Sister Louise Mayock, SNDdeN

  • Posted January 25, 2022
Sister Louise Mayock SNDdeN

Sister Louise Mayock SNDdeN

Sister Louise Mayock SNDdeN
June 13, 1927 – January 19, 2022

“It is confidence in God’s goodness which is our strength. We must always come back to this confidence. Do not forget that.” (Letter 26, Saint Julie Billiart, Foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur)

Louise Antoinette Mayock spent her childhood in the Miners Mill area of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania where her father worked in the grocery business started by her grandfather. The family was active in Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Louise and her siblings attended the parish school. All of that changed when Louise’s father died in 1942. Louise’s mother needed to find a way to support her family. With her oldest sons on active duty in the Army and Navy, she moved her younger children close to supportive family and work opportunities. The move opened paths for Louise that would guide the rest of her life. 

In 2005, Louise wrote: “In my sophomore year my family moved to Philadelphia where I was enrolled in West Catholic Girls’ High School. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were among the seven religious communities teaching there, but I carefully avoided them until my junior year when I was scheduled into classes of two SNDs. Within weeks of our meeting I knew the SNDs were different, their charism took them to mission lands, as well as to U.S. schools, carrying the message of their foundress, Blessed (now Saint) Julie, that God is Good. Their joy, their concern for one another, and their strong contemplative spirit beckoned me to the doors of the novitiate where I hoped to become one of them.” Mrs. Mayock and Louise’s sisters accompanied Louise to Ilchester, MD on August 12, 1945 for her entrance into the community. Sixty years later Louise said, “My years in Notre Dame have been involved and extraordinarily happy.” 

Louise received the name Sister Maria as a novice. She was known as such until she returned to her baptismal name in the late 1960s. Louise’s teaching ministry started at St. Francis Xavier School in Washington, DC. She said, “I spent eight glorious years delving into the complexity and wonder of educating the young.” Those years gave Louise experience teaching 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th grades.  She taught 7th and 8th grade at other schools for another four years before doing additional coursework to prepare to teach at the secondary level. Over the next ten years students at Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk, VA, Notre Dame High School, Greensboro, NC and the Academy of Notre Dame, Washington, D.C. benefited from Louise’s ability to help them succeed at Mathematics. Then she was asked to serve as Prefect of Studies at Notre Dame High School, Moylan, PA. Looking back on this time in her life Louise said, “These years of teaching in our schools were years of inquiry, searching for ways to ‘free our children to learn’.” Such has been my goal, my dream that has kept me in the classroom most of my sixty years in Notre Dame.”

That goal lead Louise to continue her own studies, focusing on instruction methods and curriculum development.  She used what she learned to supervise student teachers at the University of Pennsylvania. Computers were just beginning to be used in classrooms during that time. Louise was intrigued. She saw the possibilities for technology to “free our children to learn.” Louise placed herself on the cutting edge of bringing technology into education by developing, and teaching students in a Masters and Doctorate program in Computer education. She spent the last 19 years of her teaching career as an Assistant Professor and Director of Academic Computing Services at Chestnut Hill College, Chestnut Hill, PA.

Throughout her years of teaching, through word and action, Louise communicated to those around her Saint Julie’s message of “How good is the good God!” She took special interest in those in need, finding ways to ease their burdens, and always including them in her prayers. Louise also looked for God’s goodness in her Sisters in community. She was a good friend and an inspiration to many an SND. Known for her sharp intelligence, Louise was also known for her kindness, humor and simplicity. While Louise described the first 60 years of her religious life as “involved and extraordinarily happy”, the last 16 years were marked by increasing dementia. In spite of the diminishment caused by the disease, Louise’s inquiring mind continued to be evident in the hours she spent with puzzles and the newspaper. Likewise she continued to communicate with a smile, witnessing daily to God’s goodness and love.

Louise loved her family. A special joy for her was her younger sister’s entrance into Notre Dame in 1947. Anne became Sister Cecilia. Louise often thanked God for the 26 years she and Cecilia shared in Notre Dame before Cecilia’s death. Louise is the last of her family to complete the paschal journey from this life to the next. As we celebrate the gift of Louise’s faith-filled life we imagine her great joy as she embraces her parents and siblings. We give thanks for the many ways she, rooted and grounded in love, made God’s goodness known to those around her. We ask her prayers for us that like her, we may continue to carry to others the Saint Julie’s message, “How good is the good God!” We pray for her that she may comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that she may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19, paraphrased).

BIO DATA

  • Born on 6/13/1927 at Bear Creek, PA
  • Parents: Francis Mayock (b. Wilkes Barre, PA) and Cecilia Pauxtis (b. Edwardsville, PA)
  • Siblings: Frank Mayock, Benjamin Mayock, Mary Mayock McDonnell, Joseph Mayock, Sister Cecilia (Anne) Mayock SNDdeN, Richard Mayock and Michael Mayock
     
  • Baptized on June 13, 1927 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Wilkes Barre, PA 
  • Confirmed on November 28, 1938 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Miners Mills, Wilkes Barre, PA 
     
  • Entered August 12, 1945 at Lichester, MD
  • Professed First Vows: July 30, 1948
  • Professed Final Vows: July 31, 1953

EDUCATION:

  • Sacred Heart Catholic School, Wilkes Barre, PA, 1941
  • West Catholic Girls’ High School, Philadelphia, PA, 1945
  • B.S. in Education, Trinity College, Washington, D.C., 1960
  • M.T.S. in Mathematics, Catholic University, Washington, D.C., 1967

ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDED:

  • 1948-1956: Teacher, St. Francis Xavier Parish School, Washington, D.C.
  • 1956-1959: Teacher, St. Anthony Parish School, Southern Pines, NC
  • 1959-1/1960: Teacher, St. Catherine of Genoa Parish School, Brooklyn, NY
  • 1/1960-8/1960: Student, Trinity College, Washington, D.C.
  • 1960-1964: Math Teacher, Norfolk Catholic High School, Norfolk, VA
  • 1964-1968: Business & Math Teacher, Notre Dame High School, Greensboro, N.C.
  • 1968-1970: Math Teacher, Academy of Notre Dame, K Street, Washington, D.C.
  • 1970-1974: Prefect of Studies, Notre Dame High School, Moylan, PA
  • 1974-1976: Doctoral Student, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1976-1981: Supervisor of Student Teachers, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1981-1985: Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 
  • 1985-2004: Assistant Professor and Director of Academic Computing Services, Chestnut Hill College, Chestnut Hill, PA
  • 2004-2009: Community Service & Ministry of Prayer, Geary Street, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2009-6/2012: Ministry of Prayer & Presence, Villa Julie, Stevenson, MD
  • 6/30/2012-2022: Ministry of Prayer, Mount Notre Dame Health Center, Reading, OH
     
  • Died: January 19, 2022 at Mount Notre Dame health Center, Reading, OH

Sr. Kim Dalgarn SNDdeN
 January 24, 2022