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Sister Mary Grace Gaeta 1922 - 2007 Felician Franciscan, Sister Mary Grace Gaeta passed away on August 25, 2007, at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Provincial House in Rio Rancho, NM. Born in San Bernardino, CA, she was the daughter of John and Altagracia (Castruita) Gaeta and in baptism was given the name Carmen. The eldest of seven children, she often took on the responsibility for their care. Her primary and secondary education years were spent in Southern California. After her high school years, Carmen worked for ten years helping to support her family, having lost her father shortly after high school. A Franciscan at heart, she became a member of the Third Order Secular of St. Francis on January 8, 1950. On September 8, 1951, Carmen entered the Felician Franciscan Congregation in Chicago, IL. At the investiture ceremonies in 1952, she was given the name Mary Grace, to which she gave special meaning during her entire life as a Felician Sister. In 1953 and 54 she served the community using her gift as a seamstress and tailor. In 1954, she began her teaching ministry which took her to CA, TX, AL and OK, at twelve different locations. With untiring patience and compassion, Sister Grace taught children from kindergarten through fifth grade, often teaching three grades in one classroom. During the 1986-87 school year at Sacred Heart School, in Pomona, CA, she also ministered to her aging mother in neighboring La Verne, CA. After thirty-four years of teaching, in 1988, Sister Grace returned to the provincial house in Rio Rancho to once again minister as a seamstress. In 1992, at the age of seventy, Sister Grace joined Sister Margaret Marie Padilla, to open the first Felician Mission in Ejido Santa Maria in Coahuila, Mexico. The harsh conditions of the area did not prevent her from working to evangelize, visit homes, promote base communities, work to establish justice for women and children and the local coal miner. She also shared her skills in sewing and assisted the women of the area with marketable hand crafts. In 1993 sister made her final return to Rio Rancho where she served as a seamstress and driver. In her spare time she worked on beautifully executed needle point and embroidery projects. She also found time to provide catechetical instruction at San Ysidro Parish in Corrales, NM until 2004, when declining health forced her to curtail her active ministries. In spite of some physical limitations, Sister Grace continued to care for flowers and the wild birds. Daily she would bring bird seed to her feathered friends on the "South Side." Whenever she was unable to feed God's creatures herself, she was sure to find a substitute for this service. This gentle and caring nature was always characteristic of the way Sister Grace lived her life. Gentle by nature, she was always kind, nourished by her deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She also had a very strong devotion to the Holy Family. Sister Grace maintained strong ties with her own family. Her desk top was filled with family photos, mostly of the youngest members, who always brought a smile to her face. She was and will be known for her gentle strength and quiet counsel and for forgiveness and peace making in all her relationships. Sister Grace was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Peter Gaeta. She sis survived by her brothers, John, Joe, Ray, and Jesse Gaeta and her sister, Hope Moreno. The Vesper service will take place at 4:30 p.m. at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Provincial House Chapel, 4210 Meadowlark Lane, SE, Rio Rancho, with the Wake and Rosary Services at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4, 2007. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. at the Provincial House Chapel, Rio Rancho. Burial will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Albuquerque. Arrangements by Daniels Family Funeral Services 4310 Sara Rd. Rio Rancho, New Mexico 892-9920
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