+Sister Elise Redmerski, OP

Sister Elise Redmerski, OP, a member of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell for 69 years, entered into eternal life on Sunday, December 29, 2024 at the age of 87 at Saint Catherine of Siena Healthcare Center, Caldwell, NJ. On Monday, January 6, 2025, a wake and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell, NJ. The wake will be from 9:15 AM–10:00 AM followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM. Graveside services will follow at Gethsemane Cemetery on the Motherhouse grounds.  If you are unable to attend the Mass in person, here is the link to the livestream, which will begin at 10:00 AM.

The daughter of Joseph and Veronica (Rutkowski) Redmerski, she was born in Jersey City, NJ. She entered the Sisters of Saint Dominic on August 15, 1955, received the habit on July 2, 1956, made her first profession on July 3, 1957, and final profession on July 3, 1963. Sister earned her AB degree in French with a minor in English from Caldwell University (formerly Caldwell College), Caldwell, NJ, a master’s degree in religious studies from Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, and pursued further study in French at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana.

Sister Elise was a woman of deep faith and compassion as well as a gifted preacher. Many of you reading this post had the privilege of reading Sister Elise’s profound scripture reflections. 

Sister Elise was also a dedicated and creative teacher at various schools, including Our Lady of the Lake School, Verona, NJ; Saint Mary School, Rahway, NJ; St Ann School, Newark, NJ; and Paul VI High, Clifton, NJ. A skilled administrator, she ministered at her beloved alma mater, Saint John the Baptist School, Jersey City, NJ. She served the congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dominic as a councilor on the leadership team for five years.

For 37 years, Sister Elise considered it both a privilege and a joy to serve the people of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Jersey City, NJ, a culturally diverse, inner-city parish. As pastoral associate, she was responsible for faith formation, youth group (made up of church and neighborhood teens) and liturgy. An inspirational liturgist, Sister Elise generously shared her exceptional gifts with the parish, the community, and beyond. Nothing impeded the time spent on administration, liturgical planning, and integrating prayer services to the moment at hand. She also cofounded the Center of Concern for neighborhood people and helped raise funds for the hospice program run by the sisters with whom she lived. During her time in the parish, thirteen of the parishioners became Dominican associates. Last year, Sister led a “dream session” at the congregation’s annual assembly and dreamed of starting an ESL program. Along with fourteen retired sister volunteers, the ESL program began at the Motherhouse and continues to this day.

Sister Elise is predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Veronica, her brother Thomas H. Redmerski, and sister-in-law Edith Scheibe Redmerski.  She is survived by her nephews Thomas (Pensri) Redmerski and Robert (Susan) Redmerski, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, great-grand nieces, great-grand nephews, many cousins, her Sisters at Sophia House where she resided, and her loving Sisters of Saint Dominic.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Sisters of Saint Dominic, One Ryerson Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006 would be appreciated.