Dedication of Mother Mary Theresa Dudzik Way

The weather in Chicago this morning was in the upper 60’s, clear and sunny. In short, it was a perfect late September day. And, it was probably just my imagination, but the sun did seem to shine a little bit brighter on the corner of Karlov and Belmont Avenues. Today, on the 93rd anniversary of her death, this little portion of Karlov Avenue was dedicated as Mother Mary Theresa Dudzik Way.

It was exciting to turn the corner off of Barry Avenue on to Karlov and see the bustle of activity on the corner. There was a seating area for the guests. There were programs, photographers and flowers. There was a sound system so the various speakers could be heard above the din of the traffic on Belmont. These speakers included Sister Diane Marie Collins, General Minister of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago; Sister M. Francis Clare Radke, General Councilor of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago; The Honorable Ray Suarez, Alderman of the 31st Ward, and The Very Reverend John H. Nowak, C.R.; Chaplain at St. Joseph Village of Chicago. In attendance were members of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, relatives of Mother Mary Theresa and residents of St. Joseph Village as well as neighbors, associates, and friends.

It is difficult to sum up what this brief ceremony meant. As Sister Diane Marie commented, Mother Mary Theresa would never have imagined herself being honored in this way. That street sign, and indeed the ministry of St. Joseph Village just beyond it, seems to be one more light in the darkness. It is certainly one more way to make Mother Mary Theresa, her ministry to this city and her heroic virtue, known.

Fittingly, the ceremony was filled with little moments of grace if you looked for them. There was the child viewing the ceremony from the window of an apartment building across the street. There was the gentleman who made the Sign of the Cross as he passed by. There was young Officer Rivera who stood by safeguarding the corner. When he received the bookmark commemorating the event, he tucked it into the breast pocket of his protective vest and there was Mother Mary Theresa’s image – for all to see – in front of the CPD emblem on his vest.

Sister Diane Marie reminded us that Mother Mary Theresa loved this city and quoted the prayer that Mother Mary Theresa wrote for our daily needs, “O God, . . . Keep our country, Chicago our city, and all the faithful who live here from flood, famine, fire, war, and especially from loss of faith in You.”


~~ Kathy Murtha, Religious Associate, Franciscan Sisters of Chicago