The interest from the monies will benefit Cathedral Grade School with educational scholarships now and in the future, Father Nolan said. The funds will be invested with the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois’ Foundation for the People of God. Only the interest derived will be used to provide scholarships.
Sister Maristella was principal at Cathedral School from 1992 through 2006 and now lives and ministers at the Dominican Motherhouse in Springfield. She spent 51 years in education, with 37 of those years in school administration.
During her tenure at Cathedral, the school gained a hot lunch program, the Builder’s Club, the Magic Match Program, Scholastic Bowl and a technology program. She saw to it that every classroom had religious statues and that the children had new playground equipment. She was also a big proponent of the missions and programs that help the needy.
“Soon after her arrival in 1992 she began to restore and upgrade the school library with book donations and library furnishings,” said Father Nolan. “It was not uncommon to see Sister on a ladder with paintbrush in hand, or on her knees scrubbing that pesky wax buildup in corners.” She also worked in the lunchroom with the children nearly every day.
According to Father Nolan, one of Sister Maristella’s most “stellar accomplishments” was building a school endowment program to provide tuition assistance for needy families. “In a school where the budget is a little over $1 million a year, the need for tuition assistance is paramount,” he said.
Jan Sgambelluri, records clerk for Cathedral School, said Sister Maristella has a way with people. “When my husband Rob and I first came to Springfield in 1997 we checked out a number of Catholic schools for our children,” she said. “When we met Sister, we just fell in love with her. She had a way that just made us feel welcome. She’s just a wonderful person.”
Father Nolan said he is “grateful to the individual who donated the ‘seed’ money” and to the parishioners and friends of the school who have supported Cathedral through the years. “This dynamic endowment, to which anyone may contribute, is a living testament that will need generosity, love and care to grow.
“The good that will come from this will reach those who need help the most,” he said. “They will benefit from the generosity for many years to come.”
Father Nolan said any personal donation, large or small, will be welcome. For more information, contact the Cathedral parish office by calling (217) 522-3342, or reach out to a member of the parish finance council.