Rita Hommrich, SCN: Join us as we thank God for the life of Sister Rita Hommrich, SCN, who died on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, at Nazareth Home in Louisville. May she rest in God’s eternal peace.

Funeral arrangements for Sister Rita Hommrich are as follows: 

• The Wake will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at Nazareth Home in Louisville. 
• The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, in Saint Vincent de Paul Church.

Rita Marie Hommrich, SCN, 99 (formerly Sister Rita Catherine) was born Feb. 28, 1925, in Louisville, Ky. to John William and Alvina (Hoeferle) Hommrich. She died on Jan. 13, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. She was a Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 74 years.

One of six children, Sister Rita is preceded in death by her sisters Elaine Effinger and Mary Jane Costelle, and brother Richard Hommrich.

Sister Rita began serving in educational ministry after making her first vows in March 1950. She taught second grade at St. Frances of Rome in Louisville and high school at Bethlehem Academy in Bardstown, Ky.; Owensboro Catholic High School, Our Lady of Nazareth in Wakefield, Mass., and Roanoke Catholic High School in Roanoke, Va. For several years Sister Rita served as college instructor of English, Speech, and Dramatics at Nazareth College.

Sister Rita studied English and math at Spalding College in Louisville where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She received a master’s in English from Catholic University in Washington DC and a master’s degree in religion from Canisius College in New York where she minored in psychology.

In the early 1960s, she was selected for special work in English at Harvard University.

After serving in education for many years, Sister Rita began focusing her ministry as a pastoral associate at St. Luke’s and St. Margaret Mary, both in Louisville. She also served as the director of religious education for St. Margaret Mary and St. Ignatius. From 1992-2011 she was a spiritual director and counselor in Louisville.

Sister Rita served her SCN Community as a researcher and writer on SCN spirit and spirituality. She also helped with driving her Sisters who lived at Nazareth Home.

She is survived by her sister Joan Ross (Washington) and her brother William Hommrich (Kentucky). She is survived by her large extended family, friends, and religious community, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.