Burns, Sister Robertine Elisabeth

Other Events:

• 1920 Census: 1920, Freeport, Stephenson, Illinois, USA; Ed 124 page 4B
• Religious Vows: 5 Aug 1929; Sinsinawa Dominican
• Occupation: Aft 5 Aug 1929; Teacher
• Biography: Aft 21 Sep 2000
• Obituary: Aft 21 Sep 2000
• Letter: 4 Apr 2002; General Info and Documents from the Sinsinawa Archives

Notes:

1920 Census:
At 275 Walnut St.; Listed livi ng with parents age 10

Religious Vows:
Sister Robertine

Occupation:
Teacher

Obituary:
See Image Sinsinawa Dominican Archives Sister Robertine Burns, OP, died at St. Dominic Villa, Dubuque, on Sept. 2 1, 2000. The Mass of Resurrection was celebrated in Queen of the rosary Ch apel, Sinsinawa, on Sept. 25. Internment in the Motherhouse Cemetery follo wed. Matthias Walsh, OP, presided. None of Sr. Robertine's immediate fami ly survives. Her nieces attended the funeral. Elizabeth burns was bo rn on May 13, 1909 in Freeport, IL., one of the six children of Robert a nd Mary (Cox) Burns. Elizabeth attended St. Mary's Elementary School and F reeport High School and Freeport High School. She entered St. Clara Noviti ate after high school and, on Aug 5, 1929, made her first religious profes sion as Sr. Robertine. Sr. Robertine was an elementary teacher and resour ce tutor for 47 years. She taught in the following schools:
Sacred Heart, Washington, DC ('29-32)
St. Bernard's, Wauwatosa ('33-40)
St. Barnabas", Chicago ('41-44)
St. John's, Milwaukee ('44-45)
St. Giles', Oak Park ('46-48)
St. Augustine's, South St. Paul ('51-62)
Epiphany, Chicago ('62-68)She served in resource centers at St. Thomas Aquinas, Milwaukee ('68-71)
St. Thomas Aquinas, Freeport ('71-73)
St. Rose's, Baltimore ('73-78)
and as a tutor at St. Pter's, Oshkosh ('78-79).She went to the villa in 1979 and remained there for 21 years.When we welcomed Sr. Robertine's body to the Gathering Place at the Moun d, Mary Ellen Winston, OP, gave a biographical sketch of Sr. Robertine's l ife. She said this: Sr. Robertine wrote a paper in which she spoke of t he graces of growing up in a loving famiy"The heritage of a Christian educ ation in our home, through St. Clara's Academy's gifts of beauty receiv ed by our mother, resulted in a family with a desire to serve others and e ducated for service in the fields of welfare, medicine and mental health ." In 1978 Sr. Robertine wrote: From the first sign of my vocation, I w as graced with a love for Christ in the Eucharist, a firm belief that my v ocation was to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, a great love for prayer and servi ce to children and to the needy. All of these have grown through the Spir it into my Dominican vocation characterized in our Constitution as a ca ll to prayer, and an awareness of the needs of the church." Sr. Mary Ell en continued: Through long bouts of illness of mind and body, she continu ed to preach the Gospel. Through gentleness, peaceflness, and a strong int erest in what was happening in the world, in her family, and in our congre gation, she continued to pray and preach. She loved study and wrestling wi th truth. She kept up as best she could on what was happening in the wor ld and loved to share her thoughts with others.At the Wake, Selina Stanaway, OP, offered her reflection on Sr. Robertine 's life. Sr. Sal said the following: Sr. Robertine lived her vocation in g ood times, in hard times, in good health and in poor health. She lov ed to teach and instilled a love of reading in many young people. In her l ast years, she taught through her smile, given to those who minister ed to her and that indicated acceptance, despite pain and loss of freedo m. She preached through her resilience, har waiting for death to com e. In his homily, Father Matt said this: Over the years, Jesus prepar ed a special place for Sr. Robertine in his father's house. It is a dwelli ng built for her selfless ministry as a teacher, built of her thoughtfulne ss in community, built of her smiles and tears, built of her hope and tru st in the God who called her so many years ago to make God's Word her home .
On the back was written;We bring the body of our Sister Robertine to this holy place we call our h ome - Sinsinawa Mound. We bring her body into this sacred gathering of t he faithful - her sisters and family. We give voice to our faith in the po wer of Christ's resurrection from the dead and we give praise and than ks to God for her life and the gifts that she so generously used in preach ing the Good News of the Gospel. .....(repeats much of the info on her bir th date etc....)

