Sister Bernadette Marie celebrates 60 years of religious profession in 2020.
After a dozen years teaching elementary school children, Sister Bernadette Marie made the switch to library science, and to decades of service in the three high schools owned by the community: Marian Catholic, Sacred Heart-Griffin, and Rosary.
Her dry wit and insatiable curiosity made this a perfect ministry of support for students who relied on her for research and writing assistance—and a good joke.
Rosary students missed her so much after she left them in 2017 to become the librarian at Sacred Heart Convent that they asked her to reprise the stand-up comedy routine she used to perform at school assemblies.
Sister Bernadette Marie was born in Springfield, Ill., and baptized Ona Marie at St. Patrick Church. She is one of five children born to Thomas and Marie McGuire. Her sister, Sister Rosemary McGuire, is also a Springfield Dominican. Both reside at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield, Ill. Their sister Patricia Carrothers lives in Kingston, Ida. A brother Daniel lives in Decatur, Ill., and a brother John in Phoenix, Az.
Sister Bernadette Marie’s Ministry Assignments
1960-1966 St Edward, Chicago, Grade 1
1966-1970 St Paul, Odell, Ill., Grades 1-2
1970-1972 Our Saviour, Jacksonville, Ill., Grades 5 & 7
1972-1983 Rout High School, Jacksonville, Ill., Library, English, religion
1983-1985 Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill., English, religion, library
1988-1993 Sacred Heart-Griffin, Springfield, Ill. , Library
1993-2017 Rosary High, Aurora, Ill., Library
2017-present Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, Ill, Library
