Sr. Mary Louise Sahm, SFP

November 7, 1931 – September 8, 2024

Our dear Sr. Mary Louise passed into the heart of our good and gracious God on September 8, 2024. She did not hesitate to respond with a heartfelt “yes” to God’s final call. She was ready and willing to fully enter into the love, peace and joy of our Living God.

As Mary Louise prayerfully reflected and prepared for her own passing, she selected the Gospel scripture Matthew 11:29 which states, “Come, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Sr. Mary Louise dedicated her entire life to be an imitation of Christ and in doing so, she in fact became Christ to others as a meek and humble servant to all.

Mary Louise’s life of humble service began on November 7, 1931 as the eldest of four children born to the late Joseph and Opal Mueller Sahm. Her childhood in Greensburg, IN was punctuated by attendance at St. Mary Grade School and graduation from Greensburg High School in 1949.

In September of 1953, Mary Louise journeyed from her small hometown in Indiana to Cincinnati, OH to enter the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. During her early years of formation, she felt a deep desire to serve the needs of families through the direct care of social services which led her to attend Our Lady of Cincinnati (Edgecliff) College where she graduated in 1961 with a double major in Sociology and Social Work. She continued her studies at Catholic University, Washington, DC and proceeded to earn her MA in Social Work from Western Michigan University.

As a Social Worker, Mary Louise’s ministry was primarily in the area of Adoptions, Marriage Counseling and Addiction Counseling. The Congregation’s mission to be a healing presence in the world encouraged and inspired Sr. Mary Louise as she reached out to serve those in need. Her most rewarding service was that of international adoptions. The joy experienced by couples having the opportunity to grow their families through the inclusion of children immigrating from outside the US was deeply meaningful to Mary Louise. She speaks of her life of service as, “Here I had the opportunity to meet Jesus in the infant placed for adoption, meeting the couple struggling in their marriage or the marginalized family needing various forms of assistance. Herein, I found Jesus, I only had to be open and aware of His presence.” Through all these countless encounters, Mary Louise came face to face with the Christ she loved dearly and in turn was the face of Christ to others.

As she applied her unique talents in Social Work, administration, and natural leadership, she fulfilled the role as Director of Social Services at various agencies and non-profits in Washington, DC; Flint, MI; Steubenville, OH; and locally here in Cincinnati.

After decades of direct care as a Social Worker and Administrator and as a Regional Councilor for the Congregation, Mary Louise was asked to embark on a second career as an Archivist for our interna-tional community. Her love of history, natural curiosity, and patience with details, made her an ideal candidate for the job. With additional training at the National Archives in Washington, DC,

Mary Louise became a “treasure” keeper, preserving both the history and the continual unfolding of the life and activities of the Sisters and Associates. She considered her role as an Archivist to be a sacred honor in preserving the artifacts and the story of the lives of her fellow Sisters and Associates both past and present. Mary Louise stated, “The greatest joy of all is my assignment as Congregation Archivist, for here I met Mother Frances (Foundress of the Congregation) and all our Sisters. I have been able to share in and learn from their journeys, thus adding to the furthering and enhancement on my own journey.”

In the later years of Mary Louise’s life, she continued to be a lifegiving presence to her fellow Sisters and family through her presence, prayer and continued teaching of the various needle work skills she had perfected that had given her great joy.

Sr. Mary Louise’s incredible life of love, compassion, humble service and Franciscan values has touched, influenced and bettered all who have known her. We are ever grateful for her life and the opportunity to journey with her throughout these many years. We have seen the face of Christ in her.

Sr. Mary Louise leaves behind her fellow Sisters, the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, her sister, Margaret Reuter and brother Joseph, Jr. and sister-in-law, Nancy Sahm, along with loving nieces and nephews, friends and Associates over the years. Sr. Mary Louise treasured her relationships with each of them. She was preceded in death by her parents and beloved sister, JoAnn.

“Lessons Learned”

I think of you and of the days

You taught me to crochet,

So much of what you shared with me I remember to this day. Take your time, the details count,

You make mistakes, you learn,

Strive to do your very best

And give it in return.

Apply those lessons to your life,

You know, that’s quite a goal,

For gentle lessons shared with me,

God bless your loving soul.

The following are some testimonials from our Sisters, Associates, and friends who remember with affection Sr. Mary Louise Sahm:

I am thankful for the life and witness of our sister Mary Louise who taught me about her spirituality of “letting go”. She was graced to know when to no longer drive, when to relocate to the convent and when to become a member of Magnificat Community. With these self decisions she knew and lived peace. Sr. Marilyn Trowbridge, SFP

How Sister Mary Louise was an example of the charism for me.
Sr. Mary Louise was a devoted social worker and a loving friend. She spoke many times of her experiences of working with poor families, of picking up babies for adoptions and of her work with alcoholics. She was an example to me of a true daughter of Mother Frances who saw the face of Jesus in the poor. Thank you, Sr. JoAnn Jackowski

I met Sister Mary Louise Sahm during my trip with the other juniors in July 2004 in Cincinnati. With passion and enthusiasm she gave us tour the archives. I was struck by her love for the Congregation through memories and anecdotes from the past. We met again on other occasions and she always welcomed me with joy. I ask her for a special prayer for all of us and a blessing for new vocations. Rest in peace Sr. Mary Louise and greet all the Sisters who are in heaven with you. Thank you for your life given. Sr. Loredana Giugliano, SFP

I thank God for the life of Sr. Marie Louise Sham, lived with such faith and hope. I carry with me the beautiful testimony of her helpfulness and generosity. I remember the first time I was in her community, she had made herself available to accompany me to visit the city and the stores with so much patience. Even with frail health, she was always smiling and her attitude witnessed to serenity and inner peace. I loved the good will that animated her. May it please God to receive her soul. Sr. Marie Augustine Ndione, SFP

Sr Mary Louise came into my life during my Magnificat years. Sister would donate blankets , pillowcases, and quilts to our Sisters. The handcrafted items were very beautiful and added joy to the Sister’s lives!
When we started our crochet club, Sr Mary Louise championed our cause and taught many of us to crochet. Mistakes were not tolerated – we started again! Thanks to Sr Mary Louise , we learned the beautiful art of crochet- many items were sold in the “ Sister’s shop” after Sunday Mass.
I will remember Sr. Mary Louise as a warm, talented, generous and deeply spiritual friend!
Rest now in God’s arms, your journey on earth was well-lived! Anne Cabanas, SFP Associate

I was saddened by Sr. Mary Louise’s leaving. I know she is now with our Lord and was welcomed by Mother Francis. I only knew Sister Mary Louise from her smile as I would pass by her before Mass on Sunday. Her smile was very welcomed. I will miss seeing her and know she is smiling on us. Eileen Lee, SFP Associate

Working with Sister Mary Louise for these years at the Barn was a joy. She was always upbeat and treated the calls and visitors with the utmost respect. She was a brite light every time she was on duty and she was sharp as a tack. The only thing that frustrated her was the transfer of calls to other staff members in the Barn. But she always did it with such grace.I’ll always remember our talks during the day. She would always kid that her pay check was in the mail. Don Evers, Franciscan Ministries