Loretta GIRZAITIS

1920 - 2015

Born February 21, 1920 in Chicago of Lithuanian parents and is survived by niece Nancy Girzaitis, of Elderburg, MD, cousins Gintautas Sabataitis of Parma, Ohio and Maria Levenson of Pikeville, TN. She was preceded in death by her father Paul, mother Zuzana, brother Zenon (Jack), sister Jean Girzaitis, SSC. She entered the Sisters of St. Casimir in Chicago in 1937 and left the congregation in 1968. While in the community she taught in both elementary and high schools in Chicago, Nebraska, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. After receiving her Masters Degree in Catechetical Theology from Manhattan College in Riverdale, N.Y., she worked for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for 21 years, creating and facilitating adult learning and enrichment programs in parishes, and aided other dioceses in developing similar programs. She led nine groups to Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Greece. She studied at Tantur Institute in Jerulsalem and visited Catechetical Centers in Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Loretta served on national boards as well as at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and the University of Minnesota. She taught adult education courses in the archdiocese as well as Catholic University in Washington, D.C., La Salle College and St. Joseph Colleges in Pennsylvania and at the Colleges of St. Catherine, St. Thomas, Concordia College and United Theological Seminary in St. Paul. She helped the dioceses in the state of Virginia develop programs in adult learning. Loretta made presentations on spirituality in many Methodist churches in North Carolina and held honorary membership in the Women's Division of the United Methodist Church, writing for their publications. She was the author of seven books on spirituality, bible study and adult education and authored numerous articles for various publications. Upon retirement she was a spiritual guide after receiving her training from Shalem Institute in Washington, D.C.; a volunteer for Hospice of the Twin Cities and developed a web site "Raised to the Light" to share reflections based on her writings. She and her sister Jean visited Lithuania, her parents' homeland, three times, once when it was still under the domination of the Soviet Union and twice after it regained its independence. Loretta's cremains will be buried alongside her parents in St. Casimir Cemetery in Chicago. Mass of Christian Burial 11:00 am Friday, 12/18/15 with visitation 1 hour prior to service at Holy Family Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 332 S. Exchange St. in St. Paul, which was Loretta's final home. Memorial Masses will later be offered at St. Odilia Parish in Shoreview where she was a parishioner for two decades and at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Casimir in Chicago, Ill. All friends and acquaintances are invited to attend the funeral service and to continue to pray for the repose of her soul. Loretta expressed her deepest gratitude to Little Sisters of the Poor for the exceptional care she received there. Memorials to Little Sisters of the Poor.