In Memoriam: Sister Mary Claire Inhofer, OSB

Funeral Live Stream
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
10:30 a.m.

Watch this video to celebrate Sister Mary Claire Inhofer's life on
St. Paul’s Monastery Facebook page: facebook.com/StPaulsMonastery/live/

Please note, the above link brings you to a page with all our Facebook live videos, including those previously recorded. You will not see the service live stream video on that page until it has begun. A full recording of the live stream will be available at the above link after the service has ended.

“May Christ bring us all together to everlasting life.”
Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 72:12

Sister Mary Claire (Barbara Grace) Inhofer, OSB, went to her Eternal Reward on September 22, 2022. She was 87 years old, having lived her monastic profession for 67 years.

She was born on April 12, 1935, and was the third child born of Henry and Vivian (Knoblauch) Inhofer. She was baptized at St. Anne’s Church in Minneapolis, MN, and attended St. Anne’s School for eight years. She attributed her vocation to her first-grade teacher, Sister Othmar. While in school, she received the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, and Confirmation. After high school at St. Anthony of Padua, she followed her older sister, Mary Lou (Sister Louise) to St. Paul’s Priory in St. Paul, MN. On her reception day, she received the name Claire which was changed to Mary Claire a few months later. After pronouncing her first vows in 1955 and spending a year in the Juniorate at the Priory, she was assigned to teach second grade at Most Holy Trinity in St. Louis Park, MN. She went on to teach first and second grades at St. Mary’s in Stillwater, MN, Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale, MN, and St. Boniface in Hastings, MN. While in Hastings, Sister Mary Claire became interested in supporting and praying for alcoholics, attended open AA meetings, and eventually became an honorary member and continued in that role for the rest of her life, staying in touch with other members.

In 1971, Sister Mary Claire was transferred to Visitation in Minneapolis. She taught second grade for four years while working in the graduate program at Mundelein College in Chicago, IL, where she received an MA in Religious Studies in 1977. From an early age, Sister Mary Claire always wanted to be a priest so ministering as a Chaplain was as close as she could get. She continued working in pastoral ministry at Visitation, Minneapolis, and at Immaculate Heart, St. Paul. She started prayer groups for women in these parishes. She later moved to the Monastery where she ministered and gradually received care in the Monastery Health Care Center.

Sister Mary Claire loved life and entered into everything with joy and enthusiasm. She loved to tell jokes and enjoyed playing games, especially Rummikub and cribbage. She loved movies and planned ‘Movie Night’ for the Sisters every week. She had a special devotion to St. Joseph and even bought a large statue of St Joseph which she kept in her room. But most of all and above all, she loved her family, her Benedictine Community, and being a Benedictine Sister.

She is preceded in death by her parents Hank and Viv, her older brother Phil, and brother-in-law, Bill Norris. She is survived by her sisters, Sister Louise, Gayle Norris, Tommi (Bill) Hall, brother Gregg (Katy), nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and especially her Benedictine Community.

Visitation will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. October 4, 2022 at Sandberg Funeral Home, North St. Paul. Mass of Christian Burial October 5, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery. Due to COVID-19, we are not able to accommodate guests. Mass of Christian Burial will be livestreamed on St. Paul’s Monastery Facebook page. Interment is at the Monastery Cemetery. Memorials preferred to Saint Paul’s Monastery.

Memorials Preferred to St. Paul's Monastery

Community of St. Paul’s Monastery
Sisters, Oblates, and Benedictine Associates
Sister Catherine Nehotte, OSB, Prioress
St. Paul, Minnesota
Federation of St. Benedict