Sister Grace Eileen died at Saint Joseph Villa on August 8, 2010. Her funeral liturgy was celebrated at the Villa on August 12, 2010.
Two of Grace’s best friends from Novitiate days, Sister Pat McClure and Sister Jeanette Weychert, offered a Reflection at her Liturgy.
Born in 1931 in Bayonne, New Jersey, Frances Theresa was the first-born child of her parents’ four children. The only girl, Frances was very much loved by her parents and three brothers. Product of a religious Irish family, Frances grew proudly and somewhat privileged in the Forker Family. Sister Grace gives much credit for her beautiful life to her good parents, brothers, two first cousins who became priests, and to the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Grace attended Saint Mary’s School and Holy Family Academy in her beloved Bayonne.
Very early on, Grace capitalized on a God-given talent, playing the piano by ear. Her mother saw to it that the young Frances took piano lessons from the Sisters. Grace’s natural talent for music served her well later in her religious life when she worked with an Hispanic adult choir. In addition to her musical talent, Grace was fluent in the Spanish language. This ability to speak Spanish played a significant role in Grace’s varied ministries through the years.
After serving as principal at Good Counsel High School in Newark, New Jersey, Grace moved to St. Rose High School in Belmar, where she taught Spanish classes.
Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of Providence Parish in Neptune was her next stay, a place of varied experiences for Grace. Her tasks there included overseeing the catechetical program, playing for and directing the adult Spanish choir for 13 years, training and conducting the children’s choir. In addition, Grace’s ministry extended to holding prayer meetings, teaching English classes to the Hispanic people in the parish, even working on annulments for three years.
In 1997, Dr. Anna Sweany, a native Argentinian, wanted to offer her services to assist immigrants. Grace and the doctor visited a clinic in Biddeford, Maine, where they witnessed a group of dedicated health professionals helping an indigent population without health coverage. Sister and Doctor Sweany, supported by Pastor Jim Vorwerk, formed a team to begin a Clinic on church property in Neptune. Other good people assisted with this humanitarian project. Grace was instrumental in obtaining necessary monies to see this project started.
Grace continued her ministry of presence in St. Rose Parish in Belmar and was even instrumental in easing the last days of a young Mexican girl by returning her to her native Mexico, a loving task that she arranged through doctors in New Brunswick and the cooperating Cancer Institute in Mexico.
In Grace’s own words, “I have lived a very happy life as a Sister of St. Joseph and always tell people, ‘If I had 18 lives, I would give all to God.’” Indeed, Sister Grace gave her all to God, dying after only a very short time at the Villa. |
