Sister Kathleen Melia Celebrates
70 Years of Religious Life
Sr. Kathleen Melia, formerly known as Sr. M. Agnes Ann, was born February 27, 1939, in Omaha, Nebraska. Her father was hired as the chief engineer of the famous Boys Town, so she, her parents, and little brother moved into a small apartment right on the grounds of the institution. It was here she would meet the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago who assisted Father Edward J. Flanagan with his ministry to help needy boys. At that time in its history, Boys Town was home to over 1,000 boys of grade school and high school ages. When Fr. Flanagan passed away unexpectedly in 1949, the Melia family moved to Pueblo, Colorado, where Kathleen attended a new Catholic grade school and eventually, Pueblo Catholic High School. By this time, Kathleen had made up her mind to join the Sisters whom she had met at Boys Town.
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After she graduated from high school in 1956, Kathleen and her mother took a train to Chicago where she was welcomed as a new postulant. After taking her final vows in Lemont, Kathleen was now known as Sr. Agnes Ann and was sent to St. Louise de Marillac grade school where she taught for four years. Her next assignment was Madonna High School in Chicago where she mainly taught Latin and English from 1964 to 1974. During this time, Sr. Agnes Ann chose to change back to her baptismal name mainly because of the confusion which sometimes arose with Medicare and other government programs.
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After teaching at the high school for ten years, Sr. Kathleen realized she wanted to work with the elderly and the sick as a social worker. She studied at Loyola University and received her Master's Degree, her certified Social Worker license, and then served at St. Joseph Home for the Aged from 1974 to 1982. At last she had found her true calling. Besides serving at St. Joseph Home, she also fulfilled assignments at St. Anthony Home in Crown Point, Indiana, Mother Theresa Home in Lemont, Illinois, and at the Motherhouse, also in Lemont.
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Behind the Scenes with Sr. Kathleen
While young Kathleen Melia was attending Pueblo Catholic High School in Colorado, she was very active in editing and managing the school newspaper, The Tatler. Her good command of and love for the English language were noticed by her teachers, the Sisters of Charity from Cincinnati, Ohio, and they encouraged her to keep writing and observing.
And write, she did. Sr. Kathleen began by learning the guitar and writing her own songs which she shared with the students and teachers at Madonna High School. Possessing a good singing voice, she managed to sing and write her way into actually making an album of her own songs. This album, called On the Way is still for sale at the Motherhouse. Eventually, other Sisters also began writing songs and harmonizing. A second album was created, entitled A New Kind of Freedom.
Sr. Kathleen Melia
Fr. Edward J. Flanagan poses with the school children of Boys Town's employees at a Christmas party. Sr. Kathleen is in in the center holding a Christmas gift (1946).
Sr. Kathleen Melia
Sr. Kathleen recorded an album of her own songs called "On The Way."
Beside writing original songs, Sr. Kathleen found a new challenge and enjoyment in submitting writings to the "Letters to the Editor" sections of both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. To date, she has had 162 letters published and has made new friends among the many other writers who submit their entries to the Chicago newspapers. Having over 150 letters published is quite a feat considering these papers get about 5,000 letters every week from readers all over the city and suburbs and even beyond that. What does Sr. Kathleen write about? According to her, not much about politics or city government, etc. Rather, she likes to write about things she sees everyday, people she meets, God's creatures outside her window, children hugging their grandma, etc.
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Sr. Kathleen Now
After a bad fall in 2012 which necessitated total shoulder replacement surgery, Sr. Kathleen found herself in a Niles, Illinois, rehabilitation facility. After much therapy, many prayers, and the support of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, she is able to work again on a volunteer basis. So Sr. Kathleen's service to the elderly and sick lives on as she has chosen to live and work at Celebrate Senior Living of Niles (Illinois). This stately and huge facility was once the famous St. Andrew Home and was owned by the Archdiocese of Chicago. After being sold several times, the facility is no longer Catholic, but the huge and gorgeous chapel is still there for the residents and their families.Sr. Kathleen oversees the chapel and the priest who comes from St. Juliana parish to say Mass and administer the sacraments. Even as a volunteer, Sr. Kathleen's days are full and busy.
Some Parting Words from Sr. Kathleen
"Some people don't even live to see their 70th birthday. And here I am celebrating 70 years as a Franciscan Sister of Chicago! I have no words to adequately express my thanks for the many wonderful superiors and co-sisters who accompanied me on this journey. You were always the inspiration. My cup runneth over."