Lois Rosalie Marie Quigley
Nov. 11, 1933 – Dec. 12, 2004
Lois Rosalie Marie Quigley was the fourth of eight children, the first daughter of Margaret De Primo and Malvin Quigley. The first child died accidentally as a toddler. She had four surviving brothers and two sisters. She was born in the depths of the Great Depression to parents who gave their children middle names for the saint of their day of birth, managing somehow to send them to St. Matthias parochial school. Lois joined the band. When asked, "What did she play?" one of her brothers said, "She played the flag." The band uniform was important to her, for she loved her school, and the Dominican nuns who taught there. She was small, wiry, and a natural athlete, dedicated in competition. Sister Mary Anne McSweeney taught her in
fourth and fifth grades, and was her dear friend and confidante till the end. At age twelve she used to go in her free time with two friends to the convent chapel to help young Sister Isabel, and knew then that she wanted to be a sister. Lois found her opportunity after the sisters opened their aspiranture in Rosaryville, offering a high school program preparatory to entrance as a postulant.
Lois was energetic; she worked hard, and did all things well. In religious life, she took the name André, choosing the Canadian Brother André as her patron, and remembering her family’s pastor, Fr. George Andrée, who had died when she was seven. She found her niche in teaching with the challenging primary level, and later in religious instruction, preparing children for the sacraments. In the span of her fifty years as a nun, she overcame obstacles with grace and a disarming simplicity, willing always to be who she was; she knew how to pray, how to work, and how to play, and did each with equal fervor, totally present to the moment.
Sister Mary André earned her Masters’ in education at Oklahoma State University, and was pleased to be offered an assistantship as a Reading Specialist. A few years later she began serving as principal. Eventually she moved into her specialty as religion coordinator, and
served fourteen years in that ministry at St. Theresa School in Gonzales.
She found a variety of ways to be of service: At St. Anthony’s Camp Padua, she put in many hot summer days with multicultural groups of children, working creatively with her longtime friend Jay Sullivan. As a busy health care coordinator for the motherhouse, she worked part time at St. Clement of Rome parish in their religion program. For the sisters, she efficiently coordinated Jubilee Celebrations over many years. The occasions went smoothly; André was typically calm, cool and collected, managing an event. She was unfailingly generous, always responding to a need, or a request; the
recipient of her favor would have no clue of how inconvenient it might have been for her. She was famous for calling everybody "Sugah" in her unaffected, unvarnished New Orleans accent.
In 1970, she quietly became the first sister to actively participate in a Mardi Gras Krewe, parade, and ball, year after year. Her brothers laughed at how she economized on beads, throwing them sparingly from the float, recycling beads, year after year. She did her part in the Krewe of Rhea as she did everything, unselfconsciously, without fanfare. It was part of her devotion to her family, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.
As she gradually made peace with her cancer, she had an enormous yellow poster on the wall beside her infirmary bed with the words made famous by Lance Armstrong: "LIVE STRONG!" It was signed by every child and adult in the St. Teresa’s School community in Gonzales, her final mission, where she was so loved.
Sister Mary André after professing her vows in 1954
Sr. Waldia Warden was her novitiate classmate, and gave this eulogy for her longtime friend:
SISTER MARY ANDRÉ QUIGLEY, O.P.
November 11, 1933 – December 12, 2004Profession: June 16, 1954
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace"
Our God calls us to Himself in His time. Two days over six months ago we gathered here to celebrate Sister Mary André’s golden jubilee – fifty years as a Dominican Sister. Today, we celebrate seventy-one years of life, community, joyful service, and commitment to a life style of selflessness and joy.
Lois Rosalie Marie Quigley was called by our God to follow the Dominican way of life – a life of prayer and contemplation and to give to others the fruits of that time with God.
As an aspirant to the Dominican Sisters, Congregation of St. Mary, she began her high school studies in Rosaryville. She was accepted as a candidate to consecrated life in 1953; she began the novitiate year in June 1954. As a novice she embraced the core of Dominican life "To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of contemplation" (Constitutions 27) At the time of final profession she received a simple gold band with her chosen motto "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace."
In the three readings, we have heard the Word of God; what have you heard? What word, words or phrase spoke to you in these readings as you recall Sister Mary André, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher, mentor, colleague. I would like to share with you what words spoke to me.
