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1.1.5    Clara Rasch (picture)
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Birth Date:     April 22, 1861
Birth Place:    Center Line, Michigan
Religion:       R. Catholic
aka:            Sr. Clarissa
Occupation:     Sister Of Notre Dame
Death Date:     August 12, 1904
Death Place:    St. Louis, Missouri
Burial Place:   Notre Dame Motherhouse Cemetary, St. Louis, Missouri
Father:         Florian Rasch II (1819-1891)
Mother:         Caroline Nickel (1827-1880)

Notes:
Twin sister of Julius.
Moved with family from Michigan to Alabama in Spring, 1873, at age of 12.
The following is from the Archives of the School Sisters of Notre Dame Motherhouse:

Sister Mary Clarissa was born on April 22, 1861, in Detroit, Michigan.  Later the family
moved to the south.  The young woman left her parents' home in Alabama at the age of 16
and entered as a candidate in the Milwaukee Motherhouse.  In 1879 she was sent to
Milwaukee to teach, and in 1880 she went to Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Sister Clarissa received the holy habit  on September 29, 1881, and went to Canada as a
novice.  During the journey, she was thoroughly chilled because a window had been lift
open during the night.  This was the original cause of her throat trouble which, in later
years, ended in death.

The dear sister made her first profession on August 19, 1883, and then immediately came
to St. Louis, where she worked at St. Liborius Parish as teach of the third and fourth grade
boys for 15 years.  Her firm character and tactful manner qualified her especially for this
class.  She fulfilled her school duties faithfully and conscientiously and could be depended
on in any situation.  What was entrusted to her was taken care of.  In addition to her work
in school, the capable sister was also entrusted with sacristy duties.  Undismayed, she also
took  over this work, even though it was sometimes too much for her limited strength.  No
word of complaint came from her lips, even though it was evident she was completely
exhausted.  The sacristy was always in perfect order.  She kept the vestments and choir
boys' cassocks in good condition.  Decorating the alter was her special concern and she
was never tired when the alter needed to be trimmed.

The good sister made her perpetual profession in the Milwaukee Mother house on August
22, 1895.  She worked a few years in Jefferson City, where her health gradually failed.
After her retreat in the motherhouse in August, 1903, she felt very ill and was not assigned
to a new school.  It was hoped that with the care of a skillful doctor the dear sister would
again recover.  But her chronic throat trouble had spread through her windpipe and into her
lungs so that there was no more thought of recovery.

The Last Sacraments were administered.  On August 8 she had a severe hemorrhage, but
recovered again.  On August 12, the feast of St. Clara, her patron, she was especially
cheerful and very happy with her companion sisters' nameday  wishes and holy pictures.
A letter from her dear brother, Father Lucas, OFM, Cap., gave her special joy.  That
afternoon the patient suffered another hemorrhage and the priest was quickly summoned.
He said the liturgical prayers for the dying, and when he noticed that Sister Clarissa was a
little better, hastened to get Holy Communion from the chapel.  It was touching to see the
dying Sister's devotion when receiving her last Holy Communion.  After a short
thanksgiving, her soul passed quietly to a better place where everlasting blessings in
reward of her life's endeavor awaited her.

She is buried in Notre Dame Motherhouse cemetery, Right Row 4, Grave #31, St. Louis.

References:     1  20  50