Sr. Celine Marie (Celine) Lesinski, CSSF, of Detroit, age 92, religious for 71 years, entered eternal life April 12, 2020, in Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent, Livonia.
Born on March 18, 1928, the first child of Walter and Ann (Waligorski), Celine was baptized March 25, 1928, at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Detroit. She attended Sampson School for two years, then completed grade school at St. Francis, Detroit, graduating in 1943.
Celine entered the Seminary of the Felician Sisters’ Academy in Detroit after grade school and graduated in 1947. She was accepted into the Felician congregation in 1948 and the following August received the Felician habit and the name Sr. Mary Alphonsetta, later changed to Sr. Celine Marie. Final vows were professed in 1956.
A teacher, organist, librarian and director of volunteers at Angela Hospice Home Care, Sr. Celine Marie led a very active life. Teaching, however, was her predominant ministry, reinforced by a bachelor of arts degree from Madonna University and a master of science degree in education from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Sr. Celine Marie was on the go and traversed Michigan in the following schools: St. Florian, Hamtramck; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Wyandotte; St. Hyacinth, St. Stanislaus, St. Louis the King, St. Josaphat, Resurrection, St. Andrew, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, and St. Stephen, all in Detroit; Our Lady of Refuge, Orchard Lake; St. Michael, Southfield; St. Mary, Bronson; Holy Rosary, Cedar; St. Jude, Grand Rapids; St. Francis of Assisi, Flint; and St. Stanislaus, Bay City. Sister also taught at St. Mary, Otis, and St. Adalbert, South Bend, both in Indiana.
With her Certification in Library Science, Sr. Celine Marie was librarian at Ladywood High School and Madonna University in Livonia, and Bishop Borgess High in Detroit. Sister completed a total of 55 years in the ministry of education with 27 years as librarian, 13 of those years at Madonna University, her last education assignment.
Sisters with whom she lived remember Sr. Mary Celine with a great capacity for sacrifice of self, of time, and of energy. She revealed a willingness and a readiness to serve the needs of others. Irrespective of the time, Sister always mustered up sufficient energy to help.
In 2005, Sr. Celine Marie was assigned as a permanent resident to Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent with prayer ministry for vocations. Her health gradually declined, and over the last years she required total care. At 4:15 a.m. on April 12, 2020, Sr. Celine Marie peacefully slipped into the Lord’s hands as she journeyed to her eternal home.
Interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield took place on April 16, 2020.
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