By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DELHI TWP. - Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Maura Landers, a former teacher at St. Jude School in Bridgetown and sacristan at Good Samaritan Hospital, died Thursday at Mother Margaret Hall nursing home. She was 90.

Sister Maura once said religious life had always been her main attraction, but family duties prevented her entering the Sisters of Charity until she was 50.

Her two brothers died before she was born and Sister Maura devoted more than half of her life caring for her parents.

She was born Mary Catherine Landers in Dayton, Ohio, in 1912. Before entering the congregation, she taught at Catholic schools in her hometown. In 1962, just before becoming a Sister of Charity, Sister Maura received the Papal Benemerenti Medal for her years of service to the Church.

She taught in Jackson, Mich., and Kenton, Ohio, as well as at St. Jude.

"Sister loved music and often played the organ at Mass," said Joan Axt, former principal of St. Jude. "She wanted the children to be charitable Christians and to participate in singing. Correct English and penmanship were also stressed as important tools for education."

Sister Maura left the classroom to serve as sacristan at Good Samaritan in 1981. She retired in 1989 but continued to volunteer at the hospital.

Sister Maura moved to Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse in 1992 and played the organ for Mass at Bayley Place retirement community.

There are no survivors.

Services have been held. Burial was in the Motherhouse cemetery.

Memorials: Sisters of Charity Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Road, Mount St. Joseph, Delhi Township, OH 45051.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com