By Mary Beth Marino

Sister Catherine Lucien Matter, administrator of the Village of St. Joseph, is taking a sabbatical after 17 years of dedicated work and service at the Village.

Sister Catherine, who is bright-eyed and full of pep, has made the Village a very successful and important part of her life as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, where her mother, 79-year-old Mrs. William Schmieder, still resides. Sister Catherine also has one brother, Lucien Matter, and one sister, Mrs. Thomas Gekben, both of St. Louis.

After becoming a nun, Sister Catherine taught school in Chicago for 15 years. In 1963, she was assigned to the former St. Joseph’s Home for Boys located in Washington, Georgia, where she worked with Sister John Frances, C.S.J., the administrator. At that time, girls, who were in most cases sisters of the boys from St. Joseph’s Home, were housed at St. Mary’s School for Girls in Savannah.

“Archbishop Hallinan had several dreams for growth,” the vivacious nun declared.

“He talked about a combined home for boys and girls located in Atlanta; he wanted to build a school for the blind and deaf; he especially wanted a high school for special education children,” she recalled.

“I personally liked the idea of a combined school and cottages,” Sister Catherine remarked, “but I didn’t think the move would really take place from Washington, Georgia to Atlanta.”

But in 1967 the dream of a coeducational school and residence in Atlanta began to be realized.

Sister Catherine worked at St. Joseph’s in Washington for two years and was then assigned to work in St. Louis as a teacher for three years at a Carondelet Child Care Center.

“In the summer of 1967 I took some theology courses and was again assigned to St. Joseph’s to help them over to Atlanta, and become the coed-consolidated Village of St. Joseph’s.”

To Sister’s delight, she was assigned to work there as a cottage supervisor for girls. She was also in charge of shopping and buying food for the village.

In 1973, she became an assistant to Sister Teresa Termini who was then administrator.

Sister Catherine also attended Atlanta University and received her master’s degree in social work.

In June of 1977, she followed Sister Teresa as the new administrator for the village where she would remain for the next eight years.

“The village has come a long way since Washington, Georgia days,” the nun stated.

“The home in Washington started as a child care center, but the philosophy of the Village of St. Joseph is entirely different,” she said. “Today, brothers and sisters can attend the same school.”

The village is a private, residential treatment center with a specialized school owned by the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and supported through the annual archdiocesan Charities Drive, special parish collections, Catholic Social Services, and tuition. It is staffed jointly by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and lay professionals. The village was established to benefit children and their families whose needs were not met in a regular classroom or a normal environment at home. The philosophy of the village is to provide educational, spiritual and emotional growth not only for the student, but the family as well.

“So many children are stimulated to growth during their five-day residential stay, but go home on the weekends to the same environment and problems,” said Sister Catherine.

“Families must agree to attend therapy sessions throughout the child’s stay,” she said. “With a good solid program that is established for the student and parent, there is a 90 percent success record,” she stated with pride.

According to Father Jacob Bollmer, executive director of Catholic Social Services, and chaplain of the village, the facility has received high state recognition under Sister Catherine.

“The Department of Human Resources, which licenses the facility, has reported 100 percent accreditation for the last five years," he said.

Father Bollmer said that Sister Catherine took the already developed treatment-oriented school and developed the program to where it is today. “Sister Catherine upgraded the staff to professional social workers, counselors and mainly a clinical staff,” he said.

Sister Catherine was responsible for implementing the family therapy and after-care programs. These are the programs that require families to participate in the therapy of their child. The after-care program is a follow-up of that therapy for a year after the child leaves the village.

Sister Catherine operates on the principal of justice with the children. The children respect her, and she could certainly be credited with changing the lives of these children, Father Bollmer said.

It is apparent on a tour of the institution that it is not a cold, sterile institution. Sister Catherine proudly shows visitors “her home and life” as she smiles at the children running up to her for a hug as the grounds are toured.

The complex includes four cottages. As you enter the cottage, your eyes immediately center on two dinner tables adorned with fresh cut flowers. This area leads into a great room that houses bright, colorful chairs and walls lined with books. At the far side of the great room is a cozy alcove that harbors a television set and a wall lined with built-in seats and huge comfortable cushions. Bedrooms are very personalized with four beds to a large room, decorated with curtains and bedspreads to match. Each bed has a wall unit and student’s desk. No, it is not a messy teen-style room, but it’s obviously a child’s room. Each wall unit is unique and displays the owner’s personality with a stuffed animal, a Michael Jackson poster, or some memento taped to a mirror.

The children literally gravitate to Sister Catherine when they see her coming. She knows all the children personally and as each classroom was toured, she had something nice to say to the children.

A unique courtesy displayed was the practice of each child coming up to a visitor, extending their hand for a handshake, and introducing themselves!

Sister Catherine was particularly gentle when a young boy, about seven years old, was pouting and stubborn this particular day. She gently coaxed the boy out of his ill-humor by stating, “Oh my, when you pose for this picture you will look like a sad sack!” Sister’s expertise outwitted the boy who then grinned from ear to ear!

When an inquiry was made as to how Sister Catherine felt about leaving the village she obviously loves, she said, “It is going to be very difficult for me to leave at the end of June.” Her eyes teared up as she softly answered the question.

“After 17 years, it is time for ‘new ideas’ and ‘new giftedness,’” she stated.

“There is still so much that could be done at the village,” she said.

One of Sister Catherine’s dreams included a “Group Home” for the children who were too old to continue at the village, to young to live on their own, and yet they couldn’t maintain living at home. According to Sister Catherine, this would be ideal but would obviously take time to develop.

One of the dreams Sister Catherine did realize was a newly developed and issued state license termed “Intermediate Residential Treatment Certification.” This is a license that permits residential treatment on location and is much more valuable to the students than the child care license previously held by the village.

What plans does this very special and dedicated nun have for the future?

“I hope when my sabbatical is over, I will be assigned to the same type of program I have been involved in at the village. I wouldn’t mind doing public relations work for the village to solicit financial assistance or support,” she emphasized.

The staff of the village had a surprise farewell party for Sister Catherine and an unusual visit from her Mother was part of the surprise. “My mother has never liked to travel,” Sister Catherine relayed, “so I know that this was a very special occasion.”

Over the years there have been many special occasions for this Sister who has courageously led the village to a new greatness. Very many people are now hoping there will be many more special times for Sister Catherine Lucien Matter.