Dominican Sister of Peace Mary Jordan (Ernestine) Langenhennig, OP, 83, died at the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, on Friday, May 25, 2018.
A daughter of New Orleans, Sr. Mary Jordan began her life in the Crescent City, born as Ernestine C. to Birtles C. Langenhennig and Julie F. Seghers on November 14, 1934. Sr. Mary Jordan entered the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary’s in New Orleans, now the Dominican Sisters of Peace, in 1951.
Sr. Mary Jordan earned her Bachelor of Arts in English at St. Mary’s Dominican College in New Orleans and her Master of Arts in English from St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO, in 1965. She served as a teacher at various schools in New Orleans, including St. Mary’s Dominican High School, from 1953 until 1969.
In 1970, Sr. Mary Jordan followed God’s call to effect social and systemic change in the world around her and began a new ministry of faith-based community organizing. She served with a number of community organizations in New Orleans and as a member of the General Council for her Congregation while studying for her Masters in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago, which she earned in 1981.
In her ministry at Las Casas in Thomas, OK, from 1981 to 1987, Sr. Mary Jordan worked with other Sisters and the local authorities to help create a better standard of community living for the local members of Native American tribes, as well as working in addiction ministries.
On her return to New Orleans, Sr. Mary Jordan became involved in the Broadmoor community, and, working with other faith-based organizations, was able to gain a commitment from city government to make positive changes to aid the poor in the city.
In 1992, Sr. Mary Jordan founded WIN (Working Interfaith Network), an organization that helps faith-based groups and congregations leverage resources to strengthen the congregations and the community. She served at WIN until 2000, when she accepted the position of Prioress at her Congregation.
She served the New Orleans Motherhouse in prayer and service until 2010, when she moved to the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, to complete her ministry of prayer and presence.
Sr. Mary Jordan was preceded in death by her parents, Birtles and Julie Seghers Langenhennig, and her sister Jessie Scalia. She is survived by several nieces and nephews.
Sr. Mary Jordan was celebrated at her wake at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel in Columbus, OH, on Thursday, May 31. The funeral liturgy was held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel on Friday, June 1.
Sr. Mary Jordan will be buried at the Dominican Sisters Cemetery at Rosary Spirit Life Center in Ponchatoula, LA. Interment will take place 11:00am on Friday, July 20.
Memorials in honor of Sr. Jordan may be submitted securely online or sent to:
Dominican Sisters of Peace
2320 Airport Drive
Columbus, OH 43219-2098
To download a printable copy of this memorial, please click here.