Peace & All Good. Sisters of St. Joseph. Jubilee Edition June of the Third Order of St. Francis

Transcription

1 Peace & All Good Jubilee Edition June 2011 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

2 Page 2 Table of Contents Cover photo of Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, courtesy of Patrick Straffen, Trinity High School Office of Marketing and Communications. Jubilee 2011 Peace & All Good is published by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Editorial Board: Sister Carlene Blavat Sister Carol Ann Killoran Sister Dorothy Pagosa Sister Mary Alice Jarosz Sister Sandy Lasecke Associate Reneta Webb Editor: Laura Rowe Graphic Design/Layout: Laura Mundschau 75 Years Sister Alexis Peczynski, Mary... 4 Sister Leone Juszczyk... 5 Sister Virgiose Ozog Years Sister Barbara Suntava... 7 Sister Benjamin Chrapczynski... 8 Sister Dominic Goska... 9 Sister Irmina Bula Sister Jane Frances Koszarek Sister Leocadia Brzozowski Sister Martha Bittner Years Sister Anne Marie Luberda Sister Angelora Grossman Sister Cecilia Zielen Sister Claire Cejer Sister Dominica Fick Sister Francesca Grzeslo Sister Jean Ehasz Sister Joan Butkiewicz Sister Louise Szerpicki Sister Marlene Hostetter Sister Rita Marie Malachinski Years Sister Bernadine Lepak Sister Caroline Cerveny Sister Cecilia Marie Morton Sister DeAnne Zawadzki Sister Dorothy Ann Krolikowski Sister Dorothy Monikowski Sister Elaine Ann Robleski Sister Josephine Espinos Sister Kenneth Bielski Sister Mary Ann Walentowski Sister Monica Lachcik Sister Rita Schmidt Years Sister Joyce Hollkamp Sister Sharon Dillon Page 2 Jubilee 2011

3 A Message from The Central Board Dear Friends, It is with grateful hearts that we send you this special Jubilee edition of Peace and All Good. These 35 women have a combined journey of more than 2,000 years of dedicated commitment as Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. We know you will enjoy hearing their personal stories and diverse ministerial experiences. They have shared their lives and contributed to the lives of many from coast to coast, both within and outside the United States. Please allow us to draw from the words of Paul in his first letter to the Colossians in expanding on the love and heartfelt pride that we have for these sisters. All over the world the good news is bearing fruit and growing through the shared lives of these women. It has been doing that since the day they began this journey of commitment. Our sisters have lovingly shared in the Mission of Jesus. Dedication to Jesus Christ has involved them intimately with his liberating and reconciling mission: to make God more deeply known and loved, and in so doing have drawn persons to a fuller and freer life. Adapted from Mission Statement We have not stopped praying for them. We have been asking God to fill them with the knowledge of what God asked of them since the day they gave themselves in love. We pray that God will give them contemplative hearts so that they may never lose sight of God s love for them and their love for all people. Be joyful! Be jubilant! Give thanks to God. Peace in the Risen Christ! Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis Page 3

4 Page 4 Sister Alexis Peczynski 75 Years The memory that I treasure most is the day of my profession. I knew that God blessed me with the call to become a sister and now I was a real nun. My family came from Connecticut to share my profession day. I remember my family. We were six daughters (one died of scarlet fever as a young girl), who made my Mom and Dad proud. When other men laughed that Dad had only girls, he boasted that his girls offered him more help than any of his friends sons. After all, Dad, who was a baker, needed us to deliver bread and buns on Saturday morning and we were happy to help wash his dishes. I remember when I was coming to the end of my high school studies, expecting to attend college the next year, Sr. Benigna saw me in chapel. She asked my name and promptly went to our provincial to ask for me to come to her mission, St. Bartholomew. There I was to teach a combined class of 5 th, 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade students. Needless to say, I didn t know where to begin. After half a year, I learned that I was supposed to divide the lessons and alternate them from year to year. Of all my years on mission, California stands out. I was there for 12 years. The weather and the people were very different. The weather was warm all year, as were the people. Community support helped me meet the challenges that came from day to day. Women who want to live religious life come to community in new ways, different than when I was young. We were fortunate to live close together, so we could share and compare ideas, struggles and joys. Today, I remember all the people who have been part of my life as I spend much of my days nurturing fond memories and praying for these people who have been so dear to me. Page 4 Jubilee 2011

