November 10, 1929 – December 26, 2024
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Dolores Cecile Schembri, who died on Thursday, December 26 at St. John of God Care Center in Los Angeles.
Sister Dolores Cecile was a quiet, even shy person, who greatly understated her accomplishments and impact on our community.
Born in San Francisco on November 10, 1929, she was the third of five children; Catherine, Betty, Dolores, Emmanuel and Florence. Her father, Emmanuel, was born in Malta, and her mother, Lena Del Carlo was
born in San Francisco. Lena’s parents were born in Italy. Both of Dolores’ parents prized a good education for their children and the opportunity to study music.
Sister Dolores once wrote about her family, “During the depression, Dad left his partnership in the grocery store in San Francisco and moved the family to Palo Alto, California. With the help of relatives, he built the house. Then he began to work for himself on a farm. He grew vegetables and had animals. In time we, the children, helped out on his mini-farm. My mother was a wonderful cook and homemaker; she was a really valiant woman. She was always home for us. One of her goals was to keep the family healthy. We couldn’t afford getting sick.”
She continued, “I grew up during the Depression and was aware of being very poor compared with my classmates. However, we were all given the opportunity to study music. I loved it and most enjoyed being in competition with my older sister. During our high school days, we made music together, performing and participating in school functions with our musical talent. After high school graduation, we continued to study music together in San Francisco. By this time we changed piano teachers and our musical world of friends grew.”
After a few years, her sister Betty married, and Dolores began to think more seriously about her future life plans. She said, “I felt God calling me to live a life more dedicated to Him.”
In 1947, Dolores graduated from Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California, and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1951. She wrote, “Sister Josepha Therese Lee and I boarded the same all-night train for Los Angeles and entered together.”
Sister Dolores spoke of her parents and home upbringing contributing to her vocation, and also her music teacher in San Francisco, who was like a second mother to her. This teacher was instrumental in bringing Dolores’ vocation to fruition. “She tried as much as possible to discourage me from entering by making me aware of some future realities and possibilities. When I was offered a full scholarship at the Julliard School of Music, my decision to enter was made more difficult. Now I know I made the best decision. God has been good to me and so has the community.”
After entering religious life on September 14, 1951, she received the habit and religious name Sister
Dolores Cecile on March 19, 1952. Her first profession followed on March 19, 1954, and final vows in 1959. In 2022, Sister celebrated her seventieth jubilee.
She was awarded a bachelor’s degree in music from Mount St. Mary’s College (now University) in 1958, and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California in 1960. That same year, she became a member of Pi Kappa Lambda. Sister Dolores was given a scholarship to attend a workshop on teaching piano at Teachers’ College Columbia University, New York in 1968. In 1971, she was awarded a grant to attend a Teachers’ Performance Workshop at Oberling, Ohio.
She once wrote, “Teaching piano became my ministerial love. It began in 1954 at St. Emydius in San Francisco. My next two missions were at St. Vincent’s in Los Angeles and St. Mary’s Academy, before going to the Mount. My early years of teaching at the college were ones of rebuilding, as the music department suffered total loss from the Bel Air Fire. In time, I settled into the routine of teaching. While I did some solo performing both on and off campus, I always felt more comfortable teaching and making music with others, especially accompanying.”
“Variety in living situations held a special attraction for me. During my 27 years of teaching at the college, I experienced some different living situations: Rossiter Hall, Carondelet and Brady Halls in residence with the students, then off campus at St. Martin of Tours, St. Clement, St. Jerome and Hesed.”
Sister Dolores took time for personal renewal in 1989. She described it as “a very sacred, rich and
rewarding period. After this experience, ‘to live my ordinary life well,’ became my motto.”
A benefactor and friend gifted Sister Dolores with a home on North Hillcrest, near Daniel Freeman Hospital, where she began part-time morning volunteer work in the hospital gift shop and teaching piano in the afternoon. This arrangement continued for seven years. Then she ministered as a liturgical musician in San Diego at St. Therese Parish for 14 years, and for 10 of those same years at St. Charles Borromeo Parish.
On June 13, 2014, Sister Dolores became a member of Holy Family Community at Carondelet Center. She practiced piano in the parlor some mornings, much to the delight of those walking by. As her health declined, she relied on God all the more for strength and the opportunity to join in community activities. In 2021, she was among the first sisters to transition to St. John of God Care Center from Carondelet Center for more intense care.
Those who lived with Sister Dolores in local communities spoke of her love of cooking and especially of baking. She enjoyed trying new recipes and was a very good cook. While music was her life, she also had other interests such as sewing, and gardening, and she especially enjoyed making music with others.
Sister learned much through her music ministry. She found what is done to bring beauty and harmony to the world is a ministry of the soul that touches other’s souls and fulfilled her own. As Joan Chittister reminds us, “When we do something beautiful, we become beautiful ourselves.”
Sister Dolores Cecile, may your beautiful soul now find rest with the Source of all goodness and peace.