Sister Jane Mary Mullen, CSJ

We gather together as a faith community to celebrate and give hanks for the life of Sister Jane Mullen, the former Sister Domitilla, a Sister of St. Joseph for 73 fruitful years. Jane’s picture on the Mass booklet captures her smiling countenance- on that radiates her deep love of God and love of life.

raised in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, the nine Mullen children were were nurtured in their catholic and in values of kindness and hospitality inclusive of all. Their home was a beacon of welcome for many relatives seeking a home of their own in a new land.

After graduating from Bishop McDonnell H.S. , Jane worked with children who were deaf. Then, eagerto embrace our charism, jane entered the community un 1952 filled with zeal for the mission of service that was to unfold for the next  73 years.

Jane’s call to ministry and her openness to God’s spirit were manifested in a legacy that showed her deep Eucharistic spirituality and her sensitivity to te human condition all God’s creation.

After teaching for 17 years i three parish schools in te Diocese of Brooklyn, Jane sensed a desire to end her active ministerial life.  Her prayerful discernment led her to become a member of the Bethel House of Prayer community for five years. Jane often reflected that those years were pure gift that nourished her soul and passion to live fully in God’s grace.

Empowered with energy to serve where needed, she taught in Cleary School for the deaf for the nextfive years. returning to Brooklyn in 1981 to be more attentive to her aging parents, Jane taught in St. Athanasius School for the next eight years, relishing all the lessons the children and families taught her. Again, kindness was her hallmark.

jane had earned a Masters Degree in Pastoral Ministry from Fordham University. The next phase of her life was to be a team member in service to mentally challenged adults in the Neuman and Seton Residence for ten years. She continued that ministry as a family outreach minister for Catholic Charities. The richness of those years was recounted in the many stories of her time as a house parent especially of her beloved Chad.

Responding to a call from the community in 2002 , Jane joined the Hope House community where her nurturing spirit and commitment to the development of each young person were evident.

in 2005, sensing a need to “slow down”, Jane moved to assist in the academy of St. Joseph and then in the Motherhouse as sacristan.

moving to St. Joseph Convent in 2020, Jane’s characteristic smile, kindly spirit, and desire to participate in every activity remained. In the words of sister paul Francis, “She was a real steady ender!” Her daily presence at Eucharist and her spirit of prayer especially for her family and our suffering world anchored her life.

God has shepherded jane beyond all wants, beyond all fears, from death into eternal life this day.

Sister Jane Mary Mullen, the former Sister Domitilla, died on August 11, 2025 in the 72nd year of her religious life.

now S. Rita Epilone will share her thoughts.

REJOICE IN THE LORD, ALWAYS; I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, REJOICE.  PHILIPPIANS: 4:4

A JOYFUL HEART IS: A GIFT FROM GOD, A SOURCE OF STRENGTH, AND A REFLECTION OF GOD’S PRESENCE.

WHEN, ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1952, I FIRST MET JANE MARY MULLEN,JEAN, I CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THIS 21 YEAR OLD ‘JOYFUL HEART’.  WE NAMED THIS SPIRIT IN EACH OTHER.  THERE IT WAS, I BELIEVE, OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS BORN.

WE SAT SIDE BY SIDE DURING THOSE EARLY NOVITIATE DAYS, BOTH BEING BORN THE SAME YEAR, A MONTH APART.

WE SHARED FAMILY STORIES, SHE FROM A FAMILY OF TEN, MYSELF FROM A FAMILY OF FOUR, RECOGNIZING HOW VERY BLEST WE BOTH WERE.

WE STRUGGLED TO ADJUST TO LIFE IN COMMUNITY, WHICH COULD BE RATHER CHALLENGING AT TIMES.  ALWAYS RESOLVED SOMEHOW BY THE THURSDAY AND SUNDAY EVENINGS SHARING OF SMALL DISHES OF CHOCOLATE CANDY.  I VIVIDLY REMEMBER JANE PATROLLING THE ROOM FOR EXTRAS.  WE CAME TO KNOW HOW SHE ENJOYED CANDY ……AND MADE SURE HER PATROLLING WAS SUCCESSFUL.