5 Page 5 Sister Leone Juszczyk 75 Years I shut my eyes and I m there. Decades of memories flit by and I m back in my childhood home. The daughter of immigrant parents and the youngest of five children, I trace my ancestry to distant Poland. Polish remains very dear to my heart, and today I cherish the privilege of serving as a Polish interpreter. Life has its moments. And so it happened that in the early 1920 s, a very precious moment transpired. The Felician Sisters visited our home. I saw something indefinably beautiful and angelic in their faces. I thought they radiated a powerful holiness and I fell in love with them. Heart speaks to heart I wanted to be like them. I was very ambitious, loved school, excelled in my studies, and upon graduation in 1934, I joined my teachers, the SSJ-TOSF, in Stevens Point. Equipped with a bachelor s and master s degree, as well as a certificate in theology, I enjoyed many fruitful years of ministry in the schools and catechetical fields. I was assigned to various locations -- Marymount High School in Cleveland, Maria High School in Stevens Point, and grade schools in Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska and Wisconsin. It was in 1967 in Chicago, through Kennedy-King College, I joined the ESL program and worked with poor Polish immigrants. I organized and staffed learning centers in various locations, where they had the opportunity to learn English, survival skills, citizenship and how to market themselves. Retirement brings with it another challenge. As part of the Sisters Interacting with Seniors (SIS) program, I am interested in offering services to residents in the area Hi-Rise. Quite often, I choose to write articles and op-ed pieces for the Stevens Point newspaper. At the core of my being is the desire to bring about a sense of betterment, to inspire -- whether it be teaching, decorating or projects like securing intra-state bus travel, or soliciting and distributing food items generously donated by benefactors like Dave s Body Shop. Reflecting on life s experiences, on those whose lives I ve touched, I know I have strained to hear His voice in the inevitable changing signs of the times. I know that my life in the Lord s service throughout these several decades has been blessed. It is in a spirit of gratitude that I pray: Praise the Lord from Whom all blessings flow! Page 5 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

6 Page 6 Sister Virgiose Ozog 75 Years I was born on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 30, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois. I was the fifth of nine children. One of my brothers died a few months after birth. My dad died when I was 10 years old and my mother worked nights to support her four sons and four daughters. I received my education, both grade and high school, at St. Casimir. Although I was taught by the Sisters of the Resurrection, I was drawn to the Franciscan spirit of the SSJ-TOSF who staffed St. Romans Parish School in Chicago. On the evening of Aug. 18, 1935, I boarded the Soo Line and headed for St. Joseph Convent in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. I was invested as a novice on Aug. 3, 1936, and received the name Sr. Mary Virgiose. My first profession was Aug. 9, My first assignment was teaching third grade at St. Stanislaus School in East Chicago, Indiana. After one year, I was transferred to Lourdes High School in Chicago. Since I had college education in business, I was assigned to teach shorthand, typing and bookkeeping. It was at Lourdes High School where I resided at the convent and ministered in the high school for almost 30 years as a teacher, principal, curriculum director, assistant principal and mentor for many young women. The year 1974 was significant for me. I received an invitation to serve as Pastoral Minister at St. Fidelis, an inner city parish in Chicago. Ten challenging and happy years were spent at St. Fidelis, working and serving the multi-ethnic community with our Sr. Edna Kazek and Rev. Joseph Grembia, pastor (now in Eternity). In 1984, I moved to Immaculata Congregational Home where I became the provincial secretary to the administration. After completing my term, I was invited to be the executive secretary to the administrator, Rev. Thomas Luczak, OFM, of Bartlett Learning Center (now Clare Oaks Academy). During this time, I also prepared the developmentally handicapped children for their First Holy Communion. In 1995, my energies drove me to serve the community in other ways. Time was spent working with our sisters in crafts and preparing for the annual convent craft fair. Now it was time to move on. I decided to return to St. Joseph Motherhouse in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This is where I began my religious life and this is where I hope to spend my remaining days. Page 6 Jubilee 2011

