Oct. 25, 2017

Watertown - Sister Catherine Laboure Goodbout, a Sister of St. Joseph for 67 years,  will celebrate her 100th birthday Oct. 29

A native of Canton, she is the daughter of the late Ernest and Mary LaPierre Goodbout.

Sister Catherine graduated from Canton High School in 1936 and received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of New York State College of Potsdam. 

Sister Catherine worked as a secretary at St. Lawrence University, Canton, before entering the Sisters of St. Joseph on March 24, 1950.

She received the habit six months later and professed her final vows on September 24, 1955. 
She celebrated her 65th anniversary as a Sister of St. Joseph in 2015.

Sister Catherine taught at primary levels at various schools in the Diocese of Ogdensburg including St. John’s, Morristown; Holy Name, AuSable Forks; St. Joseph the Worker, Mineville; St. James, Gouverneur; St. Joseph’s, Massena; St. Andrew’s, Norwood; and Holy Name School, Tupper Lake. 

Sister Catherine also taught catechism, made home visits and taking census for parishioners at St. Cecilia’s, Adams; Sacred Heart, Massena; and Holy Name, AuSable Forks, where she served as school secretary and librarian.

Since retiring in 1995, Sister Catherine has resided at the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse where, for more than 15 years, she made home and hospital visits to shut-ins and patients at local nursing homes and hospitals.

Today, Sister Catherine ministers to her community’s sisters who live at the motherhouse with her smile and prayer.