Upon graduating from high school, Sister Jean attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a bachelors degree in secondary education with a concentration in Spanish. As soon as their dad came home from work, the question was put to him. The sisters of Mother of Good Counsel and Our Lady of the Angels Convents in Chicago, IL, celebrated the Jubilarians of 2021 on Saturday, May 22. Growing up on the family farm, she enjoyed helping her mother with her five younger brothers. She attributed her good health to the daily walks/runs to the hermitages located on the Villa property. She made her home at St. Rose Convent in 2006 and moved to Villa St. Joseph in 2015 when her health began to fail. She was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1948 and given the name Sister Laura. The sixth died on Oct. 29 and the most recent two died on Nov. 6. Sister Lydia Wendl, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 101, died on Friday, January 27, 2023, at St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 1992, she responded to a call by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to provide summer English classes to clergy and religious in the Czech Republic, a ministry she continued until 2015. Joanne Patricia Lancaster was born on February 17, 1928 in Spokane to Emmett and Effie (Turpin) Lancaster. This experience in religious education led her to a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program and further theological study. Sisters of Saint Francis - Rochester, Minnesota Welcome! From 1980 to 1981, Sister Helen ministered as a nurse in Larned, Kansas. Sister Erlinda was from a large, very close family in Cebolla, New Mexico. Because of her keen eye, one could also count on Sister Patricia to know the latest on political issuesand to encourage prayer and political action. She wanted to enter St. Rose Convent after graduation, but circumstances compelled her to wait until August 30, 1943. In addition to her great devotion to education, prayer and spirituality, her family held a very dear spot in her heart. From 2001 to 2009, while traveling back and forth to Cameroon, Sister Anita lived in the formation house of the congregation where, as she put it, she moved from a ministry of doing to the ministry of being. In 2009, she was invited to continue the ministry of being at Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin. She created connections among her family, friends and community. Perhaps the most memorable is Sister Dorothy Anns loving care for those suffering with HIV/AIDS. Sister Denise Streng, OSF . Her father was a lumberman and later worked for the railroad. Her father taught her the importance of community involvement and environmental stewardship. From 1994 to 1998, Sister Joanne served as co-director of the FSPA Clare Retreat Center in Spokane. The 70th Jubilee group included Sr. Mary . Sister Pat loved life and lived it to the fullest. Viterbo College called her back in 1974, again as a bookkeeper. In the picture above, Sr. Karen (left) and Sr. Loretta (right) "God has constantly been our companion on the journey as we walked with much joy..". None of her other siblings had done so, but her parents allowed her to attend St. Angelas Academy in Carroll, Iowa. She served as principal in both Carroll (St. Lawrence School) and Calmar. Judith attended St. Louis School in Batesville, and later when her family moved to a farm on Shrine Road, she attended Holy Family School in Oldenburg before enrolling at Oldenburg Academy. LSAP Resource Guide Community Engagement & Participatory Action Her father worked there for a large U.S. copper mining company. Sr. Maureen Kelly F.S.P. Obituary - Yonkers, NY - Dignity Memorial Community members, family and friends remember Sister Dorothy Ann for her delightful smile, sense of humor and positive attitude toward life along with the great care she provided to Sister Thea during her life and the assistance she gave Sister Theas legacy after her death. Her father was a cook by trade but later worked as a dock loader. Franciscan Spirituality; Franciscan Charism Modules; Franciscan Charism Team; History; Land Ethic; Leadership Team; . But for one week, March 8-14, we shine the spotlight on . bottom of page With a sense of humility and pride, she enjoyed many years of service to families through the Salvation Army. Sister Agnes learned about the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration from her aunt, Sister Anna (Bernadita) Gehling. In 1977 her ministry took her to St. Joseph School in Prescott, Wisconsin, as a first-grade teacher, choir director and organist. Sister Clara Mae Kuempel, FSPA, 90, died on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Sister Helen retired and continued to serve as on-call nurse from 1995 to 2005, before moving to St. Rose Convent. In her early years, Mary Jane began knitting and crocheting, a hobby she carried into her adult life. Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Archives - The Dialog Her father served as Spokane City Treasurer until his retirement. A second church, that could hold 500, was built in 1930. Sister Margaret Schmolke, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 96, died on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at Villa St. Joseph in La Crosse, Wisconsin. M'luru: Ursuline Franciscan Sisters hold Province Chapter at Shanthi She loved her family and had made an extensive family tree. She received her call to be a Franciscan Sister at a young age, and loved being a Franciscan Sister of Our by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | May 6, 2020 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. Sister Pat was received into the novitiate on August 12, 1947, and was given the name Sister Paula. She traveled across the country with Sister Thea, until Sister Thea eventually succumbed to cancer in 1990. She always had a story of St. Francis of Assisi to fit any occasion. She continued her education earning a Ph.D. in Second Language and Culture Education from the University of Minnesota in St. Paul and a Masters in Franciscan Studies from the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, New York. From1953 to 1954, she served as cashier at Sacred Heart Hospital, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and from 1954 to 1958 at St. Francis Hospital (MCHS-FH), La Crosse. She was in the seventy-seventh year of her religious profession. Home | Franciscan Sisters of Allegany Sister Helen made profession of vows on August 12, 1947, and final profession on August 9, 1953. We bring the presence of the loving, serving, compassionate, healing Jesus to all people, especially those who are lonely . She had a deep and compassionate heart for the poor and had the most humble and human way of finding the poor in spirit and being one with them. In August 2007, the Sisters of St. Francis in Millvale, Pennsylvania merged with the Syracuse-based congregation. As boarders, Sister Margaret and Helen got home one weekend a month. Community members, family and friends, remember Sister Jean as someone that always loved life in any of its aspects. In 1989, she was elected Regional Assistant for the FSPA Eastern Region (now Marywood Spirituality Center) in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin; four years later, she was elected Regional Leader. In high school she was engaged in one-act plays and glee club. She then became pastoral assistant at St. Peters Parish in Spokane until her retirement in 2005. With a bachelors degree in education from Viterbo College (University) and a masters degree from Clark College in reading, Sister Rita was well-prepared for 39 years in the field of education. 2020 by Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. For the next 20 years she ministered as an art teacher in high schools in Wisconsin (Superior, Green Bay, and at Viterbo College), as an art and religion teacher in Wausau, Wisconsin and Miles City, Montana. She by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Feb 25, 2019 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. From 1963 to 1968, Sister Bernadette ministered as superintendent of Catholic schools on the island of Guam, returning there at the request of the Bishop in 1971 for another five years. Later, she returned to her baptismal name. For anyone unable to join the live stream, an archive of our funeral celebrations is available here. She was 86 years old.Baptized Patricia Ann at Immaculate Conception Church in Omaha, NE, she entered religious life in 1952 and pronounced perpetual vows in 1958. She had a hunger for knowledge. In 1981 Sister Geralyn became principal of the and later returned to teaching first grade. Born on July 1, 1943 in Batesville, she was the second of five children born to Ethel (Nee: Schumacher) and Francis Werner. She was in the seventy-fifth year of her religious profession. Sister Kathy learned from her parents early in life to be grateful for any kindness or gift, no matter how small. by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Jul 1, 2020 | Franciscan Sisters News, Obituaries. She used her collected skills and knowledge as the first director of the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse a position she held from 1984 to 1987. Growing up she would often work with her father in his woodshop in the basement--thus her love and skill at woodworking. From 1993 to 1997, Sister Jean served as the Dean of the School of Letters and Sciences at Viterbo. She professed her first vows as an FSPA on August 12, 1965. Subsequently, she left the classroom and served as dental assistant for 11 years in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was also a great entertainer, knowing how to make her audience laugh. Whether the need is for short- or long-term, our caring, trained personnel are here to help. She was a truly humble, prayerful woman of faith and courage whose spirit always radiated joy and peace. While in Cedar Rapids, Sister Anita began doing youth ministry in the parish and vocation education in the congregation. On September 9, 1921, Sister Rosile was born to Kilian and Katherine (Hertert) Pernsteiner on a farm near Spokane, Washingon. She moved to Rochester, Minnesota and began taking classes as a human service technician at Rochester Area Technical Institute. Her personality radiated compassion. Felician Sisters - Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Felix of Cantalice At her baptism, she was named after her paternal aunt, Sister Lydia