SISTER CABRINI SCHMITZ
At the time of her death Sister Cabrini was receiving physical therapy as a resident at Ashton Place, in Barling, Arkansas.
The family of Anthony and Bertha (Reitzke) Schmitz welcomed their daughter, Hilda Cecilia, into their family March 6, 1932 in Scranton, Arkansas. She was the second child of eleven children born to the Schmitz family.
In her senior year at St. Scholastica Academy, she entered the monastery and made her religious profession on June 24, 1951.
She received a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, Texas and a Master’s Degree in Administration from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She obtained her Masters in Journalism, from Notre Dame University in Notre Dame, Indiana. She received her Clinical Pastoral Education at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sister Cabrini served her monastic community in a variety of ministries, her primary work in both Education and Administrative positions. She was prefect and moderator of St. Scholastica Academy and Alumnae Association, and St. Anne’s in Fort Smith. She served as Administrative Assistant at St. Edward’s Hospital and was Co-Founder of St. Edward’s Hospice now Mercy Hospital, Fort Smith.
She served as the Director of St. Scholastica Monastery Retreat Center from 1990-2000.
From 2001-2009 Sister Cabrini was Prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery. She served the Diocese of Little Rock on the Sisters Senate and the Diocesan Council of Women Religious. She wrote WOMEN OF THE CHURCH a brief history of the DCWR for the Sesquicentennial project (1997-1999).
Following her time as prioress she served the community as receptionist for the monastery, including assisting the monastery secretary and performing other monastic duties for the community.
Sister Cabrini is survived by her siblings, Lawrence (Terry), Agnes (Bill) Hess, Mary Ann (Mike) Hite, Cletus (Linda), Denis (Phyllis), Susan Baltz-Schmitz, Ray (Christy), Ambrose (Mary) Schmitz and several beloved nieces and nephews and her St. Scholastica Monastery community.
Preceding her in death are her parents, Tony & Bertha Schmitz, brothers Justin, Leonard, (her sister-in-law, Claire) and Andrew Schmitz.
The funeral Mass was celebrated on January 4, 2016 with Father Jerome Kodell, OSB presiding followed by her burial in the monastery cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Scholastica Continuing Care Fund, P. O. Box 3489, Fort Smith, AR 72913. Donate In Sr. Cabrini Schmitz’s Memory
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