Sister M. Carolita, CSC (Vivian Berneice Hart)

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Sister M. Carolita, CSC (Vivian Berneice Hart)

September 23, 1930 ~ May 22, 2021

Sister M. Carolita (Hart) died during the midnight hour of May 22, 2021 at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, Indiana. Despite years of chronic ill health, she lived to be 90 years old, as a vibrant presence at Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana.

Vivian Berneice Hart, known as “Bea” at Holy Cross Central School of Nursing in South Bend, Indiana, converted to Catholicism in her senior year when a nursing student. Two years later she entered the Congregation on January 28, 1955.  

Sr. Carolita was born in Winamac, Indiana, on September 23, 1930. Her parents Ernest Wesley Hart and Cecil (Cecilia) Mae Dickinson Hart were farmers. As her parents were not Catholics, her parents did not fully comprehend her vocation, yet she persisted.

Sr. Carolita received her B.S. degree in nursing at Saint Mary’s College in 1957 and her M.S. degree in nursing administration from The Catholic University of America in 1963. Since 1957 she had worked in various Holy Cross-sponsored hospitals in staff nursing, director of nursing, director of critical care, operating room nurse, emergency room nurse, and staff development. Sr. Carolita finished her nursing career as a family nurse practitioner, 1973-1980, first at Northwest Medical Clinic, then Magna Family Center, both located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her next eight years as a hospital administrator were split between Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and Holy Cross Hospital, now Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, in Mission Hills, California. In 1987 Sr. Carolita was elected by the sisters of the Western Region to be regional superior for a three-year term. In 1990 she was called to serve in the retirement region for five years at Saint Mary’s Convent at the motherhouse.

She then served as director of health affairs for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 1995-2007. In 2005 Sister Carolita and the Sisters of the Holy Cross received Serra Project’s Compassion Award for being instrumental in providing supportive housing for men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles.

Since 2007 Sr. Carolita had participated fully in community life at Saint Mary’s and Rosary Convent serving in various capacities, accepting “retirement” at the end of 2014. Sister had been looking forward to a family reunion in June when she had a sudden health crisis. Her extended family and Holy Cross sisters will now meet her at the table of the Lord.

You may wish to donate in Sister’s name to the Ministry with the Poor Fund at www.cscsisters.org.  A Mass of Resurrection for Sr. Carolita will be celebrated and live streamed from the Church of Our Lady of Loretto on Thursday, May 27 at 10:30 a.m.  Check the congregation’s website at www.cscsisters.org for details.