“If the world takes something from us on the one hand, God will give us something on the other.”
St. Louise de Marillac
Sister of Charity Mary Alice Haithcoat Celebrates Diamond Jubilee
The gentle kindness and joy that Sister of Charity Mary Alice Haithcoat brings to the second-grade classroom can be traced back to her own childhood. Growing up, her parents made Sundays the most special day of the week, emphasizing the importance of faith through Mass and family picnics afterward, where they reflected on the Gospel together. That strong foundation of faith eventually led Sister Mary Alice to enter the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati 60 years ago.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sister Mary Alice was first introduced to religious life through the Sisters of Mercy at St. Cecilia Grade School and later the Sisters of Charity at St. Mary/Marian High School. After graduating, she entered the Community and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph (now Mount St. Joseph University) in Cincinnati. One decade later, she returned to school to receive a master’s degree in administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Teaching has always been Sister Mary Alice’s greatest joy. Throughout the years, she has served at three schools in a variety of roles: Holy Angels in Sidney, Ohio, as an elementary teacher (1971-1979); St. Mary in Greenville, Ohio, as an elementary teacher (1979-1984) and principal (1984-1993); and Piqua Catholic in Piqua, Ohio, as assistant principal and teacher (1993-2004) before serving as a second-grade teacher from 2004-2024. Following her retirement in 2024, she has continued to share her love of Catholic education as a part-time second-grade religion teacher at Piqua Catholic.
Sister Mary Alice continues to be actively involved in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program in the Piqua parishes. She credits her years preparing second graders to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist as some of the most meaningful moments in her ministry. She is also a member of the junior OCIA at Piqua Catholic, where she accompanies non-Catholic students who wish to become Catholic. In addition, she treasures the opportunity to prepare students in grades 3-8 in reading intercessions at school Masses.
Among Sister Mary Alice’s favorite memories are mission trips to Haiti, where she helped build homes and visited their twinning parish in Dominica. “On both islands, we met some very special people who are truly happy and worship God with great joy and peace,” she said.
As she reflects on the experiences that have led her to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, Sister Mary Alice shared, “Mission to me means doing God’s work with and for His people. I remember, as a young Sister, working at the St. Joseph Orphanage for a period of time during my summer. It was a wonderful experience because I was able to see love and charity in action. The love and care that the children received from the Sisters was beautiful.”
Looking ahead, Sister Mary Alice continues to draw inspiration from the Community that has shaped her vocation. “I recall hearing a wise Sister once say, ‘Wherever one Sister of Charity is, we all are.’ That makes me very proud to be a Sister of Charity.”
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