In Memory of Sister Mary Henry Soniat

Sister Mary Henry was "Mother Hen" to her students, among whom were many in the community of her sisters. One was Sister M. Carmelite Zibilich who gave a touching tribute for community, family and friends at evening prayer on Oct. 12, Sister's 84th birthday. Carm, an artist in her own right, invoked the symbol of the lion and the lamb, noting, "She never stood behind pretense. She didn't need to. Whom else can we name who had read the entire Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, three volumes, from cover to cover, and remembered it all? We wonder how many library shelves would be filled with the many books she read not only in history, current events, theology (in French and in English), but in nearly every field, with several varieties of novels to boot?"

Fr. Jim McDonogh, O.P., worked with Sister when at age 56 she took leave from her classroom (1966-68) to fill a vacancy at St. Albert's, Southeastern Louisiana University. It was a turbulent time on college campuses. Vatican II was new, nuns on campus were few, and he was five years ordained. He recalled the influence and inspiration she was to him, and the greatness of spirit she brought to the work: "I had discovered The Little Prince. She said, 'It's better in French.' She put us down, and she raised us up."

Fr. W.H. Leuer, O.P., chaplain, wrote: "The experience, confidence and faith she has brought to the work has sustained us... Much of the progress we have made is due to her willingness to listen to the students and adapt her approach to their needs. I am truly amazed at her openness and honesty. Her awareness of the needs of the students and the Church today is remarkable; her ability to adjust is even more astonishing."

Sister Mary Henry was prepared for working as a chaplain to college students by many years of teaching and mothering (in the best sense of nurturing) her "children" at St. Mary's Dominican High School, as well as by her three summers of Thomistic theology, in which she excelled. (Sr. M. de Lourdes Scully has a collection of tapes of Sister teaching New Testament, which she hopes to transcribe to cassettes so they can circulate.) Sister's work with college students in turn prepared her for the challenge of working with Junior Professed Sisters in '68, and for election to the General Council in '72, where she served as Secretary-General.

None of this took her from her beloved high school teaching, from '68 until the relentless assault of Parkinson's disease reduced her to part-time, and then forced her into retirement in '84. She continued library research until she could fight no longer, reluctantly moving to the motherhouse in 1988.

Deslie Isidore, DHS '76, who works with the Regional Transit Authority, may have spoken for many when she described how she learned assertiveness as a young woman by taking issue with "Mother Hen," a response encouraged by the teacher who was teaching more than information, and a skill that has served Ms. Isidore well.

Sr. M. Damian Cazale said that as principal, she never recalled Sr. M. Henry giving a final failing grade. Others recalled getting their only "B" in high school, to "take the pressure off" for a straight "A" student, or a senior getting her first "C" to shock her into learning to study. All present knew that in spite of all this, her fairness was never in question.

Sister's commitment to progress was ahead of her time. Sr. Mary Jordan Langenhennig recalled Sr. M. Henry's students about 1960 collaborating with high school boys from St. Augustine (all black enrollment) on a social justice project. A Southern woman to the core, she was a real "Steel Magnolia."

Deacon Herman Bastien, formerly in maintenance at Dominican High School, said he would not have made it through diaconate training without her tutoring and firm support.

Sr. Therese Leckert said "She challenged me to keep up with current events." Sr. Betty Doskey: "In American History, we would try to get her off the subject, until we found out we learned even more off the subject. She tolerated no mediocrity." Sr. M. Veronica found that Sister coached her from that same history class all the way through her Ph.D. at Tulane University, besides making all her religious habits. Many testified that she sewed for them, "so as not to disgrace the community." Her artistic skill was expressed in the design and production of vestments, altar coveers, flags, banners, and "fancy" work. She might have counted her time wasted if she could not have finished knitting the back of a sweater in the dark during a movie, without dropping a stitch.

In 1984 she reveled in her Freedoms Foundation award as an outstanding educator, having coached many of her students to awards. At Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, with a winning student in 1955 she had written, "We'll be glad to be home, but this has been fun. As my children often write on their papers, 'Please excuse all my mistakes.'" So we do, as we hope to have ours excused, and sing in our hearts, "Irene, Good night!"