Kallus

Sister Virginia Kallus, OSB, 91, of Lisle, Ill. died peacefully late Saturday night, June 22, 2019 at Sacred Heart Monastery, surrounded by sisters with prayers both sung and recited.

She was born in Hostyn on Nov. 27, 1927, the ninth of twelve children to Robert F. and Cecilia (Janda) Kallus. Her baptismal name was Beatrice.

When almost 18, she was discerning her vocation and saw how happy her two sisters, Sister Andrea and Sister Mary Agnes, were at Sacred Heart Monastery, and she thought she would like to join them. Interestingly, two additional Kallus sisters were also discerning their vocations, Sister Josephine and Sister Angelica and wanted to follow their two sisters in Lisle.

On April 13, 1944, all three sisters arrived together to join the Benedictine Community making a total of five Kallus Sisters at Sacred Heart Monastery from the same family.

After completing her novitiate period, Sr. Virginia made her first vow profession on June 10, 1946 and soon after was assigned to work with young children at the St. Joseph Orphanage in Lisle. Later her assignment moved her to St. Procopius College, where she prepared breakfast for the sick Monks and Seminary students. Her superior noticed that she would make a good teacher and Sr. Virginia completed her teaching degree at DePaul University in Chicago. She taught primary age children in various schools both in Illinois and Texas, with her fondest memories being nineteen years of teaching first graders at St. Scholastica School in Woodridge, Illinois.

When she retired from teaching in 1989, Sister Virginia continued ministering at the Monastery’s St. Walburga’s Care Center becoming a nursing assistant, helping to care for the sick and elderly Sisters. She frequently visited the Sisters’ neighbors in Benedale Center, the assisted living unit of Villa St. Benedict at their Monastery. She was devoted to the Blessed Mother and led the recitation of the Rosary every day at 4:00 p.m. with many residents joining her.

She had a remarkable ability to cantor ever since she entered the Community, having a clear and beautiful voice. Sr. Virginia remained one of the most able cantors at Divine Office until she left for St. Patrick’s Residence Nursing and Rehabilitation in January 2019.

Sr. Virginia will be remembered for her devotion to the Divine Office, Mass, and the Rosary; and there was that rubber-banded book of private prayers which she carried around to remember her loved ones in prayer.

She is survived by a brother, Robert B. Kallus and wife Lillian of Hostyn, and a sister, Sister Josephine Kallus, OSB of Lisle, Ill., and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings: Cyrill R. Kallus and wife Liola, Lawrence Kallus and wife Bernice, Betty Stavinoha and husband Edmund, Cecilia Kruppa and husband Edwin, all of La Grange; Mary Stavinoha and husband Jerome of Houston, Marcy Pircher and husband Reinhold of San Antonio, Sister Andrea Kallus, OSB, Sister Angelica Kallus, OSB, and Sister Mary Agnes Kallus, OSB, all of Lisle, Ill.

Funeral Mass was at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 in the Sacred Heart Monastery Chapel with interment in the monastery’s St. Scholastica’s Cemetery.