Sister M. Joel Pax, CSC
(November 25, 1921 - November 20, 2009)
Please, join in prayer of thanksgiving for this Sister of the Holy Cross who died on November 20, 2009 in Saint Mary's Convent.
Sister Joel was a wonderful, down-to-earth kind of person. True to her farming background she was pragmatic and organized. Since she came from a family of 12 children, she had learned early the importance of working together for the good of all. Her parents provided a loving family environment that fostered the growth of the best qualities in each of the children. Sister Joel treasured the closeness of her family members and they were very devoted to her.
She spent 35 years teaching in the schools of the East. Science was her forte and she made this subject come alive for her junior high students. Even her nieces and nephews got involved in elemental "experiments" when Sister Joel turned learning into play each time she visited them. Quoting her dear friend, Sister Maris, "There was a gentleness about Sister Joel, but there was also a toughness. She had an inner strength that could chew away the toughest rocks. Students revered her. They learned to be innovators, to question, to value scientific facts and propositions. They excelled in science fairs. Much of Sister's earthiness rubbed off on them. Her students learned that it was just as important to care for the earth and its environment as it was to care and respect people and to be faithful to duty." Sister Joel was a woman of the future; she was ahead of her time in her thinking and in her approach to life.
A change of direction from her teaching career came, as with all things in her life, as a result of deep prayer. The Mission Statement of the General Chapter of 1999, "Compassion moves us to reflect on the signs of the times, discern needs, and respond. We stand in solidarity with the poor and the powerless," moved Sister Joel to explore how she could meet this challenge. The call to assist the adults of Kentucky in furthering their education came first. The next came from the congregation asking her to accept the role of cook for the residence of the newly established facility for those of low income in the Washington, D.C. area. Mary's House, as it was originally called, became her new home and life's work as she took on the task of care manager, a ministry that encompassed everything from doing the buying, planning, cooking and the overall supervision of the needs of the residents. After 12 years, ill health compelled her to give up the work she loved and return to Saint Mary's.
However, Sister Joel did not give up her life of service. She continued to minister to the sisters, especially those in Queen of Peace Convent, where she ultimately became a resident herself. Prayer was always her source of peace and consolation, and this profound relationship with God sustained her even in her last illness. She now rests in the eternal peace of the Lord.