Sr. Mary Paul Janchill, Religious of the Good Shepherd, Doctor of Social Work

Sister Mary Paul Janchill, nationally respected visionary in the field of neighborhood-based human services, died on Thursday, May 7 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Hilda Janchill was born in NY 1920, one of four children born to Haimy Janchill and Bertha Domwitz Janchill. She attended local schools PS109, Thomas Jefferson HS and St. John's University. Her brother Leon and sister Shirley pre-deceased her. She is survived by one sister, Ilene Klass-Kline, 5 nieces, 2 nephews and several grand nieces and nephews.

In 1945 Hilda Janchill joined the international religious congregation, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, a community whose mission is the reconciliation and empowerment of those who suffer from social injustice. As a young social worker, Sr. Mary Paul worked at Good Shepherd sponsored services: Mt. St. Florence, Peekskill, NY; Brooklyn House of Good Shepherd; and Troy home for girls. In 1965 she returned to New York City where she became Director of Social Services at Good Shepherd Services, serving until 1977. During that tenure (1970) she founded the Family Reception Center in Brooklyn, a still flourishing program of Good Shepherd Services. Beginning in 1977, she worked as a consultant to New York State OMRDD, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. In 1979 she co-founded the Center for Family Life a program of St. Christopher Ottile (SCO) Family Services in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where she was teh director of Clinical Services; she continued to work actively at the Center until her death, where she maintained strong professional relationships with staff and the community.

Sr. Mary Paul earned a master's degree in social work at the Catholic University School of Social Work in Washington, D.C.; she later earned a doctorate in social work at the Columbia University School of Social Work. Along with co-founding and developing child welfare programs under auspices of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, she served as an instructor in casework practice at Columbia University and several other institutions.

In recognition of her contribution as an innovative program planner and educator, she was given the distinction of "Career Teacher in Social Work" at Columbia University. In addition, in 1998 Sister Mary Paul was enrolled in the Hall of Fame of the Columbia University School of Social Work Alumni Association.

Sr. Mary Paul dedicated her life working for children and families. Her innovative vision of community and family network strengths reshaped the way services are delivered both in New York and nationally. Sister Mary Paul's deep respect for the strengths and resilience of individuals is reflected in her development of programs that address human service needs through an inclusive, strength-based, developmental focus. Throughout her years, Sr. Mary Paul has been a staunch advocate for equitable and dignified social provision. She has promoted an effective approach to community-building that fosters a sense of shared purpose and maximizes family strengths and local resources. She worked tirelessly with public systems to influence policy to be inclusive of family support.

The awards that fell to Sr. Mary Paul are too numerous to list. Of note, Sr. Mary Paul's work was highlighted in two PBS documentaries, one of them nominated for an Academy Award. A book about the Center for Family Life, Nurturing the One, Supporting the Many, based on a collaborative research effort with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, was also published in 2003. The National Association of Social Workers honored her as Social Work Pioneer for exceptional contributions to the social work profession; the Eleanor Roosevelt Award was presented in October 2003 by the Citizens' Committe for Children of New York and the NASW Social Work Pioneer Award was presented in January 2004 by the National Assocation of Social Workers. She was also recognized as a "Woman of Distinction" by Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez in January 2004. Sister Mary Paul sat on the Board of Directors of Citizens' Committee for Children of New York and Lawyers for Children as well as participating in an advisory capacity to the Commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services. Her national recognition includes a "Private Sector Initiative Commendation" for exemplary community service from President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and, in 1989, The Children's Defense Fund Award for outstanding service to the nation's children. In 1999, the Annie E. Casey Foundation created a Family Honors Award to recognize family work that was embedded in community work. Sister Mary Paul and the Center for Family Life were one of three nationwide that first received that award.

In 1978, Sr. Mary Paul wrote in a monograph describing her vision for the Center:

"From the deep springs of life there stirs the meaning of every human being; the irreducible dignity of every person as individual. In truth it has been said that the one person is of more value than a world. Paradoxically, personhood is nutured and enhanced in a family, in a people, in a community. Individuality springs not in a fishbowl, but within the vitality and connectedness of community."

"The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park is devoted to the growth and development of the one - the individual child, adult, parent - and the development of the many that in diversity and richness of background come together for the fulfillment of human needs and aspirations, as a neighborhood."

Sr. Mary Paul enjoyed a wealth of rich relationships that often included cultural events such as the opera. She was an avid reader. In addition to a deep personal spiritual life, she found spiritual sustenance and joy in the worship community of St. Boniface Oratory in Brooklyn.

Sr. Mary Paul's legacy is surely in the programs and policies that she initiated and fostered, but her legacy will also live, perhaps more strongly, in the mutual bonds of love that exist - professionally, personally, spiritually, within her community - bonds that compassionately inspire each person to continue to strive to see and find and to bring to light the very best for each and every human being.

Prepared by Clare Nolan, rgs