Sister Alice Swartz

As she celebrates her 60th jubilee this year, Sister Alice Swartz praises God for her life as a Sister of Mercy. “It has always been and continues to be full of blessings, challenges, and grace,” she said.

Her love for her Catholic faith came through her devout parents, her beloved brother and his family, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins, especially those who chose priesthood or religious life. “I recall very early in life, my great aunt, a devoted lay woman, taking me to Vespers in our parish church. The prayers were in Latin. I faked it, but I was awed by her example and holiness,” Sister Alice reflected.

In the late 1950s, her family moved from Carbondale, Pa., to Plainfield, where she completed her elementary school education at St. Mary School. She described the parish’s pastor, Msgr. Harold V. Colgan, founder of the Blue Army, as one of the great influences in her life.   

At Mount Saint Mary Academy in Plainfield (now Watchung), Sister Alice was drawn to religious life by the deep spirituality, prayer life and professionalism exhibited by her teachers, the Sisters of Mercy. After graduating from the Mount in 1961, she entered the religious community the same year. Once she completed her novitiate and profession of first vows in 1964, Sister Alice was assigned in her ministerial life to various educational roles. She taught in three middle schools — St. Matthew’s, Edison; St. Paul’s, Princeton, and Holy Cross, Rumson. Later, her ministry led her to Holy Spirit High School, Absecon; Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville; Mount Saint Mary Academy and Union Catholic High School, Scotch Plains.

She credits the staffs at those schools for being exceptional mentors.

“I loved those 26 years of teaching and administration because of the students and colleagues who helped me to grow personally and professionally,” she said.

For eight years, Sister Alice served as pastoral associate at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Port Reading; and St. Augustine of Canterbury, Kendall Park. Reflecting on that time, she said, “I loved participating in the celebration of parish liturgies and many other parish and school events.”

She commended Father Robert G. Lynam, pastor of St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, for his balanced approach to spirituality, parish life, ministry, community building and administration.

Sister Alice earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Georgian Court College (now Univeristy), Lakewood, and master’s degrees in Biblical Studies at Providence College (R.I.); Jewish/Christian Studies at Seton Hall University, South Orange; and in philosophy at Drew University, Madison. After completing a docatorate in liturgy at Drew University, she began her college teaching career at the College of Saint Elizabeth (now University), Morristown, where she is in her 22nd year of service. Her ministry at Drew includes serving as department chair and assistant professor of Religious Studies and Theology.

Sister Alice has also traveled extensively. Her most favorite ventures were the summers she spent in Israel, which included studying at Hebrew University and attending the Sixth International Conference on Holocaust and Education at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem; and an exceptional sabbatical year in Rome where she lectured and studied at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas – Angelicum.

Sister Alice said that her vocation as a Sister of Mercy has been blessed, especially in living and working with the Mercy Sisters. She has loved and cherished more than the years in her own community, in sisters from many other religious communities, with priests and religious brothers, and with all the people of God.

As for what advice she would give to a young woman considering a vocation as a religious, Sister Alice said, “I would advise her to get to know the religious community, their lives and their works.

“Then I would add, ‘Follow your heart!’”