Sr. Bernadette Prochaska, FSPA, 88, died Wednesday morning, January 6, 2021 of pancreatic cancer at St. Rose Convent, La Crosse, Wis. She was in the 68th year of her religious profession.
Sr. Bernadette Milada Prochaska was born on June 15, 1932 in Montfort (Castle Rock), Wis. to Frank and Victoria (Roh) Prochaska, where she grew up with her nine brothers and sisters. She entered Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse before graduating high school. She made first profession of vows on August 12, 1952.
Sister Bernadette earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in music from Viterbo College (University), then earned a master’s degree in English with a minor in Latin from Notre Dame University, and finally received a Ph.D. in English from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis. She ministered in the field of education, often also serving as an organist and choir director. Her early years of teaching were in elementary schools in Wisconsin: Holy Cross (1952 to 1954), St. Mary’s (1958 to 1960), St. Wenceslaus (1968 to 1969), Cathedral (1969 to 1971) and St. James (1976 to 1981) in La Crosse; St. Joseph’s, Dodgeville (1954 to 1957) and St. Joseph’s Ridge, La Crosse (1960 to 1963). In addition to teaching, Sister served as principal at St. Mary’s, St. Wenceslaus, Cathedral and St. James. From 1963 to 1968, Sister Bernadette ministered as superintendent of Catholic schools on the island of Guam, returning there at the request of the Bishop in 1971 for another five years.
In 1981, Sister Bernadette moved to Milwaukee where she ministered as an instructor, associate professor, professor, and assistant dean of the English department at Marquette University over 36 years. While at Marquette, she played the organ at Gesu Parish and after retiring from teaching English, she ministered as receptionist at the parish until she moved to St. Rose Convent in December of 2016. For several summers, Sister Bernadette served as lecturer at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu and Cardinal Stritch College (University) in Milwaukee. For almost 40 years, Sister Bernadette played background music once a month for televised Masses in the Madison Diocese as part of their Apostolate to the Handicapped. In 1992, she responded to a call by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to provide summer English classes to clergy and religious in the Czech Republic, a ministry she continued until 2015. She also enjoyed sharing her professional expertise through service on numerous boards, including Viterbo University’s Board of Trustees. She retired to St. Rose Convent in 2018 where she continued her organ ministry and began volunteering as receptionist at Catholic Charities.
Sister Bernadette is survived by her Franciscan community, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers: Joseph, Francis and Laurence and her sisters: Mary Ann Lipska, Elizabeth Pink, Catherine Prochaska, Agnes Bomkamp, Theresa Prochaska and Barbara Bollant.
A virtual sharing of Sister Bernadette’s life will take place, Thursday, Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Bernadette will be live-streamed on Jan. 8 at 10 a.m.. A graveside service will be held for Sister Bernadette at 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 8 at the family plot at St. John Nepomuc Church in Muscado, Wisconsin in accord with Covid-19 restrictions. Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.