Biography:
1978 Letter written by Sister Robertine; Saint Peter's School 449 High Str eet; Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 December 2, 1978
Dear Sister Cecelia,Blessed New Year! 1978--Fifty-two years ago on the twenty-seventh of Decem ber an eighteen year old daughter of a grand old dad approached him with t he request, "Dad, may I start the New Year right?"
'What do you mean?""May I go to the Mound for New Year's?" This was after a wait from July, w hen his response had been, "Don't ever speak to me of this again!"On that day, his response was, "You seem to have made up your min d. It is up to you and your mother. "Gifts from Christmas made immediate preparations possible. That afterno on Sister Virginia and I took the list of necessary articles and
purchased a trunk and contents.Thus Sister Virginia, Mother, my two beloved brothers and I set out in twe lve degree below weather to start my life in response to the call of the S pirit. In the spring, when I approached Father Binz, he asked what I wish ed to speak to him about. My answer was, "'A vocation." "Thank God, it 's about time you talked to someone." Through the years my life with the W AY, TRUTH, AND LIFE has been open at times, and hidden at others. Before l eaving Baltimore my director advised that the time had come to speak. My p reparations for coming to Oshkosh are known. What may not be known is t he waiting for the Spirit at the present time. Here begins the Call of t he Spirit for Advent in 1979--the year, seventy, and eighty if you are str ong! 1909-1979.The months since coming to Oshkosh have been characteristic of my life; in terest in many things, never a dull moment, watching and waiting for the m oments of significance which were always contemplated in my morning Holy H our after community prayers. There was never anxiety or tension since t he Fruits of the Spirit of Charity, Peace, Patience, and Joy were domina nt in the vocation to which I had been called. As Advent approached the re was a stronger awareness of the breaking of a new day, without an under standing of what was ahead. The following gems are simply vignettes of sig nificance. It is difficult to present them in this manner, but I am awa re that I must meet the challenge which was on the Search program a few we eks ago:
"He who speaks, knows not, He who knows, speaks not!"
1. During retreat one of my assigned readings was Jer. 29:11-14. Whi le at prayer this was not the focus which dominated; instead it was Jer. 2 9:7. "Promote the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray f or it to the Lord, for upon its welfare depends you own."
2. My background as a teacher has been often directed to the welfare of t he accelerated student. This was particularly true in South Saint Paul whe re parent relationships brought me into contact with Mr. Michelson, an exe cutive at 3 M. It was through him that "Cooperation Westside" profited fr om his giving me the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of public relat ions on the morning of Christmas Eve in the early seventies. The top m an in this area spent from nlne to one glvlng me the essentlal "know how ". "Cooperatlon Westside", an ecumenical neighborhood group had received $ 10,000 from Lutheran Board of America, and it was their choice that I wo rk on the funding committee to supplement that. Mr. Michelson also se nt me an overhead projector during my one summer experience in teaching re ligion. This was left as a donation to the center in Cheyenne. At this sa me assignment Binney and Smith sent the art supplies for the following sum mer when the pictures of the achievements of two weeks work were sent to t hem. Saint Mary's School had given aides in high school students and all a rt supplies. The blessings rewarded the effort expended.
3. Three of the four summers which I spent In the Diocesan Summer Scho ol in Rockford were for students with IQ's from 125-150 ingrades 5-8. Planning, getting books, organizing the program for from twel ve to 15 students of varying background was indeed a challenge; howev er it is the reason for my seeing my place here in this well-organized sch ool in Oshkosh. This is the Wisconsin area of our Founder, the Church h as moved in accord with Vatican II, our Sisters are living together, prayi ng together, sharing together, and laughing together beautifully as Servan ts of the Church. (Mother's advice to me as a young Sister was, "Get a go od laugh every day, even i f you have to go th the funny paper for it.")
4. Last week I was approached by the Charismatic group who were prepari ng for a Mass which seemed to be a beginning. I know that Sister Janette a nd Sister Liz let you know how this came about. I go where I am called, of ten times only to find out what is going on. These events are simply showi ng the loving Providence of the Trinity.
5. My experience at the Museum of Science and Industry ten years ago was r ich and important in the formation of valuable friend- ships. It was al so important in my growth in the appreciation of meeting thousands of peop le daily. Therefore, when the Oshkosh Museum offered a trip there for a me re fourteen dollars, I planned on going. The last two people on the bus we re Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nolan. He is a prominent lawyer who is an advis or to many influential people here in Oshkosh, around Wisconsin, and abroa d. His wife is involved in many areas of social activities, and has run f or office in the county for eleven terms. Despite the fact that I had look ed forward to reading, her taking the last seat next to me proved informat ive, and another example of the Spirit. From seven o'clock until ten-thir ty we rode along peacefully while she gave me much information on board s, people, and groups in Oshkosh. The transmission hose on the bus brokearound 115th and North St. in Chicago. The driver went into a Shell statio n. This gave us an hour to complacently sit and become acquainted with o ur neighbors. Mr. Nolan came to the back of the bus where we were and ma de known his experiences with our Sisters at St. Peter's over a peri od of nine years. His tributes to the various Sisters were edifying and in dicative of what our goals in education were and are. The three hours allo tted for shopping in the Loop were not to be ours; however we would be ab le to be at the Museum by the appointed time of 2 pm. The suggestion th at we cross the street to the Town and Country Coffee Shop provided furth er time for conversation. In their travels in Munich and Vienna, both fore ign museums acknowledged their advantages, but admitted that they except ed the Museum ....The letter ends here, I have written to the nuns to see if they can find t he rest of the letter.