Wendl. Her parents moved to Chile five months after they were married. By the end of her freshman year, she responded to this call. SISTER MARIA TESSARI, O.S.F. She then began working as a home healthcare aid for Olmsted County Public Health Department. Creativity and Franciscanism went hand-in-hand for her. She was in the sixty-ninth year of her religious profession. The Bernet sisters are identical twins who are celebrating 70 years of religious life. 9 Sep 1876 - 28 Mar 1944. Gertrude left home on Sept. 3, 1945 for St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Sister Evelyn was born on January 12, 1934, the seventh of eight children to Harold and Eva (Hamses) Schlosser in Yakima, Washington. Joanne received her early education at St. Joseph Grade School in Spokane and graduated from eighth grade at St. Aloysius Grade School. Sister Sandras primary ministry prior to joining FSPA was serving as a midwife in Tanzania and Kenya. Saint of the Day. Franciscan Sisters T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful She was in the 66th year of her religious profession. Oftentimes, she would spend days in the home of someone dying of HIV/AIDS or care for them in her home if they couldnt afford another place or another place was not available. She could often be seen at table long after most people had left the dining room. For recreation, Scrabble was her passion, along with a good card game now and then. Community members, friends and family remember her for her gentle presence, soft voice and joyful laughter. After her retirement, Sister Margaret Ann was active in attending events at the Fine Arts Center at Viterbo University and community events at St. Rose Convent whenever possible. After receiving a bachelors degree in Human Services at Grandview College in Des Moines, she went on to earn a Clinical Pastoral Education certificate at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines. It is grounded in the sacredness of all life . In 1990, Sister Karolyne moved to Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin where she helped with hospitality and served as cabin manager. Community members, family and friends remember Sister Patricia as someone with a heart for the disadvantaged. She always showed upfor events, parties, fundraisers, meetings and assorted other occasions. During her third year in college, she was offered a position at the Spokesman-Review newspaper as a reporter. They have responded to a call to incarnate the Good News, taking on Jesus . Sister Ladonna Kassmeyer, FSPA, 84, died Monday night, August 3, 2020, of a massive heart attack at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare, La Crosse, Wisconsin. She grew up in Guttenberg with her three brothers and two sisters, helping her father at the Kuempel & Lake Hardware Store. Elementary school years were spent at Kendall Public School. Some A Nun's Life friends from the Chicago area come to the podcast. Many remember the fun time Sister Jean provided through her Annual Doctor Sister Dean Jean Golf Scramble at the end of each school year at Viterbo University. Celebrating the Life of Sr. Gerarda Augustyniak, The Franciscan Sisters join other Women Religious in grieving the shooting in Colorado Springs, LSAP Resource Guide Community Engagement & Participatory Action. She was the ninth of 10 children in her family, all born on the family farm. After graduating from the eighth grade, Sister Jean attended Pilgrim Park Junior High for one year before moving to Brookfield Central High School. She often said that religious life was an extension of a gift that was nurtured in her home. She was the eldest of six children. This led her to think about what she would do with the rest of her life. Her family hosted foreign exchange students from Iceland and Italy. She later went back to her baptismal name. She was living a good life, enjoying friends, family, nice clothes and her job, but was feeling an attraction to something else. In 2008 she moved to Villa St. Joseph and served as a volunteer there until her health began to fail. Meet the Sisters - FSLF When she could no longer travel, she visited with family by phone, even when she was near death, relishing especially visits with her only surviving sibling, her sister Betsy. On June 9, 1958, God did give her a call. Province St. Elizabeth | Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George Province St. Elizabeth Our History The American Province began in poverty with many hardships. Celebrating the Life of Sr. Marcy Romine O.S.F. She attended a country school until grade six, when her parents, wanting to draw on the value of a Catholic education, enrolled her at St. Anns School in Wabasso, Minnesota. She loved her family and visited them in Washington state as often as possible. While at Viterbo, she was asked to create furnishings for the expanded St. Francis Chapel, situated below Mary of the Angels Chapel at St. Rose Convent. After earning a bachelors degree in music education from Viterbo College (University), La Crosse, Sister Pat taught high school music for 21 years in Ashland (De Padua) and La Crosse (Aquinas) in Wisconsin and Carroll (Kuemper) in Iowa. Sister Margaret Ann Mason, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 