Sr. Regina Keating Goes Home to God
Sr. Mary Regina Keating , 87, (Margaret Mary Keating) went home to God on July 14, 2014, after a brief illness. She died in the monastery surrounded by her sisters of Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey. Sister was born on May 27, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York. She entered the Cistercian monastery of Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts, on August 22, 1952 and made her final profession on September 24, 1957.
On October 18, 1964, Sister Regina and 12 other sisters were sent to found a new monastery in Dubuque, Iowa. This was the beginning of Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey. Sister’s death came as the community celebrated the opening of the Jubilee Year of this monastery.
Sister was the cook and bread baker for the community for many years and then became the first manager of the shipping department in the candy business. Her organizational skills were well adapted for this work.
Sister Regina will be remembered for her love of God’s creation, especially her feathered friends, for her wonderful sense of humor, her skill with the Irish Jig and for her lovely soprano voice. We will never forget the joy of hearing her sing Mozart’s Alleluia at our Easter Vigil. Now she lives that Alleluia fully.
There will be a wake and prayer service on Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the abbey and the funeral for Sister Regina will be on Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 AM.