A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Phyllis Nolan, D.C., was celebrated October 12, 2018, at the Seton Residence Chapel in Evansville, Ind.; burial followed at St. Joseph Cemetery, Evansville. Sister Phyllis died October 9, 2018, at Seton Residence in Evansville. Sister was 83 years of age and 64 years vocation as a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
Born June 13, 1935, in Chicago, Ill., Sister Phyllis (Phyllis Anne) was one of two children born to Frank Michael and Anne Loretta (Connors) Nolan. Sister graduated from Immaculata High School in Chicago, in 1953. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Marillac College, St. Louis, Mo., in 1961; and her Master of Arts Degree in Religious Education from Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y., in 1974.
Sister Phyllis entered the Daughters of Charity from St. Bartholomew Parish, Chicago, in December 1953. Following initial formation, Sister taught at St. Catherine Labouré Parish School, St. Louis, (1955 to 1957); St. Theresa School in Carson City, Nev., (1957 to 1958); and St. Vincent School, Perryville, Mo., (1958 to 1961 at the Grade School and 1961 to 1963 at the High School).
Sister Phyllis was then missioned to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, to serve as a Secondary Teacher at Immaculate Conception Academy, (1963 to 1969). Returning to the U.S., Sister was missioned to serve as Parish Religious Education Coordinator at El Carmen Mission in San Antonio, Tex., (she served in this role twice: 1969 to 1970 and 1974 to 1979). She taught again at St. Vincent High School, Perryville, (1971 to 1973). From 1979 to 2000, Sister served as a foreign missionary in Bolivia. There, she ministered in catechetical and pastoral ministry in many locations including Trinidad, La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba, Bolivia. Upon her return to the states, Sister was missioned to serve as Pastoral Associate at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Parish, in Pharr, Tex., (2000 to 2002). She then served as Pastoral Minister at St. John the Baptist, Hot Springs, Ark., (2003 to 2006). Sister Phyllis served in El Paso as a Legal Assistant, English as a Second Language Teacher, and Advocate for unaccompanied minors at Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, (2006 to 2014). In 2014, Sister joined the Ministry of Prayer at The Sarah Community in Bridgeton, Mo. She was missioned to Seton Residence, Evansville, in 2016 where she continued to serve in the Ministry of Prayer until the time of her death.
When asked about her vocation for inclusion on the former West Central Province website, Sister Phyllis shared, “I love what life calls me to; to be totally given to God for the service of Christ in the person of those who are poor…If God speaks to your heart, calls you to such a life, say yes with all your being. You will never regret it!”
Sister Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Dolores Perenick. She is survived by many cousins, many friends, and her Sisters in Community.