Sr. John Cassian Logue, CSJ, entered eternal life Dec. 30. She was 98 years old.
Mary Kathryn Logue was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 9, 1920, the daughter of Leo and Isabel (Reddie) Logue. She was a member of St. David’s Parish in Detroit at the time of her entrance into the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth on June 27, 1942. She received the name Sister John Cassian at her reception on January 3, 1943. She pronounced first vows on January 3, 1945 and final vows on January 3, 1948.
Sister John Cassian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Nazareth College and a certificate in Medical Technology from St. John Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. For twenty-two years she ministered as a laboratory technologist at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Mercy Hospital in Monroe, and St. John Hospital in Detroit. She then felt called to missionary work in health care and for the next 23 years worked at the Chimbote Center of Social Works in Chimbote, Peru as founder and director of their clinical laboratory. In 1991 she returned to Nazareth Center hoping later to return to Peru, but circumstances prevented that return. She did, however, have the opportunity to visit Peru on a number of occasions and gave untiring support to the mission work through correspondence and prayer. At Nazareth, after so many years in the foreign missions, Sister John Cassian renewed old friendships and made new ones, companioned the sick and deepened her own spiritual life.
A woman of strong convictions, Sister John Cassian’s life was deeply enriched by her many years of service both in the States and in Peru. She was a demanding but patient teacher and mentor to hundreds of laboratory students and inspired many by her deep faith and with stories about her various life experiences. Sister John Cassian lived a simple life, was a generous woman, who put others first. During her later years at Nazareth Center she brought great joy to others with her weekly popcorn treats, her evening pinochle games, jigsaw puzzles and her charming repertoire of jokes. She often quoted St. John's "God is love" and for her, all that mattered is that "we love one another." She considered the love and support of family, her CSJ congregation and friends one of life’s greatest blessings. May Sister John Cassian, good and faithful servant, now enjoy eternal life in God’s kingdom.
A welcome home and rosary were to be held Thursday, Jan. 3, at 3:40 p.m., followed by a vigil service at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial was to take place Friday, Jan. 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Chapel in Nazareth, Mich.
