A native of Joliet, Il., Sister
Jane is the only child of the
late Loretta (Kiep) and Julius
Braun. She has a first cousin,
Sister Eileen Bannon, who is
also a member of the Sisters
of Saint Francis. Father Eric
Kahn, also a cousin, is a Franciscan
priest.
Sister
Jane attended
St. John the
Baptist Grade
School, St.
Francis Academy,
and the College
of St. Francis
in Joliet,
Il. She earned
her master’s
in English
at DePaul University,
and in 1981
she received
a three-year
certificate
in pastoral
ministry from
St. Thomas
Seminary in
Denver, Colo.
While studying
in Denver,
she also worked
as a pastoral
assistant at
St. Anthony
hospital and
Our Lady of
Lourdes.
Sister
Jane taught
high school
for 22 years
in both Chicago
and Joliet.
She also assisted
Joliet Junior
College as
they began
G.E.D. and
Basic Adult
Centers. She
also did work
for both the
Joliet Will
County Welfare
Agency and
Community Action
Agency. During
the 1980’s,
Sister Jane
was engaged
to direct door-to-door
evangelization
in many of
Joliet’s
east-side parishes.
From
1990 through
1999, Sister
Jane worked
for Food For
The Poor in
Deerfield Beach,
Fla. After
returning to
Joliet, she
began working
at her alma
mater, The
University
of St. Francis,
employed as
a technical
assistant ordering,
receiving and
cataloguing
books.
Many
members of
the community
especially
appreciate
Sister Jane
because of
her devotion
to comforting
all of those
in need. She
spends her
spare time
visiting residents
at a local
retirement
home, as well
as reading
to the blind.
She
also comforts
those in need
as a hospice
volunteer.
Sister Jane
also began
a Christian
meditation
group in 1988
that continues
today.
Sister
Jane’s
hobbies include
her various
volunteer ministries
and reading.
Her present
goal is to
simply "walk
with joy in
the presence
of the Lord
and introduce
others to the
practice of
Christian meditation."
Broadband
video
Dial-up
video
Video is 4
minutes 04
seconds. The
Flash Player is
required to view
video. If needed,
download the free Flash
Player.
Editor’s
note: Sister Jane
went to be with our
Lord on June 17,
2005 the day before
she was to celebrate
her 60th Anniversary
at Jubilee.
Transcript
of video (dated May, 2005):
My
name is Sister Jane
Braun and I have
been a Sister for
over 60 years.
As a freshman at CSF in 1942,
I was also a beginning Sister,
a postulant, in the Franciscan
order. I had very little personal
contact with the regular students
at that time, because according
to the development of sisters
at that time we could not speak
with them or form friendships.
I can remember Sister Eulogia
who was the Dean of CSF. She
was a great lady, very intellectual
and inspiring. She also taught
me in one class. I remember her
teaching "The Hound of
Heaven." She once said "I
want to give everything to the
Lord, to hold back nothing." That
made a great impression on me
because I was beginning a religious
life and I wanted to do that
too.
I will never forget Sister Beatrice,
the dynamic Shakespearian English
teacher, who made Will Shakespeare's
plays so interesting and quite
understandable and lively. So
much so, that I made it through
many of them.
Sister Rose Agnes's religion
classes were a treat for me,
a young one aspiring to religious
life. She was an ardent lover
of Mary, the Blessed Mother and
specialized in Mariology.
I also remember about Sister
Rose Agnes, in the 1970's I think
it was 1970-1975; CSF sponsored
a Franciscan theology program
entitled "The Seraphic
Institute." (Editor's note:
The Seraphic Institute was from
1953 thru 1970) Sister Rose Agnes
initiated and helped plan this
program and helped select the
instructors; all of whom were
Franciscan educators. I was a
participant for 3 summers. Father
Leonard Pasdertz especially greatly
influenced me. He was a Franciscan,
a contemplative at heart and
so was I. He convinced all in
his class that a deeper silent
prayer life was possible and
the normal thing for all of us.
This Institute drew Franciscan
Sisters from far and wide. When
I was in Florida in the 90's
at a retreat center, I met a
Sister on staff who received
her degree from this Institute.
Now I have just completed five
years of service in the USF college
library. I receive and fulfill
orders for books from USF professors
and in that way am connected
to the present faculty. Also
I am a part of the newly developing
program called "Senior
Saturday's," a program
that engages speakers and events
for the senior members of our
society. As a staff member of
USF, I am able to participate
in many events held at the university,
and so I'm connected with my
former days at my alma mater.
I think my fondest memories of
CSF were the wonderful teachers
who were religious women as well,
I will never forget them.
