as a member and board member from 2013 until her death.
The Mass of Christian Burial was held on April 14 at the IHM Center in Scranton. Interment followed at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, Pennsylvania.