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- Jane Louise is a nun in Roman Catholic Church, at St Joseph's Academy in the 1950s and at St Thomas More Catholic Church by 1999 -- both in Baton Rouge, LA. In July 1999, Sister Jane served as the Pastoral Assistant and Director of Caring Hearts. Caring Hearts is a charity arm of St Thomas More Church, a group of adults who prepare meals, visit with theelderly, sit with the homebound, or provide transportation to fellow parishioners in need.
The Cathlic Commentator (Baton Rouge, LA) -- 23 May 2007 -- by Sarah Neau, St Thomas More Parishioner
SR. JANE LOUISE RETIRES AFTER 36 YEARS AT STM
"To develop the gifts of people, invite them into ministry, and encourage them to use their gifts for the benefit of the community," has been Sister Jane Louise Arbour's philosophy during her 36 years of ministry at St Thomas More Church in Baton Rouge. Sr. Jane Louise came to St Thomas More Church in 1971, from working at the sisters of St Joseph Provincial House in New Orleans. She joined five other Sisters of St Joseph who were teaching at St Thomas More School. Her role in the parish wasto serve as a parish minister and the director of religious education. She said she enjoyed recruitingand assisting the many volunteer teacherswho helped out through the years. She also enjoyed planning programs that would interest everyone. One particular program that stood out for her was for a junior high group. "We presented the group with a case about a poor family. The children then had to prioritize the ways that they could help the family based on the information they were given," said Sr. Jane Louise. In the early 1980s, Sr. Jane Louise was part of the STM team that began the (RCIA) Rite of Christian Initiation process. "Prior to beginning the process in the parish, I got to be partof a groupthat went to Pineville, LA, to participate in a week-long experience of role playing the whole RCIA process. That week helped give insight into how those who came through the process wouldfeel," Sister added. "The first year of the process, all staff was reqiured to participate andthen the next year, it was just me." Sister has been involved with directing the RCIA process ever since. One thing that she has enjoyed aboutworking with RCIA is that so many who have gotten involvedwith the process continue to be involved today.Sr. Jane Louise has also been instrumental in bringingvarious adult faith formation programs to St Thomas More. She directed the DeSales adult video series with weekly morning and evening sessions. In response to parishioners' requests, she also helped implement a Catholic Bible Study program that was led by lay ministers and Father Jaak Seynaeve M.Afr. Using her gift for creativity, sheworked with the church's Decor Committee in brainstorming ideas for presenting the proper liturgicalenvironment in the church sanctuary and designing banners. When asked what she will miss most about STM, Sister responded, "The people of St Thomas More are generous and warm. They create a real sense of family. If you ask them to help with something, they are eager to help out and if they are not able they can always recommend someone else for the job. I have been so blessed to have had the oopportunity to be at St Thomas More these many years." Her first plan after leaving her work in ministry atSt Thomas More is to go on retreat. After that she will look to see where she can serve her fellow Sisters of St Joseph. She said she would like to pursue opportunities that will allow her to explore her creative side through painting or drawing. She also plans to stay in the area to be near her family.
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