Sisters celebrate 60 years of Profession of Vows

Sisters Denise Cassidy and Brenda Thompson, both Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Corpus Christi, are celebrating their sixtieth anniversary of religious profession this year.

Sister Denise, baptized Anne Brigid, was born on Dec. 30, 1937, to Patrick Cassidy and Agnes McMahon Cassidy in Dublin, Ireland. She began her early school education with the Holy Faith Sisters at Corpus Christi Elementary and at the Dominic Street School in Dublin. She graduated from the Holy Faith Secondary School on Dominic Street, Dublin. 

After graduating, Anne (Sister Denise) met Sisters Claude McManus and Noreen Begley who gave vocation talks to students in Dublin, while on a home visit from Incarnate Word Convent in Corpus Christi. She said that the beautiful simplicity and gentleness of the sisters impressed her so much that she wanted to follow them to Texas.

Her religious vocation plans began to develop and in November 1956, she traveled to Corpus Christi to enter the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.  

Mother Patricia Gunning, Superior General at the time, felt it would be a good experience for her to have an American education experience, so she attended and graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1957 and told the students stories of her life as an Incarnate Word Sister in Texas. After completing the formation program of postulant and novice, she made her 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.  She began her teaching career at Incarnate Word Academy Kindergarten in Corpus Christi, followed by 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. 

Sister Denise has shared her gifts, talents and time in many various ways, including ministry in CCD programs and missionary work to families in Arteaga, Mexico. Within the congregation, she has participated as a delegate to the General Chapter, as a member of the local administration team at the Motherhouse, as well as membership on numerous commissions and committees of the congregation. 

For many 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. She has been receiving cancer treatment and making visits to M.D. Anderson in Houston for the past several years. 

Sister Denise enjoys nature walks, listening to music and books on tape, knitting, crocheting, playing Canasta with the Sisters, and communicating with her family in Ireland via e-mail, texting and Skype.

In reviewing her life as a teacher, Sister Denise said, ”It is a great source of joy to work with young children, teaching them the fundamentals of reading and math and letting them know in the process how much God loves them. I like to tell the children that they have the power to be and to do anything they want if they only put their minds and hearts to it.”

Sister Brenda Thompson baptized Philomena, was born July 7, 1938, to George Thompson and Catherine Dillon Thompson in Dublin, Ireland. At the age of four Philomena tragically lost both her parents and was raised by her aunts and uncles. 

She began her early school education at the Holy Faith Convent School in Dublin.  Like Sister Denise, she was inspired by Sister Claude McManus who told the students stories of her life as an Incarnate Word Sister in Texas.  

One year later she entered Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Convent in Corpus Christi. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy and made her first profession of vows in 1959. 

Sister Brenda earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from St. Edward’s University in Austin, and a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling with certification in Career and College Counseling from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.  She was then licensed as a professional counselor for the State of Texas. She served for eight years on the Board of the Coastal Bend Mental Health Committee and the Board of the Coastal Bend Childhood Mental Health Commission.  On the Corpus Christi Drug Abuse Council, she headed training workshops for educators of the Coastal Bend.

In her years of ministry, Sister Brenda was the administrator of the Incarnate Word Academy Kindergarten, which began with two pre-kinder and three kindergarten classes when the Academy opened on Alameda Street.  She opened a new grade each year to reach a fully accredited Elementary level. 

In Brownsville, she taught at Incarnate Word Elementary School for three years.

While serving as College and Career Counselor at IWA, Corpus Christi, Sister Brenda helped public school administrators by giving workshops on preparing students for college to teachers, counselors and parents.  She was honored as an “Outstanding Educator” in 1990 by the President’s Commission on Education in Washington and received her award from the President and First Lady Barbara Bush in a ceremony at the White House.

From 1985 to 2009, Sister Brenda served as the Director of Incarnate Word Academy Alumni, developing a stewardship program of financial support and regular class reunions for graduating classes. A scholarship in her name was opened by the Alumni Advisory Council in 2009, and in 2013, she was presented with the Distinguished Alumna Award.

In her years of service within the congregation, Sister Brenda began working with Sister Dorothy Anhaiser as Archivist and was assigned Director of Heritage when the Motherhouse relocated to Lipes Boulevard. She continues to digitize documents and provide data upon request. She also assists the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity and members of the First Methodist Church in Beeville in setting up their heritage libraries and artifacts departments. She continues giving tours of the Heritage Room in its new and brightly lit location to student and adult groups. 

Sister Brenda served on the Diocesan Memories Committee for the 100th anniversary of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.  She has served on the IWA Board of Directors for several terms, and on the Advisory Council for Central Catholic Elementary.  In April 2016, she began ministry in the volunteer program at CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital–South, where she serves on the information desk.  She also volunteers with the new Alpha Program for the laity at St. Phillip the Apostle Parish. 

  “I love being with animals and nature,” Sister Brenda said,  “as much as I treasure having time to grow spiritually while answering the call of Pope Francis to go out and work beside the laity as a joyful, prophetic witness to God’s goodness.”