Remembering Sr. Barbara O'Dea, DW, 92, 2/16/33 - 12/14/25

A gifted liturgist, educator, author, and leader, Sr. Barbara O’Dea, DW, was called home to the Lord on Gaudete Sunday (12/14/25)—a day of liturgical rejoicing and, poignantly, the 300th anniversary of the death of Catherine Brunet, the second Daughter of Wisdom.

Born to parents Thomas and Mary Catherine (Borne) O’Dea on February 16, 1933, in Brooklyn, NY, Barbara O'Dea was a 1951 graduate of Bishop Mc Donnell High School and a member of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal parish in Ridgewood, NY. She made her first profession as a Daughter of Wisdom on February 2, 1953. After her profession, she continued her education at St. John’s University in Jamaica, NY, earning a BS in secondary education and French in 1960; Laval University in Quebec, Canada, earning a MA in French in 1965, and at Graduate Theological Union – Jesuit School of Theology, Berkley, CA, where she earned a MA in Theology in 1977.

Sr. Barbara began her education ministry as a Teacher at Montfort Academy in Virginia from 1955 to 1958, then as a Teacher at St. Mary Gate of Heaven in Ozone Park, NY, from 1958 to 1959, and next as a Teacher at Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School, Brooklyn, New York, from 1959 to 1965. Her focus turned to Formation when, in 1965, she was appointed Mistress of Novices for the Daughters of Wisdom Novitiates in Litchfield, CT, and then Washington, DC, serving in that role until 1972. From 1972 to 1975, she served as the Coordinator of Liturgy for the Diocese of Richmond, VA, and then moved out to Colorado to serve as the Director of Liturgy for the Diocese of Pueblo, CO, from 1977 to 1986. While serving with her in Colorado, Sr. Rosemarie Greco, DW, said, “She was a liturgist to her core and valued and created meaningful liturgies during our ministry in Colorado.”  Sister moved back to East Moriches, NY, in 1986 and spent a year writing and lecturing before becoming Vocation Minister for the Daughters of Wisdom in 1987. She then served as Daughters of Wisdom, US Provincial for two terms from 1987 to 1994.  Sr. Barbara was then elected as the first American Superior General of the Congregation and served for two terms in Rome, Italy (1994-2000). Teacher, Catechist, and Liturgy Director, Sr. Barbara said that listening to others and learning from others had been the greatest gift she received during her many years of religious life.

Throughout the years of her experience teaching, travelling, writing, and leading others, Sr. Barbara stressed that the most important skill that she acquired, and the greatest blessing was, " how to listen deeply, so you hear what others are saying, and what that implies for their relationships and your relationships...." She added, "It's people, and how they think and process things, and what sparks their interest in the first place. Somebody or some event wakes us up, and then we grow in that direction for a while, maybe for the rest of our lives." She added that she also learned a lot from music, as her mother was a pianist and always loved listening to classical music. "I developed a taste for classical music and all of the effects that music has on our personalities and our way of thinking. That was another big blessing for me, and so I feel very grateful." Sister went on to become a gifted vocalist and, in 1994, alongside Sr. Rosemarie Greco, DW, on piano, they produced the cassette, “In Search of Wisdom,” on which Sr. Barbara sang all the vocals.

During her various ministries, Sr. Barbara authored books, wrote numerous articles on liturgical spirituality and lectured widely on the catechumenate.  Her publications include: Of Fast and Festival, The Once and Future Church, Christian Initiation of Adults: A Commentary, and The Process of Conversion in Initiation and Conversion (published by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops). She also produced an audio-cassette series for eucharistic ministers and a series of filmstrips on the seasons of the liturgical year. Sr. Barbara served as Vice-President of the Southwest Liturgical Conference and was a representative to the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. She was a member of the Advisory Committee on Christian Initiation for the Bishops Committee for the Liturgy, NCCB, in Washington, DC, and a NCCB National Delegate to the 44th International Eucharistic Congress in Seoul, Korea, in 1989.

As Superior General for the Congregation, she served on the Executive Committee of the International Union of Superiors General in Rome, Italy.  During this time, Sr. Barbara was instrumental in fostering collaborative leadership and growth within the Daughters of Wisdom. She facilitated the General Council team's functioning, mentored leaders, and introduced theological reflection as a decision-making and planning method. Sr. Barbara prioritized the formation of new and indigenous leaders, particularly in developing countries, and oversaw the opening of the Congregation’s first mission in Indonesia, focusing on work with women and children. She supported congregation-wide projects on mission and justice, held meetings for Congregational Leaders in Colombia, India, and Madagascar, and promoted education about the reality of the Congregation in these areas. Further, she encouraged the sharing of resources across the Congregation, including sending missionaries from Haiti and Madagascar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.

In addition, Sr. Barbara served as an advisor to the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy and was on the Steering Committee of the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. Sister is a former board member of the North America FORUM on Catechumenate, Washington, D.C., Southwest Liturgical Conference (Vice President), Leadership Conference of Women Religious, NY, the American Academy of Liturgists, St. Mary's Infant Home, Norfolk, VA, and St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, New York, where she was chair of its Medical Ethics Committee.

Superior General of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom, Sr. Rani Kurian, said of her passing, “Sister Barbara was the 30th Superior General, and she left us on 14 December, as we celebrated the 300th anniversary of the return to the Father of Sister Catherine Brunet, faithful companion of Mother Marie-Louise of Jesus. May she continue to watch over the Congregation in its fidelity to its charism and spirituality and in its response to the signs of the times. During her mandate as Superior General, Sr. Barbara dedicated her life with joy and enthusiasm to implementing the Orientations of the 1994 and 2000 General Chapters. She was passionate about the concept of paradigm shift in order to see differently the way of relating to Wisdom and connecting Wisdom to the world. Her mandate was also marked by the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation and the opening of a new mission in Indonesia.”

Sister Barbara’s life as a Daughter of Wisdom will forever be cherished and remembered for her fine and progressive work. Predeceased by her parents and sister, Rita Mansfield, Sr. Barbara leaves behind the families of her brother, Thomas, and her sister, Rita, and Sisters of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom.

Visitation and Funeral Mass arrangements are as follows:

Visitation: Friday, December 19, 2025, 2:00 - 4:00 pm, 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Prayer Service: 2:45 - 3:15 pm, Moloney’s Port Jefferson Station Funeral Home, 523 NY-112, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776.

Funeral Mass: Saturday, December 20, 2025, Starts at 10:00 am, St. Louis De Montfort R. C. Church

75 New York Avenue, Sound Beach, NY 11789.

Donations in her memory can be made to: https://secure.etransfer.com/eft/flexblockcode/donation1.cfm?d2org=DaughtersofWisdom&d2tool=donate