Sister Mary Kenneth Messina

“Those who trust in God will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love.”
– Wisdom 3:9

Sister Mary Kenneth Messina, 93, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) for 72 years, died on April 9, 2025. The youngest of the nine children of Dominick and Josephine (née Calderone) Messina, she and her twin brother, Donald, were born in Independence, Missouri, on March 15, 1932. Her baptismal name was Elizabeth Ann. She entered religious life on August 20, 1953, and took the name Sister Mary Kenneth when she received her habit.

Sister Mary Kenneth graduated from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri, and after graduation, worked for three years as an administrative assistant at the telephone company before entering the Sisters of Charity. She began her studies at Saint Mary College in Leavenworth upon entrance into the Community, earning a bachelor’s degree in education.

From 1955 to 1984, Sister Mary Kenneth taught primary grades in schools across California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, and Wyoming. One of her former students, Father Bill McEvoy, said of her, “I can’t help but smile about the impact she had on me and my classmates. She was strict and disciplined, but we could feel how much she wanted us to succeed. She wasn’t about letting us just coast along—she poured her being into making sure we really learned and grew, always pushing us to keep going forward.”

In 1984, she began a new ministry—pastoral care for the elderly. At St. Joseph Home in Kansas City, Kansas, she served first as the recreation director and then as the receptionist and switchboard operator. Following, she lived and ministered at Villa St. Francis in Olathe, Kansas. At both the Home and the Villa, Sister Mary Kenneth was beloved by staff and residents alike. In 2008, Sister retired to the Mother House in Leavenworth.

While living at the Mother House on the campus of the Sisters of Charity, she faithfully served as a volunteer at the Mother House and at Ross Hall. She was a cheerful presence, and many appreciated her visits and willingness to assist with any task. In her retirement, she also kept in touch with her family, friends, and several coworkers and residents from Villa St. Francis.

Sister Mary Kenneth loved to bake and cook, and often welcomed guests into her home. She enjoyed traveling, hiking in the mountains, swimming, watching football and baseball, and listening to music. She was a caring Community member and, above all, a woman of prayer, spending many hours in Ross Chapel praying the Rosary. Her prayers were a gift, felt and appreciated by her family and by all.

Preceding Sister Mary Kenneth in death were her parents, her sister, Lucille Bates, and her brothers Allen, John, Joseph, Theodore, Arthur, and Donald. Survivors include her sister, Dorothy Lucas; nieces and nephews; and the SCL Community.

A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Ross Chapel, SCL Mother House, Leavenworth. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025, also in Ross Chapel. Interment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Mother House grounds. Memorial contributions can be made to the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth, KS 66048.