Religious Milestones: Mercy Sister Mary Philomena Gini, 70 years

From being a career woman to teaching and serving as a guidance counselor, Sister Mary Philomena Gini has been happy in her vocation as a member of the Sisters of Mercy. 

She first felt the stirrings of such a vocation in her when she was an eighth-grader at St. Mary’s School, Camden, which was run by the Sisters of Mercy. She was drawn to their joyful way of life, so she asked her teacher, Sister Isabel, for advice about entering. She told the young girl to “keep it in the back of your mind and we’ll talk about it when you’re older.”

Sister Isabel encouraged her to attend Camden Catholic High, also staffed by Mercy Sisters, and to enjoy her formative adolescent years. That is what she did, and she enjoyed a rich social life, as well, by attending the proms and dances.

After high school, Sister Philomena worked for her uncle’s business for five years by managing the office and practicing her secretarial skills. However, Jesus beckoned her to leave secular life and devote herself totally to him for the work of his kingdom. That is when she became a Sister of Mercy, with Sister Wilfred as her sponsor. Her immediate family was very supportive of her vocation; however, one aunt was unhappy about it. She loved Sister Philomena and was afraid that she would not see her anymore. This relative later changed her mind and the two of them were close while Sister Mary Philomena was in the convent.

Born at home to Anthony and Philomena Gini in East Camden, Sister Philomena is the oldest child in her family. Her younger siblings, Robert Gini and Joyce Rosaire Monsees, are still living. Joyce, the baby of the family, calls her every day. Her parents were Italian immigrants who spoke English at home, so Sister Philomena never learned Italian. They lived in Pennsauken, where the family worshiped at Mass at St. Stephen’s Church.

At Georgian Court College, now University, Sister Philomena earned a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree in counseling at Rider College, Lawrenceville.

She served as a teacher of the first, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades at several Catholic grade schools in New Jersey before becoming a guidance counselor at Camden Catholic, where she spent most of her ministry.

Her most challenging experience was teaching 60 first-graders. She was thrust into this role unexpectedly because their teacher was in a car accident. It was a difficult year, but one of her fellow sisters advised her what to do. She felt much more in her element with the teenagers at Camden Catholic. She said that the experience “was very dear to her heart.”

As well as helping her students with choosing their curriculum and applying to colleges, Sister Philomena would talk to them when they had personal problems. Some of her students are still in contact with her.

She also met with their parents at Parent Teacher Association meetings.

Camden Catholic’s love and admiration for her were on full display when they inducted Sister Philomena into their Hall of Fame in 2012 for her many years of service at her alma mater. She said that it made her “very happy” to be chosen for this honor.

Sister Philomena thinks that working as an office manager for her uncle helped her as a guidance counselor. “I had to work with all different types of people just as I did at Camden High,” she said.

As for what advice she would give to someone discerning a vocation to religious life, she said, “Pray and stay close to God while attending Mass. If they are young, enjoy high school first.”

During her retirement, she keeps active by crocheting, doing puzzles, reading, and playing Sudoku.

“I am most content here and thank God every day for the sisters that I live with because they are wonderful people,” she said.