Sister Mary Sebastien

May 27, 1927 — March 22, 2018

Sr. Mary Sebastien (Jean) Schmidt was born on May 27, 1927, to Helen and Joseph Schmidt in Newport, Kentucky. She was the second of two children. She attended St. Stephen Elementary School and then graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1945. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in September of the same year, making her profession of vows on August 11, 1948. Sister Sebastien continued her education and graduated from Villa Madonna College, Xavier University, and Regina Mundi in Italy. Sister’s first assignments were in elementary education at St. Augustine School in Covington and Sacred Heart School in Bellevue. She spent several years teaching religion, Latin, and history at Notre Dame Academy in Covington and Bishop Brossart High School in Alexandria, Kentucky. In 1990 Sister was missioned to Holy Trinity Parish and School in Harlan, Kentucky. On arriving, she realized the need not merely to teach but to help serve the entire Harlan community. She set out immediately by sending bi-monthly appeal letters and giving mission talks. Sister’s outreach included more than appeals for funds. She also had a convent front porch pantry for distributing food, diapers, clothing, and money for medicine. Sister Sebastien would turn no one away. In 2002, after a stroke, she retired to Lourdes Hall at St. Joseph Heights. Nevertheless, she continued various forms of outreach, including her appeal letters for the Learning Center in Harlan, which succeeded the school. As a child, Sister’s mother had taught her to say “All for Jesus” in every situation. In her years of teaching and serving others, Sister Sebastien always lived by those words. Sister would have celebrated seventy years of religious life this summer, her Jubilee of Grace. Sister Mary Sebastien went home to God, surrounded by her family and friends on March 22, 2018. Sister is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Ted Schmidt. She is survived by her nephew. Visitation will begin at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at the Provincial Center; followed by the Wake Service at 5:00 PM Mass of Christian Burial will be at 7:00 p.m. in the convent chapel. Interment will be at 9:15 AM on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in the convent cemetery. Memorials donations are requested to: The Sisters of Notre Dame, 1601 Dixie Highway, Covington, KY.

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

5:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)

Provincial House Saint Joseph Heights

1601 Dixie Hwy, Covington, KY 41011

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Mass of Christian Burial