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In Memoriam - 2010
Sister Mary Clifford Soisson Sister Cora Marie Davin
Sister M. Germaine Helwig Sister M. Reynita Flynn
SISTER MARY CLIFFORD SOISSON, SC
SISTER MARY CLIFFORD SOISSON, SC, age 89, who died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, 
on February 2, 2010. A Pittsburgh native, Sister Mary Clifford entered the congregation of the Sisters of Charity on September 8, 1939, from Assumption Parish in Bellevue. She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert J. and S.Marie (Creese) Soisson, three brothers, A. Howard and Reverend F. Clifford,Richard Soisson and two sisters, Mrs. Jean (Donald) Beatty and Mrs. Ann Mae (Jack) Dickason. She is survived by a sister, Sister Miriam Richard Soisson, SC and numerous nieces and nephews. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology,history from Seton Hill University and a master’s degree in religious education from Mundelein College, Chicago. A teacher and administrator, Sister Mary Clifford taught students of the intermediate and junior high school level in diocesan schools of Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh. She was principal at Saint John Evangelist School, Pittsburgh and Saint Therese School, Munhall. From 1968 until 1971, Sister Mary Clifford ministered in a flexible new apostolate of adult education known as the Adult Institute in the Diocese of Greensburg under the direction of the late Bishop William G. Connare. The goal of this program was, primarily, to update adults to the movement of the Church after Vatican Council II and involved no elementary or secondary school classes. Sister Mary Clifford served as a pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Glyndon, MD, and ministered as a coordinator of religious education at Resurrection Parish, Brookline, Saint Valentine Parish, Bethel Park, Saint Theresa Parish, Phoenix, AZ, and Saint John Evangelist Parish in Tucson, AZ. She was named a co-manager of Maryhouse in Brookline, a residence for low income, independent women from 1992-1993. After her retirement from the active apostolate, Sister Mary Clifford volunteered her service as a nurse’s aide at Caritas Christi. While reflecting on her life as a Sister of Charity, Sister Mary Clifford said, “I am grateful to my parents for their love and faith, which has been a great influence in my life, and thankful to God for the gift of vocation to the Seton Hill Sisters of Charity.
SISTER CORA MARIE DAVIN, SC
SISTER CORA MARIE DAVIN, SC, age 85, died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, 
on February 27, 2010. Sister Cora Marie Davin, SC, age 85, died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, on February 27, 2010. Born in Pittsburgh, Sister Cora Marie entered the congregation of the Sisters of Charity on January 1, 1945, from Saint Peter Parish, North Side, Pittsburgh. Preceded in death by her parents, John P. and Mary Elizabeth (Frawley) Davin and a brother William R. Davin, she is survived by her sister-in-law, Jean Davin, five nieces and a nephew. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history, English from Seton Hill University and a master’s degree in English from Duquesne University. Later, Sister Cora Marie took classes in gerontology at the universities of Pittsburgh, Ohio State, and Syracuse. Sister Cora Marie taught elementary school students in the dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh. She also taught at Elizabeth Seton, Canevin, and Monongahela Valley high schools. After years of teaching, in the mid-70s, Sister Cora Marie began working with the City of Pittsburgh senior citizen centers. She was an assistant director and recreation leader at centers in Hazelwood, Beechview, Oakland, Lawrenceville and the West End. She later ministered in housing, becoming director of the East Brady Heights Housing Unit, Clarion County; Ridgeview Apartments, Mount Pleasant and the Honus Wagner Plaza in Carnegie. As physical disabilities developed and prevented her from active ministry, Sister Cora Marie moved to Caritas Christi and continued to volunteer her services at the gift shop and at the reception desk. Her ready smile and cheerful manner will be missed as she leaves us to join the Company of Charity in a heavenly homeland.
SISTER M. GERMAINE HELWIG, SC
SISTER M. GERMAINE HELWIG, SC, age 94, died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, 
on March 4, 2010. Born in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, Sister M. Germaine entered the congregation of the Sisters of Charity on September 8, 1933, from Saint John the Baptist Parish, in Scottdale. Preceded in death by her parents, August H. and Germaine (Laurent) Helwig, four brothers, August H. Jr., Charles R., Gilbert J., Robert, Edward and her sister, Margaret Jo, she is survived by a brother, Lawrence E. Helwig. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, mathematics from Seton Hill University and a master’s degree in chemistry, biology from the University of Notre Dame. A teacher of secondary school students, Sister M. Germaine taught chemistry for 26 years at Bishop McCort High School in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese. She also taught at Greensburg Central Catholic High School, and was a volunteer tutor at Geibel High School in the Greensburg diocese. Sister M. Germaine taught at Sacred Heart High School, in the Pittsburgh diocese. She was an instructor in mathematics and chemistry at Seton Hill University during summer sessions. In 1993, she was named one of Seton Hill’s Volunteers of the Year for the many hours she gave to Seton Hill students as a mathematics tutor. A dedicated teacher, Sister M. Germaine was named an honorary member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, an Honor Society for Students in Continuing Higher Education, during an award ceremony at Seton Hill University in 1996. Quiet, smiling and unassuming, Sister M. Germaine reflected on her life as a Sister of Charity, “God has been very good to me and my life has been filled with blessings. I pray that I have used His many graces as I should.”
SISTER M. REYNITA FLYNN, SC
SISTER M. REYNITA FLYNN, SC, age 97, died at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010. A native of Johnstown, PA, Sister M. Reynita entered the congregation of the Sisters of Charity on September 8, 1930, from Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Johnstown. Preceded in death by her parents, Michael P. and Elizabeth R. (Dowdell) Flynn, three brothers, Donald P., Nicholas J., Robert J. Flynn and two sisters, Mary Veronica Flynn, and Mrs. Catherine Litzinger, cousins, Sisters M. Rosina Highland, SC and Mary Lois Highland, SC, she is survived by nieces and nephews. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Duquesne University and taught children of the primary grades in diocesan schools of Altoona-Johnstown, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh. From 1973 until 1978, Sister M. Reynita was engaged in catechetical ministry at Holy Trinity Parish in Huntingdon, PA and from 1986-1996, Sister Reynita was entrusted with the care of her incapacitated brother. Hardworking, petite and pleasant, Sister Reynita embodied the words of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, “Dear simplicity, so loved by our Divine Master, I embrace you and prefer you a thousand times to the wisdom of the world.”