He is remembered for the indelible impact he had on the congregation of St. Catherine and St. Paul Church. Sister Teresita Wynd, who during her 12-year tenure at Lucy Church was known not only for the quality of her preaching and singing, but also as a representative of the faithful who would not normally take the pulpit, will be honored on April 28th. He died in She was 81 years old.
According to the Black Catholic Messenger, Wynd, the first African-American woman to lead a worldwide religious order, was the epitome of grace even in the midst of great hardship, according to those who knew her. Told.
“She touched people’s hearts, minds, and souls deeply with her gentle yet powerful spirit. She was a gem of a gifted and spiritual leader,” said Gina Orlando, who attended Wynd’s lectures and workshops. However, her home parish was Ascension Church.
Born Helen Louise Wynd in 1942, Sister Teresita grew up in a large family in Columbus, Ohio. Her father died when she was young and her mother struggled to provide for her children, but she insisted on sending them to Catholic schools, mostly in Italy. She felt she could get a better education there than in segregated public schools.
Wynd was one of the school’s first African American students. She often acted, but she suppressed her behavior because of her interest in the school choir, which was led by nuns who were known for not tolerating nonsense. While she attended the St. Joseph Her Academy in Ohio for her secondary education, she met the Sisters of Notre Dame and her Sisters of Namur and decided to follow their example and join their ranks. did.
But she was devastated to learn from her superiors at Notre Dame that their “black girl quota” was already full and they were not accepting any more. It turned out to be a temporary setback. Wynd was accepted by Sister Mary for a presentation in Spring Valley, Illinois. After taking her vows in 1963, she was assigned to St. Andrew’s School of Nursing in Bottineau, North Dakota, and she completed her nursing training in 1966. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Mary in Bismarck.
During the turbulent summer of 1968, when civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and former U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy were assassinated in the backdrop of widespread protests against the Vietnam War, Wynd was a group of 150 black Catholic women. Together they founded the National Black Sisters. Conference in Pittsburgh. It was the beginning of a lifelong advocacy for religious and racial equality for black women.
“It was important to see Teresita as a strong and influential Black Catholic at St. Kate’s Church, a unified church on the edge of Austin and Oak Park. Her faith was evident. She was modest, but she was a living example that meekness should never be mistaken for weakness,” said Elliot Winbush, former pastor of First Congregational Church in Maywood. said.
Feeling increasingly isolated in North Dakota, Wynd jumped at the opportunity to join the service team at Chicago’s Cabrini Green Housing Project. While serving at her local St. Joseph Parish, she earned a master’s degree in religious studies from Mundelein University with a thesis titled “Black Theology Begins with the Preach.”
The Archdiocese of Chicago recognized Wynd’s valuable work by appointing him director of liturgical formation for black parishes. Her work also included overseeing adult religious education in the parishes she served.
While in Chicago, Wynd reunited with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and realized that she was still called to the order. Ten years after they refused her admission, her Order was ready to accept her. She transferred her personal vows and her life to this religious order in 1973.
In 1979, the Rev. John Carolan invited Wynd to join the recently merged Church of St. Catherine and St. Paul. Diocese of Lucy (SCSL) as pastoral collaborator. He encouraged her to preach once a month, in addition to visiting her sick, attending retreats, singing in the church choir, and chairing the worship committee. She was a dynamic and uplifting catalyst for a racially diverse church congregation.
Wynd’s Good Friday service was memorable for Shelby Bobrick, who served as president of the SCSL Pastoral Council during the latter half of Wynd’s tenure.
“She began the service by prostrating herself at the foot of the altar, as is the tradition of the presiding officer. For many in attendance, it was a wonderful sight to see a holy woman of Sister Teresita’s venerable stature prostrate before the sacrifice of the Cross. It was a powerful testament to the fact that women are indeed public spiritual leaders,” Bobrick said.
Her leadership and preaching were ahead of her time in the complexities of the role women religious play in the Catholic Church.
However, the Archdiocese of Chicago did not appreciate Wynd’s growing involvement and influence in the church. When the Rev. Edward Braxton, whom many considered her proprietor, took over as pastor in 1991, much of the ministry that Ms. Wynd loved was taken away from her. She was no longer allowed to preach. She left the church as soon as he arrived.
In a 2014 Wednesday Journal article, Wynd reflected on this difficult period. “I still love this [Catholic] church. I love this work because it transcends the normative limitations placed on women. My faith continues to grow and deepen because my faith is about God and my relationship with Him. Braxton didn’t take that away from me,” she said.
After leaving SCSL, Wynd took on increasingly important roles within the Sisters of Notre-Dame-des-Namur, including serving as Provincial of the Ohio branch and serving as Provincial of the Rome-based congregation from 2009 to 2022. As a leader, she held positions that took her all over the world. .
In early September 2014, Mr. Wynd was welcomed back to SCSL as part of the church’s 125th anniversary celebrations. On the weekends, she led a well-attended retreat and, fittingly, preached on reconciliation at Mass.
“On her return…she humbly and eloquently preached about the long road to reconciliation. She encourages patience and perseverance because, as she says, reconciliation only takes time. But in the end But God’s gift to us is a deeper peace, and she sang it beautifully, so it’s worth it,” writes Wednesday Journal columnist Ken Trainor in his book: It is written as follows. our city oak park.
Ms. Wynd’s last assignment was to provide pastoral care at Mount Notre Dame Health Center in Reading, Ohio, but this service was canceled in March 2023 when her cancer diagnosis returned. The activity has been canceled.
“We all benefited from Teresita’s talent, warmth and generosity,” Pat Coco said. He served as an SCSL staff member during Wynd’s tenure and remained a good friend. “Although she is no longer in my life, she remains in our prayers.”
A memorial mass is planned at St. Catherine and St. Paul on July 6, Wynd’s birthday. Lucy. Details will be announced through the church.
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