Sister M. Jane Chantal, CSC (Barbara May Method)

Sister M. Jane Chantal, CSC

(Barbara Mary Method)

May 29, 1930 — May 1, 2026

Entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross from Hessville, Indiana, on July 31, 1949

Initial Profession of Vows on August 15, 1952

Sister M. Jane Chantal (Method) once remarked that “a leader goes to the people, lives among them, learns from them, and loves them.” Sister Jane Chantal held a deep respect for everyone as a leader, no matter their background or where they were from. During her 25 years of healthcare ministry in three countries, she not only helped those struggling with their mental health, but was an encouraging leader and teacher for her staff and students.

Barbara May Method began her life’s journey on May 29, 1930, in Duluth, Minnesota. She was the third of Victor and Cecelia (Blais) Methods’ nine children. At the age of six, Barbara and the family moved to Hammond, Indiana, where she attended Morton Elementary School and Bishop Noll High School. She described herself as a fearless child who loved school. Barbara had not thought about becoming a religious until her senior year of high school. Sister M. Alma (Peter), CSC, Barbara’s teacher since freshman year, had known otherwise because of "her goodness, her generosity, her thoughtfulness, and her simplicity." Shortly after the death of her father and graduating high school, Barbara entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana on July 31, 1949. Upon reception of the holy habit on August 15, 1950, she was given the religious name of Sister Mary Jane Chantal. She shared her name with Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, patron saint of forgotten people.

When Sister Jane Chantal entered the Congregation, she wanted to serve God as a nurse. She had been inspired ever since childhood by her mother, who was a nurse. However, she was to become a teacher due to a need for elementary teachers at the time. Sister Jane Chantal took this change in stride, as she believed that “who you are is better than what you do.” Her first mission took her to Sacramento, California, where she taught the third grade at Immaculate Conception School for three years. This was followed by teaching the second through sixth grades at Bishop Glass School in Salt Lake City, Utah, for six years. Never having lost her dream of being a nurse, Sister Jane found ways to help the homeless and mentally ill when not in the classroom.

The Congregation eventually assigned Sister Jane Chantal to pursue nursing studies at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington, from which she graduated in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in nursing science. She earned her master's degree in psychiatric nursing in 1966 from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She missioned in hospitals for the next eight years following graduation, beginning with Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the head nurse of the psychiatric division she established at Holy Cross Hospital, before becoming a clinical specialist in psychiatry at Mount Carmel Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Friends and colleagues described Sister Jane Chantal as a warm and selfless person. While she was the Regional Superior of the Moreau Region from 1975 to 1981 at Saint Mary’s in Notre Dame, Indiana, she would assist at Saint Mary’s Infirmary during the summers to help accommodate the nurses’ vacation schedules.

In 1981, Sister Jane Chantal was missioned to Uganda where the Sisters of the Holy Cross had ministered since 1967. She taught at the Virika School of Nursing in Fort Portal, Uganda, and was a member of the Virika Hospital administration team until 1986, when she became the Director of Formation in Uganda. She truly loved the Ugandan people and enjoyed learning from them, as they were welcoming, gracious, and friendly. In 1987, she left Uganda to participate in a sabbatical program at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, then became a nursing professor at the university the following year.

Sister Jane Chantal was missioned to Africa again in 1989, this time to Ghana. She taught at Effia Nkwanta Nurse’s Training College for a year, then served as the Executive Secretary of the Diocese of Takoradi-Sekondi for five years. During this time, she was actively developing future services for those who were unhoused with mental health issues. This led her to create the Damien Centre in 1995. The center was designed to provide direct psychiatric care and counseling for people struggling with substance abuse and homelessness. Sister Jane Chantal, who became the director of the center, involved the community, mental health professionals, and many others in the planning of the programs to ensure the center had effective care. According to those involved, without her “vision, initiative, experience, and personal commitment, the Damien Centre would still have remained a dream.” After transferring management of the center to the Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2000, Sister Jane Chantal became the Area Coordinator for Africa. She regularly visited hospitals throughout the Diocese, and staff would come from all over when they heard she was there. They loved her, as Sister Jane Chantal never criticized them. She was a thoughtful leader who was always teaching and encouraging not only to staff, but to the patients as well.

Upon returning to the United States in 2005, Sister Jane Chantal began to help sisters whose first language was not English who were serving in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California. She enhanced the sisters' pastoral skills by teaching them English. She moved to Saint Mary’s in 2009, where she soon became known for her homemade fudge. Along with the volunteers and kitchen staff that she taught, Sister Jane Chantal made a variety of candies in large amounts for special community celebrations, such as jubilees and the annual Christmas bazaar. She was also the manager of the stamp room until 2020, where she sorted through donated cancelled stamps to resell to collectors. Thousands of dollars are raised every year by the stamp ministry, which all goes directly to the Ministry for the Poor Fund. She believed that this was “a way the community can contribute something to the poor where they may not otherwise be able.” Following a decline in her health, she died in the morning of May 1, 2026, at Saint Mary’s Convent. In Ghana, Sister Jane Chantal could be described as a “Baatan Kese”, or a big mother. She lived up to this epithet through empowering and leading not only by example, but also with compassion. Sister now rests eternally in the kingdom of heaven.

Sister Jane Chantal requested a green burial, which is scheduled for Monday, May 4, 2026 in Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.  A memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date.

-Madisen Toth, archivist

Sisters of the Holy Cross Archives and Records

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