Sister Mary Catherine Clark, ASC, celebrated 60 years as a vowed member of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ on September 22, 2026, at Benedictine Living Community at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois. She made her first profession on July 1, 1966, and her final vows on May 30, 1971. She marked her anniversary with a Mass in the chapel at Benedictine Living Community and was joined in the celebration by sisters and her family.
Sister Mary Catherine was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, to Harry and Mary Catherine Clark. She received her bachelor’s degree in theology from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1969, and her master’s in religious education from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, in 1978. She did post graduate study in Theology and Pastoral Ministry at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis and earned her certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Institute in 2015.
Sister Mary Catherine served parishes in Illinois and Missouri in a variety of roles for more than 30 years. She was teacher and Director of Religious Education (DRE) in Benton, Zeigler, Royalton, Piopolis, Flora, Dahlgren, Fairfield, Olney, and Belleville (St. Mary’s), all in Illinois; and at Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Missouri. After serving as Provincial Secretary, Director of communications and Coordinator of Retreats, she was assigned as Parish Life Coordinator in Marydale, Illinois, before being elected to the ASC Leadership Team as a U.S. Regional Councilor and Secretary.
She then returned to parish life as the Director of Faith Formation for St. Theresa of Avila Parish in Salem, Illinois, until she was again elected to the U.S. Regional Leadership Team. She continues in that role, following her reelection in 2024. Active in committee work, she was a member of the ASC Justice and Peace Committee as well as the Center Resource Committee for the Ruma Center. Currently she serves on the Board of Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) and the Board of Trustees of Newman University, both in Wichita, Kansas.
Sister Mary Catherine lives in a small community in St. Louis, Missouri.