Sister Janet Guretz, OP

Springfield Dominican Sister Janet Guretz died May 17, at Sacred Heart Convent. She was 92 years old and in the 73rd year of her profession.

Sister Janet was born in 1933 in Chicago, Ill., and raised by her parents Peter and Helen (Ketchmark) Guretz who had her baptized Janet Marie at St. Edward Parish. She joined the Dominican Sisters in 1951 and made her first profession of vows in 1953.

Sister Janet, known for a time as Sister Mary deMontfort, was a pioneer of the Dominican Sisters’ mission in Peru, ultimately dedicating 22 years there.

Prior to her first mission in Peru she taught elementary school at Sacred Heart, Granite City, 1953-1954, St. Mary, East St. Louis 1954-1961, and St. Anne School, St. Anne,1961-1964.

After a period of language studies in Puerto Rico and preparing for the Peru mission in Jackson, Miss., she and three other sisters departed in February 1965. The first mission in Peru was La Oroya, a mining and agricultural center in the Andes, where Sister Janet taught religious education. In 1968 she became the first principal of San Francisco Borja School, in a new suburb of Lima, remaining there, with the exception of a year of study, until 1977, when she returned to the U.S. to teach eighth grade at Christ the King, Springfield, 1977-1978. She was the director of religious education at Holy Angels Parish, Aurora, 1978-1980, and then principal of St. Dominic, Quincy 1980-1983. When she returned to Peru in 1983 it was to serve again at San Borja. Then in 1989 Sister Janet became assistant principal at Juan Pablo II, in the Jesuit Fe y Alegria model, in one of Lima’s poorer neighborhoods, leaving there in 1990 when called to be the prioress at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield.

Speaking of Sister Janet and the sisters with her, a priest who served with them wrote that the sisters were “loyally, permanently present” to the people of Peru, and were able “to adapt and fit themselves into the needs of the people and of the times.” This loyalty and adaptability were hallmarks of Sister Janet’s life.

When she finished her term as prioress, Sister Janet took some time for spiritual renewal then returned to pastoral ministry at St. Lawrence Parish, Navarino, Wis., in 1997. Afterward, she was the Spanish-language director of religious education at Our Lady of Grace, Chicago before returning to Springfield to serve as coordinator of the congregation’s guest house, Siena Hall, 1999-2001. Her next ministry was as a volunteer tutor at the Mary Ward Center in Chicago, and following that, she returned to Peru for one last time, serving 2005-2008 at the center house in Lima. After two more volunteer years at Mary Ward Center, 2008-2010, Sister Janet returned to Sacred Heart Convent where she lived and served until her death.

Sister Janet was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Bob Guretz. She is survived by her brother Joe (Marge) Guretz, of Henderson, Nev., her nephews and niece, her loving friends in the United States and Peru, and her Dominican Sisters.

Visitation: 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Wed., May 27, Aquinas Center, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL 62704. The Mass of Christian Burial follows at 6:30 p.m. in Sacred Heart Convent Chapel.

Both services will be streamed live at springfieldop.org/livestream/

Burial at Calvary Cemetery, 10:00 a.m., Thur., May 28.

To honor the memory of Sister Janet gifts may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 1237 W. Monroe St., Springfield, IL, 62704.

The Dominican Sisters and family of Sister Janet are served by Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6^th St., Springfield. Please leave your condolences in the comments below or visit dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/butler.