Sister Joan Henehan (Courtesy photo)
Special to the Herald
Sister Joan Henehan, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 68 years, died in Los Angeles on Aug. 11.
She was born in Chicago but moved to California with her family in 1939. The youngest of four surviving girls, she began to attend parochial school in the third grade. She spent her high school years at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace with the Sisters of St. Joseph.
During her senior year, one of the sisters told her she thought Joan had a vocation, and she joined the sisters in September 1955, making her first vows in March 1958.
Over time, she earned a master’s degree in theology as well as one in applied spirituality from the University of San Francisco.
Sister Henehan taught in California elementary schools for nine years, then at the high school level. Her next assignment was at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, where she was an instructor in theology, an assistant professor of religious studies and chair of the religious studies department for 11 years.
In 1980, Sister Henehan was asked to become the vice provincial in Hawaii where she spent eight years. With her leadership duties as well as her background in spirituality and a passion for women’s issues and the poor, she led a Bible-sharing group at Holy Trinity Church in Kuliouou and volunteered at the women’s prison.
She also taught classes in the diaconate program, served on an intercongregational committee to restructure the Leadership Association of Religious Congregations, served on the Catholic Social Service Board and was the moving force behind the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet’s CSJ Ohana (lay associate program) and the CSJ vice provincial financial advisory board.
When she first arrived, Sister Henehan knew she had no personal knowledge of Hawaiian culture, but quickly learned to love the people and the culture. She said it was probably more difficult for the sisters in Hawaii to have a “newbie” come in as their leadership person, but everything worked out well.
After returning to the mainland, Sister Henehan continued with women’s prison ministry. She also served as a spiritual director, a regional superior in Arizona, and was elected to the Congregational Leadership Team in St. Louis, Missouri.
She returned to Los Angeles and asked to work in the pastoral care area with the retired sisters.
In June 2024, Sister Henehan moved to St. John of God Care Center in Los Angeles, helping to form a community among the 30 sisters who moved there from the Carondelet Center. She soon became seriously ill, and God called her home on Aug. 11.
She will be remembered for the many ways she served people in her multiple ministries, and as a generous and loving soul.