The Daily News

Sister Judith Kast, O.S.F., 101, Hankinson, N.D., died Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, at St. Francis Convent in Hankinson.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 at St. Francis Convent Chapel.

Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30 at St. Francis Convent Chapel, Hankinson.

Sister Judith Kast, O.S.F., 101 Advertisement

The burial will be in St. Francis Convent Cemetery.

Sister Judith was born Aug. 5, 1908, in Vöhringen/Iller, Bavaria, Germany, to Josef and Maria (Meuler) Kast, the oldest of nine children. Sister Judith grew up in a good Christian family, experienced the hard times during World War I and the aftermath of the war.

In May 1926, Maria entered as a candidate with the Franciscans Sisters of Dillingen, Germany. She became a postulant in January 1930. Received as a Novice, on Aug. 4, 1930, she was given the name Sister Mary Irmentraud. (Some time after Vatican II her named was changed to Judith.) On her 23rd birthday she professed first vows as a religious Sister, and early the following morning she departed for the United States. Final profession of vows was held Aug. 13, 1934, in Hankinson. Sister Judith became a U.S. Citizen on May 22, 1939, in Wahpeton, N.D.

Sister Judith learned the trade of bookbinding while in the Novitiate in Germany. She received her teacher's training at Dickinson College, Dickinson, N.D., from 1936-37. The following 21 years she taught throughout the Fargo Diocese. This included teaching intermediate and upper grades in North Dakota schools at Hankinson, Mantador, Mt. Carmel, Selz, Karlsruhe, Wahpeton, Lidgerwood and Rugby. In Selz, Wahpeton and Rugby she was also superior of the convent. She catechized in rural parishes during the summer months. In the public schools of Selz and Karlsruhe, she came under the Anti-Garb Law and could enter her classroom only when dressed in lay clothes. As the religious garb of habit and veil was dear to the Sisters as an outward sign of their consecration, this required much sacrifice.

A long period of 15 years of acute pain (1958-1975) diagnosed as a nerve tumor, brought Sister Judith out of teaching and first into hospital administration in Drayton, N.D., and then to the mother house in Hankinson to serve as provincial procurator, local superior and bookkeeper. In 1975 she was elected a member of the General Council centered in Rome-La Storta. There followed nine memorable years during which she lived close to St. Peter’s Basilica with its inspiring liturgies and became acquainted with many Sisters of the Congregation. In November 1984 she returned to the mother house in Hankinson from Rome. She worked in the portress office assisting with the telephone and reception duties until 2000, when she "retired" to St. Mary’s, where she took care of the correspondence of some of the "elderly" Sisters, cared for the plants, and visited and prayed with the infirmed Sisters.

Sister Judith, though the oldest of her siblings, survived all of them.

She is survived by: her Community of Franciscan Sisters, Hankinson; numerous devoted nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and great-grandnieces and grand-nephews.

She was preceded in death by: her parents, Joseph and Maria Kast; five brothers and three sisters.

Frank Family Funeral Home, Hankinson, is in charge of the arrangements.

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