OUR PARTY OF ‘52 WAS A GREAT SUPPORT AND THE SOURCE OF MANY, MANY HOURS OF LAUGHTER AND FUN.

JANE WAS, IS, A PRECIOUS GIFT TO MANY.  ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I LEARNED FROM HER WAS THE ROSARY NOVENA.  I PRAYED THE ROSARY, BUT NEVER HEARD OF THIS SPECIAL PRAYER.  UNDER HER INFLUENCE, I FERVENTLY STARTED PRAYING IT IN THAT WAY.

I BELIEVE WE EACH HAVE A UNIQUE SPIRITUALITY, FAITH, DESIRE, DEEP TRUST, LOVE.

IN OUR MANY CONVERSATIONS, JANE HELPED ME TO SEE MORE CLEARLY HOW DEEPLY  LOVED EACH OF US IS BY THIS GOD WE LOVE.

THROUGH THE YEARS OF MINISTRY AND COMMUNITY LIFE THAT FOLLOWED, I WAS ALWAYS KEENLY AWARE OF JANE’S TRAVELING, WHICH SHE LOVED, HER RETREATS AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENINGS.  SHE CHERISHED PEOPLE AND WAS ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFT THEY WERE TO HER.

ONE OF JANE’S FAVORITE MANTRAS WAS, ‘CELEBRATE LIFE’.  EVERY BIT OF CORRESPONDENCE I EVER RECEIVED BEGAN, AND MOST TIMES ENDED WITH ‘CELEBRATE LIFE’.  I’M SURE YOU HAVE HAD THIS SAME EXPERIENCE.

AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE CELEBRATED OUR 25th JUBILEE TOGETHER.  I WAS PLANNING A SMALLISH CELEBRATION, LITURGY, FAMILY DINNER.  IT WAS NOT TO BE.  THIS, I QUOTE:  “WE MUST CELEBRATE LIFE”.  AND SO, WE DID.  WE EACH INVITED ABOUT 150 GUESTS, OUR DEAR SISTERS DECORATED THE SCHOOL HALL AT CLEARY.  AFTER THE LITURGY, AT WHICH BISHOP MCGANN PRESIDED, WE HAD A MOST WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF LIFE.  THIS WAS JANE, JOYFUL, LIFE-LOVING, LIFE-GIVING.

OUR 50th JUBILEE WAS HELD AT DOUGLASTON.  THIS TIME, MARCELLA PURPURA, JANE, AND MYSELF CELEBRATED TOGETHER.  IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.  WE ENJOYED THE MANY MONTHS WE SHARED TOGETHER IN PREPARATION.  JANE, HER CREATIVE EYE EVER WATCHFUL, SHARED HER VISION FOR A VERY PASTEL DINING ROOM ARRANGEMENT.  THE ANGELS WEPT FOR SHEER JOY.  WE LOVED IT.

WE BOTH RECEIVED A FRAMED PICTURE OF THE SMILING CHRIST….IN JANE’S WORDS; “SMILING AT YOU”.

GOD HAD OTHER PLANS FOR THE 75th JUBILEE.

THERE ARE MANY TIME GAPS IN THIS SHORT REFLECTION…..I HOLD THEM IN MEMORY.

YOU ARE EVER A PART OF MY LIFE

ALL THE GOOD YOU HAVE SHARED

WILL LIVE ON IN MY HEART.

YOUR JOY, YOUR EVER PRESENT SMILE, AND YOUR CREATIVE EMBRACE OF LIFE.

THIS TRAVELER THANKS YOU FOR JOURNEYING WITH HER, AND WITH US.

REJOICE IN THE LORD, ALWAYS; I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, REJOICE.