Sister Mary Kathleen Steinkamp |
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Sister Mary Kathleen Steinkamp, a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy who was a former parochial school math teacher and later a financial administrator for her religious order, died Oct. 14 of cancer at The Villa, her order's retirement home in the Woodbrook neighborhood of Baltimore County. She was 74.
Mary Kathleen Steinkamp was born in Baltimore and raised in Northeast Baltimore. She was a 1953 graduate of Mount St. Agnes High School in Mount Washington.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education from Mount St. Agnes College in 1957, Sister Kathleen entered the Sisters of Mercy that year.
"It was the last week of school, and I made a deal with God," Sister Kathleen said in an oral history of her order regarding her decision to become a nun.
"I decided that if I got accepted to teach at Eastern High School, I would not enter [the Sisters of Mercy], and if I didn't get a position there, I would enter," she said. "Well, I heard nothing, so I decided to enter the community. Then I did get a letter from Eastern, but I stuck with my decision."
Sister Kathleen professed her final vows in 1965 and took the religious name of Mary Renata, but later in life reverted to her given name.
After completing her religious training, Sister Kathleen began teaching high school math, physics and biology at Mount St. Agnes High School.
Subsequently, she held teaching assignments at the Convent of Mercy High School in Mobile, Ala., Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Ga., and St. Pius X High School in Atlanta.
In 1969, she earned a master's degree in math from Tulane University and a degree in legal studies from the University of Baltimore in 1982.
Sister Kathleen left teaching in 1976 when she joined the Provincial Council of the Sisters of Mercy in Baltimore, where her duties included being responsible for the community's finances.
"She had a great financial mind and went on to become the founding director of the National Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutes, continuing in the role of executive director of this group from 1982 to 1988," said Sister Paula Cockerham, a friend who is also a member of the Sisters of Mercy.
"She did not fear change, and her creative energy drove her to many pioneering ventures," Sister Paula said.
Sister Kathleen's efforts led to the establishment of a joint retirement convent for the Sisters of Mercy and Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart. She also assisted in the establishment of Mercy Housing Southeast, an initiative that developed affordable housing in Savannah, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C.
She helped establish and implement a program that helped train unemployed women in furniture upholstery at the Caroline Center on Somerset Street in East Baltimore.
She retired in 2005.
"We were in college together, and I knew her before either one of us joined the order. I was a freshman, and she was a senior. Even then, she had those great leadership skills. She was consistently elected to the student government and was a leader of her class and student body," said Sister Jeremy Daigler.
"On the surface, it looks like her work was all about money, but it was really about how her order could serve the poor," she said. "She empowered members of her religious community to change lives, and in doing so, helped thousands of people through its various institutions."
She described Sister Kathleen as a "very outspoken but practical person" who had an "extremely broad view of what was the spiritual and material life."
"She was a beautiful blend of practicality and vision. She was always very kind and caring," Sister Jeremy recalled.
Sister Jeremy said that one of Sister Kathleen's passions was eating steamed crabs on a regular basis at The Barn on Harford Road in Carney.
"She was also an excellent knitter, enjoyed traveling the country, and made and kept lots of friendships," Sister Jeremy said.
A Mass of Christian burial was offered Monday at The Villa.
Surviving are a sister, Peg Doerfler of Baltimore; and many nieces and nephews.
Mary Kathleen Steinkamp was born in Baltimore and raised in Northeast Baltimore. She was a 1953 graduate of Mount St. Agnes High School in Mount Washington.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education from Mount St. Agnes College in 1957, Sister Kathleen entered the Sisters of Mercy that year.
"It was the last week of school, and I made a deal with God," Sister Kathleen said in an oral history of her order regarding her decision to become a nun.
"I decided that if I got accepted to teach at Eastern High School, I would not enter [the Sisters of Mercy], and if I didn't get a position there, I would enter," she said. "Well, I heard nothing, so I decided to enter the community. Then I did get a letter from Eastern, but I stuck with my decision."
Sister Kathleen professed her final vows in 1965 and took the religious name of Mary Renata, but later in life reverted to her given name.
After completing her religious training, Sister Kathleen began teaching high school math, physics and biology at Mount St. Agnes High School.
Subsequently, she held teaching assignments at the Convent of Mercy High School in Mobile, Ala., Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Ga., and St. Pius X High School in Atlanta.
In 1969, she earned a master's degree in math from Tulane University and a degree in legal studies from the University of Baltimore in 1982.
Sister Kathleen left teaching in 1976 when she joined the Provincial Council of the Sisters of Mercy in Baltimore, where her duties included being responsible for the community's finances.
"She had a great financial mind and went on to become the founding director of the National Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutes, continuing in the role of executive director of this group from 1982 to 1988," said Sister Paula Cockerham, a friend who is also a member of the Sisters of Mercy.
"She did not fear change, and her creative energy drove her to many pioneering ventures," Sister Paula said.
Sister Kathleen's efforts led to the establishment of a joint retirement convent for the Sisters of Mercy and Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart. She also assisted in the establishment of Mercy Housing Southeast, an initiative that developed affordable housing in Savannah, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C.
She helped establish and implement a program that helped train unemployed women in furniture upholstery at the Caroline Center on Somerset Street in East Baltimore.
She retired in 2005.
"We were in college together, and I knew her before either one of us joined the order. I was a freshman, and she was a senior. Even then, she had those great leadership skills. She was consistently elected to the student government and was a leader of her class and student body," said Sister Jeremy Daigler.
"On the surface, it looks like her work was all about money, but it was really about how her order could serve the poor," she said. "She empowered members of her religious community to change lives, and in doing so, helped thousands of people through its various institutions."
She described Sister Kathleen as a "very outspoken but practical person" who had an "extremely broad view of what was the spiritual and material life."
"She was a beautiful blend of practicality and vision. She was always very kind and caring," Sister Jeremy recalled.
Sister Jeremy said that one of Sister Kathleen's passions was eating steamed crabs on a regular basis at The Barn on Harford Road in Carney.
"She was also an excellent knitter, enjoyed traveling the country, and made and kept lots of friendships," Sister Jeremy said.
A Mass of Christian burial was offered Monday at The Villa.
Surviving are a sister, Peg Doerfler of Baltimore; and many nieces and nephews.
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