Please leave a comment to share your thoughts and memories of Sr. Janet.
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Sister Janet Schaffran, CDP Memorial Photo Album
Sisters of Divine Providence 
What a gentle, loving person Sr. Janet was. She will be remembered and missed by all who had the privilege to know her.
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A number of years ago Janet chose the music and readings for this celebration of her life. She also wrote a message that she wanted shared with family and friends.
This is a slightly edited version of what she said: “what I know from my life experience with each of you, is that we are called by a loving God to live life fully. Everyone has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is, and get about the business of doing it.
Your calling will light you up inside and let you know that you are exactly where you are
supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re
supposed to be doing.
I want you to live from the heart of yourself. You have to know what sparks the light in you, whether you are 70 or 17 years old, so that you
in your own way, can illuminate the world.
Living from the heart of yourself might mean
being the very best student possible, or sitting in an office with a computer where you enter data. It might mean creating great and fashionable hairstyles or mowing a lawn and planting shrubs. You might find yourself repairing cars or trucks.
Whatever your work you are responsible for the love and energy you bring to that space.
You are the presence of God brought to that moment in time.
Today as you spend time together, it is my final desire that you pause and recognize the Provident God who lures each of us to that holy mystery, promising always to be with us,
especially in times of suffering and struggle.
It is with deep gratitude to God and to each of you that I can conclude my life work here on earth, asking that you spend time praising God, in the hope that all might know the great provident one of unconditional love.”
Janet would be thrilled that so many from the various circles of her life have gathered here through these days.
She was all about widening the circles of relationships. She was all about making connections. As her good friend, Marsha wrote: “She drew people to her like a magnet.
People just naturally felt her warmth and were drawn to her unconditional love.”
And Janet saw the Light in each of us. She believed that we are each sparks of light called to make God’s providence visible in the world.
In that shared belief, Erin—one of Janet’s nieces and goddaughter will now light the first advent candle as we pause to give thanks
for the light that is within our own hearts.
Throughout the advent season as we light candles on our tables, on our mantles in our windows on our Christmas trees—may each of those lights be a reminder of Janet’s prayerful desire that we all be the light and energy
of God‘s providence made visible through our presence, through our advocacy.
And perhaps when we celebrate Janet’s birthday right after Christmas, the world will be aflame with the light that she sparked and that we are entrusted to carry forward.
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Janet was the first person to tell me about Seattle University, the SUMORE program, and I spent two of my three summers there with her. We played tennis many mornings! She was the one who told me all about the associate program and helped me begin it in the St. Louis province. I will always be grateful for those two “firsts” that she shared with me so willingly. Over the years we worked on associate committees and she was always so open and willing to share her insights. Janet was also the one who introduced me to adult coloring books and gave me my very first one! Janet, your warmth, your compassion for people, your welcoming others, and openness was such beautiful gifts. May you now enjoy that welcoming from our Provident God. We will miss you!
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Janet, now you know what “we can only imagine” as your life in this dimension came to an end.
You have joined the saints and angels in the place Jesus has reserved for you through all eternity.
You are part of the greater, wider, circle of love! Eternal rest and peace to you.
Karen L
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Sr. Janet, despite distance, somehow I felt You were going…
I recall some nice moments in Assumption convent, with Sr. Roberta Bradley (You already joined Her, I guess), Sr. Betty Sundry, Sr. Rita Adams and Aby.
Please, from Heaven, keep enlighting our lives and ways.
I’ll pray for your soul’s eternal rest. Sr. Janet R. I. P. Amen.
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Janet has been my best friend since we joined the same basketball team in 6th grade back around 1956. How can I possibly explain the impact her friendship had on me! I have a life time of memories from our school days, convent days, working life, senior years and the many times we were able to visit one another over the years. It has been my greatest joy to have loved and been loved by Janet. But I was just one of Janet’s friends. She drew people to her like a magnet. People just naturally felt her warmth and were drawn to her unconditional love. I bet there were over 200 people who attended her 50th Jubilee celebration. What a testimony that was to her and the gift she was to her family, her religious community, the local community and to the world. How lucky I was to have her as a significant part of my life throughout my life. She will always be my best friend, my sister.