In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, I heard, "Those who trust in him shall understand truth and the faithful shall abide with him in love," Wisdom 3: 9. Sister Mary André was a woman religious whose trust in God enabled her to respond in fidelity to the call of congregational leadership to teach whether in the classroom as a first grade teacher, as a principal, or as a religion coordinator. She understood truth; she knew His love; she embraced life with its many challenges.
In the second reading from Timothy, "I charge you to preach the Word, to stay with this task whether convenient or inconvenient, correcting, reproving, appealing, constantly teaching, never losing patience Timothy 4: 2. Indeed, the Word of God speaks to each of us in a different way; it is nuanced by one’s experience of Sister Mary André. Imagine thirty-plus years of teaching first graders! Staying with this task each day correcting, reproving, appealing to God’s little ones to develop foundational skills and the needed self-discipline to become a whole person, holy. This is the beginning of the journey for each Christian. She delighted in preparing God’s children for the sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance), and to receive Jesus’ body in First Holy Communion.
Our Dominican charism "To Praise - To Bless – To Preach" is supported by four pillars: prayer, study, community, and ministry. As a professed woman religious, Sister Mary André exhibited to you (family, friends, former students, colleagues and her Dominican sisters) this charism, enfleshed by the four pillars with her life. A brief reflection on each of the pillars:
Prayer: Her life was rooted in prayer and contemplation; the fruits of which she gave to others – to each of us!
She set aside time each day to be with her God, our God, in prayer and contemplation.
Study: As a Dominican she was called to study all facets of life: political, social, academic, and religious; to search for Truth who is God, to be enlightened by Wisdom and to be transformed into His likeness.
Community: Sister Mary André came from a family, truly a community of support and love. There she was nurtured by parents and siblings; there she began her life of commitment to our God who called her to Himself. As a Sister, she continued to develop her relationship with God, walking with Mary and Jesus. She was nurtured in her religious community by those with whom she lived and shared the journey to wholeness and holiness. "Community life expresses our unity of mind and heart and is itself a way of preaching the Gospel" Constitutions 35 "Living in community we are called by the Spirit to extend patience, forgiveness, generosity and compassion to one another." Constitutions 36.
Ministry: "As Dominican women of the Gospel, we are sent to preach and to educate others in the healing and liberating truth of the Gospel" Constitutions 7. "We are called to move from place to place by the needs of the Church in our time…" Constitutions 9.
Sister Mary André graciously and generously responded to the call from congregational leadership. She ministered in schools in Baton Rouge, Hammond, Gonzales, New Orleans, Paulina, and Reserve– she moved from place to place, an itinerant Dominican preacher!
Sister Mary André, affectionately known as "Sister Sugar," reflected Our Lady’s response, "I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say." Luke: 1: 38. Sister Mary Andre gave graciously and generously.
I share with you a personal experience: I entered our congregation after two a half years of college. One day there were many tasks to be done. I suppose I said, "I need to do thus and so" and Sister said to me "When you take time to do something for others, you will always have time to get your own work done."
This has been a guiding principle for me these past fifty-plus years. I wrote that to Sister for our 50th jubilee celebration, thanking her for those words of wisdom.
And so, as we celebrate a life of gracious generosity we know that:
The past is history – Each of us in our way is grateful for how we have been enriched.
The future is mystery - God’s ways are not ours; life is a mystery. We respond to the unfolding events of life trusting in God’s loving care and support.
The present is gift - Today we celebrate a life of joy-filled, selfless service.
May we go forth acknowledging our history: Who I am and who I am becoming, aware that the future is mystery-- God leads us in His time to Himself-- accepting the present as gift: a package we wrap to give to God
So, my dear friends
We have heard God’s Word,
reflected on his Word as lived by our Sister Mary Andre, and
go forth to live the Christian life
We thank you, dear Sister, for who you were:S - simplicity, a singleness of purpose
U - understanding
G - gracious and generous
A - affectionate advisor/mentor/teacher
R - radiant with joyThe Lord will give you the bread you need
And the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide Himself,
but with your own eyes you will see your Teacher,
while from behind, a voice will sound in your ears:"This is the way, walk in it," Isaiah 30:20-21
Adieu!
Waldia Ann Warden, O.P.
12-15-2004