92, died of natural causes Friday, May 29, 2020, at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Holy Family Convent Chapel. Sister Lydia then served as Pastoral Care Minister at St. Annes Parish, also in Las Vegas, until she retired to St. Rose Convent in 2001. She later worked at Mendota State Hospital (Madison, Wisconsin) and Wood County Health Center (Marshfield, Wisconsin). Our dear Sister Jovita went to her rest in the arms of our loving God on February 16. They were raised at the Mount Loretto Orphanage on Staten Island . On August 15, 1939, after graduating from eighth grade, she fulfilled that desire. Sister Rita Marie was born the eighth of 14 children to Mathias and Emma (Dettling) Bechel on March 6, 1925, on a farm near Plum City, Wisconsin. Carmel and West Bend) Washington (Spokane) and Wisconsin (Eau Galle and Halder) for 42 years. Sister Kathleen Theresa was born to Joseph and Antoinette (Blum) Kenkel on September 17, 1929, on the family farm in Earling, Iowa. In addition to teaching, Sister served as principal at St. Marys, St. Wenceslaus, Cathedral and St. James. She didnt let her physical infirmities bring her spirits down. She had a quick wit and always had a come back for everything. That is when she started to deeply listen to the many messages in life God had been giving her, ultimately calling her to religious life. Growing up on a farm she was exposed to a variety of experiences and learned responsibility early. My high school experience has been better having had her as a teacher. When a new school was being built at David, the community took the opportunity to recognize Sister Mary Myrons significant contribution to the area by establishing a Sister Mary Myron Remedial Reading Room. In 1997, Sister Cecilienne retired to Cedar Rapids where she taught ESL classes and private music lessons until moving to St. Rose Convent in 2009. Our podcast guests, Sister Nancy and Sister Joyce, talk about what the Sacred Heart means to them, as Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. In 2000, another transition occurred in her life when she moved to volunteer in the finance office and kitchen at St. Rose Convent. One of her girlfriends brought up the subject of convent life. In 2001 Sister Geralyn retired from teaching but remained in the parish as sacristan and organist, roles she continued until she retired to Villa St. Joseph in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 2017. Celebrating Felician Jubilarians in Chicago - Felician Sisters She was eager to go to school with her sisters. Sister Anita (Mary Kenneth) Beskar, FSPA, died April 23, 2022, just shy of her 90th birthday, at Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, Wisconsin. (formerly Sister William Anne) died. After a short stint as an elementary teacher at St. Johns School in La Crosse and Sacred Heart School in Mondovi, Wisconsin, Sister Ladonna completed her Bachelor of Arts in Commerce degree in accounting from St. Louis University, where she later earned a Master of Business Administration degree. In 2007, she moved to Villa St. Joseph, La Crosse, ministering as a volunteer to the community until 2019. As a child she enjoyed ice skating, hiking, bicycling and roller skating. She made her first profession of vows on August 12, 1954. Community members, family, colleagues and friends will remember Sister Cecilienne as an excellent music teacher and a master organist. She was always exploring the latest spiritual book or philosophy. She served numerous people for ten years through the health department before retiring. She was an avid stamp collector and accumulated a large stamp collection over the years. She wanted to do things differently! Donna Jean Weber was born on April 25, 1930, to Reynold and Laura (Asher) Weber in Eau Galle, Wisconsin. More. Carmel, Sister Rita began thinking about ministering in a different environment. Now 89 years old, they were born in Brooklyn 15 minutes apart. During the annual three-day retreat of her senior year, she admitted to herself she was called to religious life. Twelve years later, the small group of sisters established their Motherhouse in Reading, Pennsylvania. She was an excellent teacher who encouraged and inspired her students. Entering the field of education, Sister Margaret served as a primary teacher for 27 years in schools in Iowa (Carroll [St. Joseph] and Roselle) and Wisconsin (Greenwood, Marathon, Dodgeville, Halder, La Crosse [Holy Cross and Blessed Sacrament], Odanah, Big River and Menomonie). Her devotion for the missions remained with her long after she left the South. After five years in Chile, Sister Jeans family moved to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin in order to ensure proper schooling near their home.. After a two year renewal program at Little Falls, Minn., Sister Joan began her ministry as receptionist, gardener and decorator at Villa St. Joseph. She later went back to her baptismal name. by Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help | Sep 13, 2022 | Franciscan Sisters News, LCWR, Obituaries, Uncategorized Sister Rose Marie Przybylowicz, OSF, passed away September 9, 2022. will officiate and burial will be in the convent cemetery. She received a BA in chemistry with a minor in