Daniel Funeral Home & Cremation Service

Kathleen Janell Jozwiak

December 6, 1954 – December 20, 2020

     Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 29, 2020 in the upper church at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud for Kathleen Janell Jozwiak, age 66, who passed away Sunday, December 20 at the St. Cloud Hospital from COVID-19. Rev. Scott Pogatchnik will officiate; concelebrating will be Frs. Brady Keller, Aaron Nett, Doug Liebsch, Tom Skaja, Patrick Hoeft, Tom Knoblach, Fr. Greg Sauer, and Mitchell Bechtold. Burial at Calvary Cemetery in St. Cloud will follow the Mass. Visitation will be at the Cathedral one hour prior to Mass and the Rosary will be prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament at 10:00 a.m. Social distancing and masks will be required. Live streaming will begin around 10:00 a.m. and can be accessed from the St. Mary’s Cathedral Facebook page.

     When asked her birthdate, Kathleen always replied that she was born on the Feast of St. Nicholas, in her case December 6, 1954. She was born in Flint, Michigan, to Alexander & Lillian (Kosidlo) Jozwiak, and throughout childhood was steeped in her Polish heritage, growing up mostly in St. Stanislaus Parish in Bay City, Michigan.

     Her parents valued Catholic education, providing K-12 schooling for all three children. Kathleen graduated from Bay City All Saints Central High School in 1973. She subsequently joined the community of Felician Sisters in Livonia, MI, and while in first vows, earned a BA in elementary education with honors from Madonna College and held various Catholic elementary school teaching positions before ultimately leaving the convent in 1988 without having made final vows. 

     In the Fall of 1992, Kathleen came to Minnesota to pursue a Master of Divinity at St. John’s School of Theology. As a longtime member of St. Mary’s Cathedral, she was extremely active over the years, involved in the RCI program, and participating in Mass daily as Sacristan, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and Lector. Regular Adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament at both St. Mary’s and St. Anthony’s was her greatest joy, along with annual silent retreats at Pacem in Terris in Isanti and Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo. 

      Although Kathleen discerned that community religious life was not her calling, she wanted to formalize in some way her commitment to know, love, and serve God. In 2015, through a process of prayer, reflection, and the composition of a "Rule of Life" for a lay Catholic, she took vows of virginity, prayer, and service during a special Mass at St. John Cantius. 

     Kathleen kept Christ and His Church at the absolute center of her life to the very end, choosing comfort care over aggressive medical measures, completely at peace in the knowledge of her eternal destination.

     Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, an older brother who died at birth, and treasured nephew, Tommy Burnette, who succumbed to a genetic bone marrow disease days before his 8th birthday.  The eldest of three, she is survived by brother Gerard (Kim) Jozwiak of Midland, Michigan and sister Linette (Tom) Burnette of Colonial Heights, Virginia. 

     Kathleen requested that Masses be said for her as she is remembered in the months and years ahead. 

Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.

 


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May the Angels lead you to paradise, dear Kathleen. We are praying with you and for you. Love in the Lord, Maureen and Jim Otremba

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