Sister M. Josephine Kase, formerly Sister Marie Raymond, died very peacefully in Camilla Hall on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, in the 74th year of her religious life.
Josephine was born on March 7, 1931. Sister’s parents Raymond and Catherine (Holahan) Kase raised their family of six children in St. Joseph Parish in Reading, PA.
Josephine attended St. Joseph Elementary (1937-1945), Central Catholic High School (1945-1949) and later in Community Sister earned an A.B. degree in English from Immaculata College and an M.A. in Religious Education from Providence College in Rhode Island.
Josephine entered the Congregation on September 8, 1949; she received her habit and her religious name, Sister Marie Raymond, on April 19, 1950. When the Sisters were given the opportunity to do so, Sister returned to the use of her baptismal name. Sister professed her First Vows on August 15, 1952.
At the outset of Sister’s teaching ministry from April 1952 through the school year ending 1959, Sister taught at a variety of places and grade levels. Sister taught grade school children at St. Dorothy in Drexel Hill, St. John the Baptist in Manayunk, and Our Lady’s in Mt. Carmel. During this same period, Sister taught high school students briefly at West Catholic Girls’ High School.
At the start of the school year beginning in 1962 and ending in 1986, Sister Josephine taught high school students. Sister ministered in Hallahan, Philadelphia; Denis J. O’Connell in Arlington, Virginia; Bishop Conwell in Levittown; Archbishop Wood in Warminster. During this date range Sister taught English at Immaculata (1967-1969) and served as local superior at Immaculate Conception in Germantown (1969-1972).
In the fall of 1986 Sister Josephine did a magnificent job as the Associate Coordinator for Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs in the Diocese of Philadelphia until August 2008.
The establishment of our House of Prayer in the fall of 2008 in Nesquehoning was a place of solace and prayer. Sister Josephine was integral in the planning and prayerfulness of our House of Prayer from August 2008 through August 2013.
In August 2013 until June 2017, Sister Josephine visited the sick in St. Catharine Parish in Reading. In June of 2017, Sister continued her loving ministry of caring for and visiting our Sisters in Camilla Hall. Sister Josephine’s prayerfulness and kindness marked all of her loving actions. God rest you, dear Sister.
In addition to her IHM Community, Sister is survived by her brother Deacon William Kase (Mary Ann), her brothers-in-law: John and David, her sister-in-law Dorothy and her nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Sister Josephine is predeceased by her parents Raymond and Catherine (Holahan) Kase, her brothers Raymond (Jane) and James and her sisters Kathleen Kuczala and Elizabeth Lineaweaver.
Reverend John Burger, SSC (Homilist) and Reverend Msgr. Gregory Fairbanks concelebrated Sister Josephine’s Funeral Mass on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
IHM Mission Advancement Office
230 IHM Drive
Malvern, PA 19355