On a snowy Sunday morning in Butte, Montana (late 1930's), this parishioner
began her journey to a pew in St. James Cathedral. She and her father were in a
car edging slowly along a slippery road while several nuns in habits were
walking on their way to Mass.
As they passed, the young girl told her Mormon father, "Some day I'm going
to be one of them." The father just shook his head. That young girl was Sister
Joyce M. Cox, B.V.M. perhaps better known throughout the Archdiocese as
Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett's Vicar for Religious and Ecumenical Interfaith
officer.
The journey from a snowy day in Butte, Montana to a celebration Mass in a
Roman Catholic cathedral was not as swiftly achieved as that young girl might
have wished. Her family was Mormon, but not fully involved in the Mormon way of
life. Her neighborhood was Catholic and she would tag along with some of the
kids as they went to confession. As her interest continued to grow, she wrote
the pastor, stating she would like to become Catholic. When the pastor called,
her father answered the phone. That was the end of that.
Two things occurred later that changed her life. Her mother died during
World War II leaving a letter giving her daughter permission to convert, and her
father remarried a wonderful Catholic woman who had been Joyce's eighth-grade
teacher. Finally a Catholic, Joyce attended Central High (Catholic girls school)
later entering the order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Dubuque, Iowa, the same
order as the nuns in Butte.
Her field was education and she received assignments in San Francisco,
Sacramento, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Chicago, back for a master's degree at
University of San Francisco and principal at St. Thomas More Park, Merced while
teaching at USF. Then back to Chicago as dean at Mundelein College. She was the
first woman pastoral associate at St. Symphorosa and Seven Sons Parish, Chicago.
She did doctoral studies at Saybrook Institute, San Francisco after completing a
master's in theology at the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, Calif.
After Berkeley, Sister Joyce was principal of Bellarmine Preparatory
School in Tacoma for 10 years. She was the first woman principal of any Jesuit
High School. In 1988, Archbishop Raymond G. Hunthausen appointed her the first
woman, Vice Chancellor of the Seattle Archdiocese.
Sister Joyce will celebrate her golden jubilee of 50 years September 8th
at St. James Cathedral. She says, "the event will honor all women religious for
their fidelity and faithfulness for years past and to come."
You won't often find this parishioner in a pew near you, but the incredible
results of her talents fill the Cathedral with the sound of children's voices.
You'll see Kelly Foster Griffin in a magenta cassock and white surplice as she
directs one or all of the St. James Children's Choirs. They will be singing at
the noon Masses on Sundays, beginning again in September and at special holy
days and Cathedral events.
Eighty-five boys and girls from 6 to 16 participate in the three
children's choirs: St. Gregory Choir, St. Cecilia Singers and the Schola
Cantorum. A note on their Christmas CD tells us "The Schola Cantorum was founded
in the early days of the Cathedral nearly a century ago." Four years ago, the
Schola was reestablished when Kelly, after serving as cantor one Sunday for the
children's liturgy, told the liturgy and music director Dr. James Savage that
she wished St. James had a children's choir.
Dr. Savage fulfilled her wish that day when he told Kelly she could start
a choir. He also said a children's choir had been one of Father Ryan's dreams
for the Cathedral for years. Father Ryan and Dr. Savage both knew Kelly was a
widely recognized music educator and taught music in an elementary school. Their
hope that Kelly would want to develop a music-training program was well founded.
Kelly is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University with a master's from
Holy Names College, Oakland, California. When she and her husband Tom returned
to Seattle, her PLU friends in the St. James Choir, convinced Kelly to join
them. In addition to her St. James duties, Kelly teaches music at Moor-lands
School in the Northshore School District. She directed the Columbia Boys Choir
for eight years.
Kelly and Sister Margaret Evenson, liturgical artist, began the first year
with a combination of music, art and dance for children ages 4 to 12 years.
Other professional music teachers working with the children's choirs are Ella
Rosana, Christopher Roberts and Frank Lewis. Nancy Zylstra is the music program
coordinator.
Joan McDonell is a St. James Cathedral parishioner, a member of the Development
Board and a retired Seattle Times editor.
