Sister Colette celebrates 60 years of religious profession in 2020.
Sister Colette Barker’s longest mission by far was Rosary High School in Aurora, where, for 28 years, she was executive assistant to the schools administrators. She loved it at Rosary, she says, but all the other places she ministered were equally important to her, for different reasons.
For most of her religious life she taught, either primary grades or junior high, and was principal of St. Joseph School, Bradley, and Holy Ghost, Jerseyville. She also served as subprioress at Sacred Heart Convent for six years, attending to the varied and changing needs of the retired sisters who lived there.
In 2017 she returned to the motherhouse and since then has served as secretary to the prioress of the house, using her clerical skills and her easy-going personality to best advantage by assisting with communications and other tasks. She also plays a pretty good tambourine at festive liturgical celebrations.
Sister Colette enjoys visits with her brother Greg, who lives in Pennsylvania and Florida.
Sister Colette’s ministry assignments
1960-1963 St John Bosco, Chicago, Grade 1
1963-1965 St James, Sauk Village, Ill., Grade 1
1965-1968 Cathedral, Springfield, Ill., grades 1 & 8
1969-1970 St. Dominic, Quincy, Ill., Grade 1
1970-1973 Our Saviour, Jacksonville, Ill., Grades 1-2
1973-1979 Holy Ghost, Jerseyville, Ill., Principal, grade 8
1979-1980 St. Charles Borromeo, Hampshire, Ill. Grades 1-2
1980-1983 St. Joseph, Bradley, Ill., Principal
1983-1989 Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, Ill., SHC subprioress
1989-2017 Rosary High School, Aurora, Ill. , Executive assistant
2017-present Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, Ill. , secretary to SHC prioress
Congratulations to you all! It was such fun to read about everyone’s accomplishments for the Lord in the 60 years since we all took that brave step of first vows. Although some of us were called in other directions, those first years together trained all of us for life in many ways. I have good memories of our time together and can see your younger smiles in my mind. Wishing you peace in your golden years! Nora Cambier (Sister Mary Aimee)
Thanks for your encouraging words and your fond memories, Nora!
Congratulations to you, dear Sister, on your milestone anniversary! You were my first grade teacher at St John Bosco, although I remembered your name being Sister Mary Colletta. I was a painfully shy student and you were so kind and compassionate to all students. I’m so happy to see your picture as you have not changed a bit! My name was Marilyn McGuire.