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What I will always remember of Janet was her broad smile, which she kept to the end. When I lived with her at Ketteler House decades ago, her joy and energy made living there a great experience. But, as Sr. Carole Riley remarked, I also remember the wonderful prayer services she worked on and left us in the book that I still use with my community. My sincere sympathy to the community that had years of her serviced to be thankful for, and to those who loved her dearly. I am glad I am free to attend her funeral tomorrow morning.
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Sister Janet will always hold a special place in my heart. What a comfort she was to so many hospice patients in Forbes and to us the nurses and other care providers. I had a relationship with her long before hospice at St Joseph church in Mt Oliver. She ministered to me and my 3 children at family mass. When we remet years later at Forbes. She looked at me an said: “Yes Nancy, 2 little girls and a son” She remembered us in spite off 100s of people she had met in ministry! I was privileged to tell her what an impact she had on that single mom with 3 children. That little son was now a pastor! What a walking example of Christ’s love she was. Rest in peace my friend and I have no doubt you heard those beloved words: “well done my good and faithful servant “
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I was so fortunate to become a friend and co-worker with Janet during her time as a Campus Minister at Walsh University. She touched many lives in such positive ways during her time on the Walsh Campus. I will always treasure the friendship we shared as one of God’s greatest blessings in my life. May the Angels carry you to your eternal reward for a life well-lived in love and service to others. Until we meet again my dear friend.
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Janet was a great mentor as I began to be a part of the associate relationship. She gave me the gift of her time and wisdom and a sense of letting life unfold as it would. May her sense of presence to others bless us all.
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I am thankful for Sister Janet. She allowed me to participate in the Associate program even though I was not raised Catholic. She had a welcoming and healing spirit that made me feel okay!
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Janet as well Rita and Ellen welcomed me and my sister inter their home when my sister Mary , who was an associate was going through a terrible cancer diagnosis and treatment and then hospice. They opened their home to us and became our family…making meals so we had food when we came back from the hospital, picking me up at the airport and just sharing the struggle with us . I loved to sit in the TV room with them all (and Libby) and just feel the warm comfort of their love around me. Janet will be sorely missed but now she can walk freely with all the others before her! ❤️
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When Sister Janet lived at Ketteler House her prayer services and eventually her book of rituals made the world a different place. She was gifted and inspiring as a Providence Visionary. May she intercede for all of us
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My first memory of Janet is the Christmas Eve we found a Christmas poem on our pillows which started, “What can I give Him, poor as I am?” It ended with, “I know what I’ll give Him; I’ll give Him my heart.” And Janet did just that. Janet gave her heart and soul, mind and body to everything she did. The mother of one of her 1st grade students told me of Janet’s loving care of her child so long ago. She made such a difference. May her intercession on our behalf continue to make a difference in the lives of all who loved her. Rest in the presence of our dear Lord and His Mother, dear classmate.
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Sr. Janet always greeted me with a warm smile and a hug. She always made me feel welcome and a part of the community, even after long periods of absence. She truly made God’s providence more visible in my life. I was blessed to know her. May she rest in peace.
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I met Janet when she was DRE director at St. Joseph Mt. Oliver. She was a dear friend & supported me in so many ways: my work with homeless children in NJ and our year long Change a Heart volunteer program.We often met at the Rusty Nail in Bellevue for breakfast supporting each other and sharing hope for the journey. Janet was a spirit filled woman who shared her goodness with so many.
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Sr. Janet poured her love and industry into the Associates, nurturing and growing their numbers over all the years. God blessed us with her!
Pat
Pat Montgomery
pmontgomery@cdpsisters.org
(734) 665-7415
*Committed to making Providence more visible in our world*
On Fri, Nov 26, 2021 at 7:21 PM Sisters of Divine Providence wrote:
> cdpsisters posted: “Please leave a comment to share your thoughts and > memories of Sr. Janet. ” >
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‘Dear, dear Janet, you made such a difference in my life and faith!
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