Sisters' Profiles
Sr. Aline Giroux, fmm
Sr. Aline Giroux, fmm entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on March 15, 1952 In North Providence and pronounced her Final Vows September 17, 1959. Most of Sr. Aline's ministries have been in the health care field. After obtaining her license as an R.N. she did staff nursing in St. Louis and North Providence. Then she was sent to St. Francis Cardiac Hospital in Long Island where she was the assistant supervisor in the operating room, followed by serving as administrative assistant in charge of four hospital departments. After completing studies leading to an MBA, she became the assistant administrator of St. Francis Hospital, Long Island. Sister has served in administration in facilities in the United States and in Africa. Her present ministries are Director of the Fruit Hill Day Services and serving on the Board of Directors for Franciscan Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in Brighton and the Board of the Fruit Hill Day Services for the Elderly.
Sr. Helen Mary Riordan, fmm
Sr. Helen Mary Riordan, fmm, entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on September 16, 1946 in Holy Family Novitiate North Providence. She made her first vows on March 19, 1949, and her final vows on March 19, 1952 in Holy Family Chapel, North Providence. After completing studies in nursing, she was sent in mission to St. Francis Sanatorium in Roslyn where she cared for children with rheumatic fever. She served by nursing in the Franciscan Hospital for Children, formerly called Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Brighton, Ma., the FMM Nursing Center and Fruit Hill Day Center for Elderly. Later, her ministry was receptionist and doing other community services in St. Francis Convent, Roslyn, NY. At present, her ministry at Fruit Hill is intercessory prayer for the Church and the world, and occasionally writing to her legislators about matters of concern.
Sr. Margaret Lois Houlihan , fmm
Sr. Margaret Lois Houlihan entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on March 16, 1947, in the 45th St. New York convent. She made her First Vows on Sept.17, 1949, and Final Vows on Sept. 17, 1952 in North Providence. Throughout her religious life she has had diverse ministries: as a linotype operator in The FMM Printing Press, music director, composer, Montessori teacher in the St Raphael Nursery, Bell St; Certified Nursing Assistant in St. Anne's Hospital, Fall River, MA. She was sent in mission to St. Teresa High School in Monrovia, Liberia, and also taught in the university and was the music director. She served in chaplaincy to higher government institutions in Kumasi, Ghana. In the USA, she served as the coordinator for Brooklyn Homeless Program and gave Music-imagery therapy in Francis House for persons suffering with AIDS. She volunteered in a child care facility and at St. Francis Center in Providence, RI. Her current ministry is librarian for the communities at Fruit Hill.
Sister Vita Marie Riccardelli, fmm
Sr. Vita Marie entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1960 at North Providence, RI. in 1966. . After her first vows in 1963, Vita studied nursing in Fatima Hospital, Providence and received her LPN. She made final vows in 1966. Sister later went to Roslyn and while working in St. Francis Hospital, studied for her RN at a local community college. In 1973 Vita was sent to England where at Liverpool she studied tropical diseases, and then to Ireland where she studied midwifery. After this Vita was missioned to Ghana where she worked as a nurse and midwife in a government health center until 1985. For the past twelve years, her ministry has been as a hospice nurse and/or at St. Francis Women’s Center. Vita can look back on her life and truthfully say: “Lord, it is good to be here! It’s been a happy, wonderful life, every minute. It’s hard to believe that I am preparing for a Golden Jubilee - wow! Fifty great years!“
Sister Anne Kelly, fmm
Sister Anne Kelly entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on September 18, 1950 at the age of seventeen. After pronouncing her first vows on March 19, 1953, she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in 1957 from Emmanuel College with a major in Mathematics. She pronounced her final vows on March 19, 1956 and was sent in mission to St. Anthony’s Community in Fall River, MA. Where Sr. Anne taught the fourth grade at Espiritu Santo School for one year.
In July l958, Sr. Anne was sent to Rome where after one month, was missioned to Pakistan where she spent nine years as a Professor of English in Nazareth College in Hyderabad.
Sr. La Verne Hincks, fmm
Sr. LaVerne Hincks entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on September 18, 1945 at North Providence, RI. Her name in religious life was Mary of St. John Berchmans. She continues to be known by the name of John.
After pronouncing her first vows on March 19, 1948, she began studies at Emmanuel College in Boston and graduated in 1952 with a B.A. Major in Chemistry.
Sr. John pronounced her final vows on March 19, 1951. Her ministry until 1953 was community service in St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine in Boston. In 1953, she was sent in mission to Moratuwa, Sri Lanka where she served as a teacher and was also in charge of the maintenance workers until 1969.