mathematics from Viterbo College (University) and an MS in chemistry from Notre Dame. Of Resurrection Sisters (ASR) Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm (O.CARM) Congregation of Notre Dame (CND) Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (CSFN) Congregation of St. John the Baptist (CSJB) Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul (DC) After high school, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse. Friends had always been important to Sister Jean. For the next five years, Sister Helen served as a staff nurse at St. Rose Convent Health Center. When her health began to deteriorate, she moved to South Hill Village in Spokane. She kept up on the news of the world and the Church. During that time she served as a pilgrimage leader (about 20 trips) for the Franciscan Pilgrimage Program in Assisi, Italy until 2018. The first 31 years of Sister Frances religious life were spent as a homemaker and dietitian at various convents in Wisconsin and Iowa, including periods of time at Aquinas High School, St. Rose Convent and Villa St. Joseph in La Crosse. Sister Rita Jansen, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration, 94, died on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at Villa St. Joseph in La Crosse, Wisconsin. No doubt her deep faith played a role in her healing and ability to move on. Happy are those who endure in peace, By You, Most High, they will be crowned. The children would often ask their mother for a picnic supper on hot summer days. In St. Louis, Father Dunne was looking for Sisters to staff and operate Newsboys Home, an institution for unwanted and neglected boys. Born on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1928, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, Sister Pat was the daughter of Frank and Willa (Cherrier) Keating. In 1977, she was appointed Director of Financial Affairsand later Business Managerat the institute, where she served until 1987, simultaneously earning there a Master of Arts degree in Theology, with a concentration in spirituality. Family and community members remember Sister Pat for her quick Irish witalways with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Every congregational visit became an opportunity to learn about her Sisters and the area in which they ministered. SR. M. AQUILINA ACKER Sister Aquilina Acker, 87, a member of Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, died Monday evening, May 2, at Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc. Manage Volunteer Settings. Sister Anita Marie was born in River Falls (Big River), Wisconsin on May 2, 1932, to Leo and Mildred (Maier) Beskar. Family, friends and community members remember Sister Mary Myron as a woman of prayer. After graduating Ladycliff College with a BA in History, she earned a Masters Degree from Seton Hall University in Reading and an MS . She loved life and the gifts God gave her during each phase of life. She began her ministry of teaching in elementary schools in Edgar and Boyd, Wisconsin and Spencer, Iowa, before moving into high school. The Tau Center in Winona, Minnesota recruited her as their baker in 1997, a position she held for the next two years. After receiving a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Viterbo College (University), La Crosse, she continued her education with a Masters in Music Education from DePaul University, Chicago. She was born Jan. 8, 1917, and entered the Franciscan Sisters on Sept. 8, 1941. She designed the altar, chalice, tabernacle and credence table using the theme You fill us with the best of wheat. Creativity marked her life; even into her late 80s, she could be seen on a ladder in the dining room putting the final touches on Christmas decorations. Sister Lourdine Bielawski, 90, of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Third Order Regular of St. Francis, died Feb. 3 at St. Joseph Villa, Reading, where she had resided since 2012. The Franciscan Sisters of Allegany is a congregation of Catholic women religious and their Associates serving the poor and marginalized of Bolivia, Brazil, Jamaica, Mozambique and the United States for over 160 years. Whenever anyone suggested that she would end up at the convent, she objected. The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamburg, Ny She was in the68thyear of her religious profession. Her motto of living life in union with Christ was evident in her recent celebration of her 70th jubilee. To the surprise of her family, she chose the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, being drawn to the ministry of Perpetual Adoration. When Helen came to a decision, Sister Rosewyn spoke with Mother Engelberta and convinced her to allow Helen to enter St. Rose Convent in January instead of waiting until August. Community members, family and friends remember Sister Agnes as having a heart of gold for the sisters she served as a homemaker and for the children whose lives she touched in Mississippi and Texas. She ministered in the field of education, oftenalso serving as an organist and choir director. This academic year she still served as chaplain for the Viterbo University womens basketball team. Community members, family and friends remember Sister Kathleen as a true mystic.