Sisters of the Living Word

Marie Barbara Gillen was born on May 4, 1920 in Chicago, IL. She was the second of the three Gillen children. Margaret was older and Peter was younger. Her mother and father gave to the children a deep faith life. Marie attended St. Gregory the Great Elementary School. During the years of later elementary school, Marie often helped the Sisters after school with the tasks in the classroom. One of the Sisters of Christian Charity (SCC) who staffed the school was a particular inspiration to Marie. Sr. Mariata Muetting, SCC taught the lower grades and Marie was impressed by her devotion to the children.

At the end of eighth grade, Marie entered the Sisters of Christian Charity in Wilmette, IL. Margaret, her older sister, had already entered the same community. In 1936, Marie began her novitiate and was given the name Mariette. This was a happy time for her and the Sisters in her novitiate.

After Mariette made vows, she began many years of teaching beginning with preschoolers and continuing to the middle and upper grades. Mariette says in a reflection about her ministry, “I spent many happy years in the classroom…I could almost see them learning and growing in character. What a privilege for me to be able to do this.”

As a teacher, Mariette ministered in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota.

Then in 1972, Mariette came to St. Joseph, Rockdale, IL to begin over 20 years of sharing her skills and love of God with the people of that parish. She began her work there as the Director of Religious Education. Gradually, she expanded her ministry to the adults of the parish. She reflects, “My work (with the children and adults) centered on helping them develop a love for Christ. It is a gift to prepare individuals to receive the Eucharist for the first time.”

Mariette found many ways to bring Christ, the Word, to the parishioners at St. Joseph. Besides her work with the School of Religion and its teachers, she lead prayer services and visited the sick and homebound distributing Communion as she visited. She loved to sing and for a while led the choir at the parish.

When the Sisters of the Living Word (SLW) were founded in 1975, Mariette had a hard decision to make. Her blood sister, Margaret, remained with the SCC, but Mariette knew she was called to move to the new community. She remarks, “As I listened to God, the answer for me became clear. I decided to join the SLW and have never regretted the decision.”

Mariette spent the last years of her life at Resurrection Life Center (RLC), Chicago, IL. There she continued her ministry by her cheerful welcome to all who visited her. She was always grateful for visitors and promised to pray for each person who shared time with her.

As Sisters reflected on her life, Mariette’s grateful spirit and gracious smile were very much part of the memories. In her room at RLC, one would not only be welcomed by Mariette, but also by her stuffed dogs, a pleasant reminder of Mariette’s companion, Scruffy.

In the sharing at her wake, Mariette’s contribution to the SLW Mission Statement was noted. The discussion centered around the presence of the Word. Did the SLW bring the Word to people or was the Word already there waiting for someone to reflect and affirm the Word? Mariette strongly argued that the mission of the Sisters of the Living Word was to “reflect and affirm the Word” already present. And so reads the SLW Mission Statement.

Mariette concludes her short biography, “I know as I reflect back, that God was in my decision to become a Sister of the Living Word.” God was, and is now, the center of Mariette’s gracious life.

-Barbara Mass, SLW

Sr. Mariette ministered at the following locations:

St. Boniface-St. Louis, MO

Guardian Angel Elementary-Chaska, MN

St. Boniface Elementary-Minneapolis, MN

Gehlen Elementary-Le Mars, IA

Holy Trinity Elementary-Chicago, IL

St. Gregory Elementary-Chicago, IL

St. Theresa Elementary-Chicago, IL

Holy Name-Clarendon Hills, IL

Southside Montessori-Chicago, IL

Holy Trinity Elementary-Westmont, IL

Louis University

St. Joseph Parish-Rockdale, IL

Resurrection Life Center-Chicago, IL