Mother Mary Catherine Bembenek

Elected provincial superior of Our Lady of the Angels Province in 1946, Mother Mary Catherine Bembenek was faced with the emerging societal needs of post-war America.

Upon assuming her role, Mother Catherine led 380 sisters teaching in 24 elementary schools, two social service centers, seven parish catechetical schools, and Our Lady of the Angels Academy.  The sisters were educating nearly 6,000 students across the province in her first year. Seven years later, student enrollment in these same schools and centers had increased to 8,672 students. 

To address this post-war boom of school-aged children, Mother Catherine prioritized expanding education ministry. 
 
She initiated Our Lady of the Angels School, a kindergarten adjacent to the provincial house. She expanded and bolstered the Teacher-Training Institute to prepare and educate sisters in classroom instruction. She opened Our Lady of the Angels Academy – a high school for aspirants – to include day students from the surrounding areas. To provide additional classrooms, Mother Catherine oversaw renovations and construction of an annex to Felician Hall.

In 1947, Mother Catherine established a new Felician presence in healthcare when she purchased the 30-bed Paine Private Hospital in Bangor, Maine. Renamed St. Joseph Hospital, the facility gave the Felician Sisters a facility to provide the people of northern Maine with much-needed care.
 
A student of two of the original sisters missioned to North America – Mother Mary Monica and Mother Mary Cajetan – Mother Catherine too, forged her way through the challenges of her time with grace and an enduring legacy.