Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
February 28, 2001
Beloved Mother Iggie rebounds from surgery
Leading Bible study and a cruise to Alaska are on Mother Iggie's agenda
After more than a half-century as a Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart, 30 of them spent in service at Mother Cabrini Shrine on Lookout Mountain in Golden, Mother Ignatius Miceli has never regretted surrendering her life to God.
When doctors told the 82-year-old nun that they would have to amputate her leg below the knee due to scleroderma, a debilitating condition that cuts off circulation, she responded: "When I entered the convent, I told God, `Whatever you want, you can take it,' so go ahead!"
Did the surgery slow her down?
Now living at the Harmony Residence at Marycrest, Mother Ignatius is leading a Bible study, teaching a class on the Psalms, and preparing for an Alaskan cruise in May.
"When the doctor told me that scleroderma is a terminal condition and that I will eventually die from it, I told him, `So what? We all have a terminal condition from the moment we are conceived,'" Mother Ignatius told the Register.
With extraordinary talents, unbounded energy and enthusiasm, she has been an educator for half a century, is the author of three poetry books and a history of the life of Saint Cabrini, has produced three videos, and is a celebrated photographer — all while helping provide the day-to-day necessities of the members of her Order.
With her small veil flying, this missionary Sister could be seen on her way to teach at Queen of Heaven Parish in Denver, All Souls in Englewood, Holy Cross in Thornton, and at Assumption in Welby, or picking up large quantities of food from the market to help the homeless at Samaritan Shelter, the Food Bank of Marycrest, or senior citizens at Villa Klara nursing home.
Grabbing her straw hat, in tennis shoes and with well-used camera in hand, in her spare minutes Mother Ignatius scouted the countryside, capturing pictures to illustrate her poetry books and Iggie Originals notecards.
Camping, fishing, snowshoeing, jeeping and hiking in the woods were the inspiration for "Random Thoughts and Meditations," "Leaves of Thought," and "Life's Seasons." She wrote "Colorado and Saint Cabrini" for the centennial celebration of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1980. In it, exquisite Colorado scenes illustrate direct quotations from the personal diary of St. Cabrini.
The nun is fondly called `Mother Iggie' by her many friends, a name she acquired early in her career when she served as principal of the grammar school at Queen of Heaven, taught seventh and eighth grades, and was housemother for seventy-two orphans at the orphanage.
Mother Iggie says she wrote stories and poetry from the time she was a little girl growing up in New York City. After joining the Missionary Sisters, she had a full career teaching world history, civics, literature and religion in cities scattered all over the United States.
Eventually stationed here in Colorado, Mother Iggie would take her orphans to the orphanage summer camp, which later became the Cabrini shrine, and together they hiked all over the mountains. They traveled to Colorado Springs, to Elitch's and to the Stock Show, where the owner gave her free tickets for her orphans.
Mother Ignatius attended schools wherever she was assigned. She earned an undergraduate degree from Regis and a master's degree from the University of Denver. She graduated summa cum laude with a second master's, in education, from Loyola University in New Orleans. Studies at the University of Seattle earned her yet another master's degree, in religious education, also with summa cum laude honors. She also has received certificates in journalism and art.
In 1986 Mother Ignatius had a photographic exhibit at Gallery I of the Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver. In 1994, she commissioned Italian sculptress Ilia Rubini to create a life-size statue of St. Cabrini, which graces the Cabrini Convent garden.
Mother Ignatius has been recognized in numerous international reference works, including "Who's Who in the World." She says she has tried her "best to leave the world a better and more beautiful place because I was here." A fund has been established to help offset the cost of a wheelchair for Mother Ignatius Miceli. Send donations to: Mother Iggie, c/o Union Bank and Trust - Golden, 1222 Arapahoe St., Golden, CO 80401. Greetings may be mailed to Mother Iggie, P.O. Box 209, Wheat Ridge, 80033.
