DELHI TOWNSHIP, OHIO – Oct.7, 2019– Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Catherine Cahur died Sept. 22, 2019, at the age of 82 in San Francisco, California. Sister Cathy was born March 8, 1937 to Benjamin and Eleanor (Grams) Cahur in Cleveland, Ohio. She was a Sister of Charity for 64 years.

Sister Cathy grew up in Cleveland, Ohio; she attended Miles Avenue grade school and graduated from Holy Name High School in 1955 where she was taught by the Sisters of Charity. She entered the Sisters of Charity on Sept. 8, 1955.

Sister Cathy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph in 1965 and a master’s in English from John Carroll University in Cleveland in 1975. She earned a degree in transpersonal psychology in 1987 from the California Institute of Psychology, Menlo Park, California.

Sister Cathy’s 50 years of active ministry included 27 years in education in schools in Michigan, Ohio and Colorado, beginning in the Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan as a junior high teacher in 1958. In 1964 she went to St. Charles, Kettering, Ohio (1964-’66); then to St. Dominic, Cincinnati (1966-’67); St. Mary, Port Huron, Michigan (1967-’68); Holy Name High, Cleveland, Ohio (1968-’75); Catholic Central High, Springfield, Ohio (1975-’78); Machebeuf High, Denver, Colorado (1978-’84); and Marycrest High, Denver (1984-’85).

The second half of her ministry years took her in a new direction. From 1985-’87 Sister Cathy became a full-time student of transpersonal psychology; upon completion of the degree in counseling she accepted a position with the Bay Area Addiction Research Treatment Clinic in San Francisco, California; the clinic offered medical and counseling services for 600 heroin addicts as outpatients. She advanced to administrative supervisor and operations director and by 1996 she was serving as an internal auditor responsible for quality assurance, and county and clinic policies/procedures.

Sister Cathy felt great satisfaction in being able to help people in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis, prior to the use of inhibitors for HIV+ persons. “Most patients have multiple substance abuse problems and many suffer from dual diagnoses, including mental disabilities,” she shared at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. Her own inclusive Catholic parish, Most Holy Redeemer, lost 40 percent of their community during the AIDS crisis. She grieved the loss of so many vibrant, contributing persons that she had come to know and love. Throughout her 30-plus years of living in the San Francisco area, Sister Cathy was very involved in parish life. She served on the RCIA team and the Formation-Education Commission early on at Most Holy Redeemer. She facilitated a Centering Prayer group for more than 25 years. She, personally, provided experiences to help others deepen their relationship with God through contemplative retreats, speakers’ series and inter-generational dialogue.

Travel, sightseeing, hiking and mountain climbing were favorite past times for Cathy as well as special times with good friends. Another highpoint for her was the SC Centering Prayer Group she was a part of. The group first formed in the 1980’s and four of the original members continue today with five already transitioning to heaven.

Sister Nancy Bramlage saw herself as one of the many Sisters of Charity who enjoyed some great experiences of hospitality in the Bay Area. S. Nancy shared, “When I was on sabbatical in Berkeley Cathy was so eager to have me see places like Point Lobos and Half Moon Bay that she loved. This included her parish in San Francisco where she had made so many friends over the years. She loved California and the natural beauty all around her and the freedom and the care for one another that was deeply rooted in the people there. Thank you, Cathy.”

Sister Cathy is survived by her sisters Phyllis Timco and Sally Cahur, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a sister Nancy Samhric.

Sisters and family will greet visitors in the Heritage Room of the Sisters of Charity from 2 – 3 p.m. on Thurs., Oct.17, 2019, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 3 p.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. Burial will be in the Sisters of Charity cemetery.

Memorials can be made in Sister Cathy Cahur’s name to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Rd., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio 45051.

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, whose Motherhouse is located in Delhi Township, a western suburb of Cincinnati, is an apostolic Catholic women’s religious community that exists to carry out the Gospel of Jesus Christ through service and prayer in the world. Sisters, using their professional talents as ministers of education, health care, pastoral and social services, as well as caring for all creation, currently live and minister in 17 U.S. states, in Guatemala, Mexico and the West Indies. They also sponsor institutions to address education, health care and social service needs, with particular concern for direct service to the poor.

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati are joined in mission by 208 Associates.

Visit the Sisters of Charity Web site at www.srcharitycinti.org