In Memoriam: Sister Denise Cassidy, IWBS

Sister Denise Cassidy, Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Corpus Christi, died Monday, June 4 at Incarnate Word Convent, with her Sisters at her side. 

Funeral services for Sister Denise include a Vigil Service on Tuesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. at Incarnate Word Convent, 5201 Lipes Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 78413, and the Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, June 13 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 422 North Alameda, Corpus Christi, 78401.

Sister Denise had celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of her religious profession on Saturday, April 14, 2018.  For her Jubilee celebration, Mass, celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody, was held at Incarnate Word Convent for a smaller group, including her family from Ireland. She was on hospice at that time but was delighted to visit with her family members, friends, and Sisters at the convent, and to bid farewell to those who would not see her again before Jesus called her home.

Born December 30, 1937, Anne Brigid was born to Patrick Cassidy and Agnes McMahon Cassidy in Dublin, Ireland.  She began her early school education with the Holy Faith Sisters in Dublin, and graduated from the Holy Faith Secondary School on Dominic Street, Dublin. At school, she met Sister Claude McManus who was giving vocation talks to students in Dublin while on a home visit from Incarnate Word Convent in Corpus Christi. “Sister Claude’s beautiful simplicity and gentleness impressed me so much that I wanted to follow her to Texas.”  Her religious vocation plans began to develop and in November 1956, she traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas, to enter the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.  After completing the formation program of postulant and novice, she made first profession of vows in 1959.

Sister Denise earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from St. Edward’s University in Austin, and a Master’s Degree in Administration from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.  She began her teaching career in the Incarnate Word Academy Kindergarten in Corpus Christi and followed with over fifty years of teaching and administration in Catholic schools throughout South Texas. She has taught or served as principal at Corpus Christi Cathedral School, Sacred Heart School in Sinton, Incarnate Word Academy Elementary in Corpus Christi and in Brownsville, St. Patrick School, St. Theresa School, and Central Catholic Elementary in Corpus Christi. In addition to school ministry, she served in parish CCD programs and missionary work to families in Arteaga, Mexico. 

For years after retiring from acting principal and full-time teaching, Sister Denise continued to tutor students at Incarnate Word Academy Elementary Level, stopping when health issues forced her to retire.   Sister Denise enjoyed nature walks, listening to music and books on tape, reading, knitting, crocheting, playing Canasta with the Sisters, and communicating with her family in Ireland via e-mail, texting, and Skype.

Sister Denise found a great source of joy in working with her students, teaching them the fundamentals and letting them know in the process how much God loves them.  One of her final wishes in conversation with her family was to establish an endowed scholarship in her name for students at Incarnate Word Academy. Anyone wishing to donate to the Sister Denise Cassidy Scholarship may send the contribution to Incarnate Word Academy Foundation, 5201 Lipes Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78413, to the attention of Sister Martha Ann Snapka.