Each year students say their goodbyes and leave Northwestern’s religious community.

This year one of the community’s fixtures will be leaving as well.

Mary Kissenger, NU’s first female Catholic campus minister and chaplain, is retiring after 19 years of service to the NU community.

“I was happy that Catholic students had a female minister as well as a priest,” she said. “Sometimes women have sensitive issues and are more comfortable talking to a woman.”

Kissenger, who also serves as the associate director of Sheil Catholic Center, has done most of her work fund raising and working on Sheil’s hospitality committee, which plans events, dinners and other functions for the community.

“She has an unconditional positive regard for people,” said Father Ken Simpson, chaplain and director of Sheil.

Kissinger said while students are committed to the center and the community, they also like to have fun.

“Northwestern students know how to pray and they know how to party,” she said. “The students say, ‘We’re gonna dance till the monks pull the plug.'”

Soon after she was hired, a group of students had a vestment or ceremonial robe made for her, which Kissinger said made her feel accepted into the community.

Kissenger since has adopted Sheil as her home away from home, and the Sheil community adopted her as an event planner, friendly face and maternal character.

“She was kind of like a mom figure – she always asked what things were going on in our lives and remembered to ask us about them later,” said Karen Rogers, a Weinberg sophomore who worked with Kissenger on the hospitality committee.

“She was always on top of things,” Rogers said. “By the time we realized something needed to be done, we’d find she had already done it. I think we won’t realize how much she really did until she’s gone.”

Though many agree that Kissenger is a big part of creating the positive environment at Sheil, she said students play an important role in making the center special.

Kissenger said NU students are unique because they bring “an eagerness to participate and engage in activity.”

“Students who are coming to Sheil aren’t coming just because their parents call them up and say ‘go to Mass.’ They’re coming because they want to come,” she said.

According to Kissenger, the center has seen an increase in student participation in recent years. All four Sunday Masses are packed, she said.

“In an age where so many people are questioning their faith, it’s very affirming to see this kind of interest,” she said.

Kissenger said that though her greatest joy has been working with and welcoming new students, her work at Sheil has given her one other gift – her husband.

“We met right there at the chapel door and fell in love,” Kissenger said.

That was two years ago. Now Kissenger hopes to use her retirement to travel with her husband and visit family.

Both Kissenger and her husband have been widowed. They have 15 children and 17 grandchildren between them.

“I’m sad she’s leaving, but I’m glad she’s moving on,”said Catherine Leblond, whom Kissenger mentored for the past two years.

“She has a lot to look forward to, and I’m very happy for her,” said Leblond, a Weinberg sophomore.

Though Kissenger is looking forward to retirement, she said the feeling is bittersweet.

“This time in my life has been a precious gift,” she said. “Wherever I go, I will hold it dear to my heart.”