7 Page 7 Sister Barbara Suntava 70 Years Sr. Barbara A. Suntava was born in Bristol, Connecticut, to loving parents Rose and Joseph Suntava. She was second youngest of seven children. Barbara attended St. Stanislaus School where the SSJ-TOSF taught. She entered the congregation in Following her profession of vows, she began her mission as a teacher and taught at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cleveland, Ohio, and All Saints in Flint, Michigan. After four years of teaching, she became a student nurse at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated with an RN in nursing. Sr. Barbara s nursing mission began at Marymount Hospital where she worked for 10 years in obstetrics, pediatrics, medicine and surgery. She was also a faculty member in Marymount s licensed practical nursing program. Among her many duties, she mentored St. John College nursing graduates employed by the hospital. During her mission at Marymount Hospital, Sr. Barbara attended classes at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and was awarded a bachelor s degree in nursing. At St. Joseph Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi, she was a missioner and taught in the RN and LPN program. As director of nursing, she implemented the disaster program and organized teams to deal with victims transferred from the Mississippi coast following hurricanes and tornados. Members of the U.S. Naval jet base in Meridian came to assist the hospital staff with disasters. St. Joseph Hospital had a heliport and many victims were flown in from weather-related events and accidents. In order to accommodate and care for severely ill and burned patients, Sr. Barbara utilized and made necessary changes to an unused nursery area to provide intensive care to the victims. Other mission positions of administration and service were at De Paul Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, St. Joseph Hospital, Flint, Michigan, and the University of Michigan Health Center. Among her many awards, she cherishes her National Honor Society award received at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I am grateful for my loving parents, the community, and all who have inspired, taught and assisted me to become a religious, nurse, mentor and counselor, Sr. Barbara said. I love the ocean, music and art, and hope that my path in life has assisted others. Page 7 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

8 Page 8 Sister Benjamin Chrapczynski 70 Years At an early age, Sr. Benjamin wanted to be a sister. Her mother prayed and often encouraged her to follow this call. By the 4 th grade, she was with the sisters working in the church and convent. In the 7th grade, she worked at the rectory for two years. This training and experience helped her in the years to come. On Aug. 15, 1940, she entered the convent and completed high school. She was assigned to teach the following year in Flint, Michigan. The next 12 years, Sr. Benjamin was in Detroit teaching full-time, and attending evening classes and summer school at the University of Detroit to obtain her degree. It was a great privilege to prepare children for Reconciliation and their first Eucharist, which she did for 60 years. Many children came from other countries Pakistan, Uganda, Indonesia, Korea and the Philippines. Often Sr. Benjamin was asked to be a sponsor for baptism and confirmation. At every parish where she taught, she always was asked to be the Sacristan. She never refused or considered it a burden. In 1991, after 47 years of full-time teaching, Sr. Benjamin went to Lorain, Ohio, to volunteer her services. First she organized a Home Visitor s Program in the parish. Parishioners that were confined to their home or a nursing home were visited each month and received the Eucharist. For three evenings each week she taught religion to children attending public school. She tutored three days a week at the STARS program (Seniors Teaching and Reaching Students) in the public school nearby. This lasted for 16 years until she was hospitalized in In 2002, Sr. Benjamin was asked to care for her aunt who had Alzheimer s disease. She continued this service until After being hospitalized, Sr. Benjamin moved to Clare Hall in Garfield Heights, Ohio, where she resides. Page 8 Jubilee 2011

9 Page 9 Sister Dominic Goska 70 Years Sr. Dominic is the fifth of seven children born to Walter and Hattie Goska. She attended St. Barbara grade school in Chicago and one year at Lourdes High School before entering St. Joseph Convent in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Because she was only 15 years old and the first to leave home, leaving a loving, close knit family, it was hard for her and her family. They missed her and she was lonesome. After living with the sisters who taught and inspired her and now were becoming like family to her, she thanked Jesus for calling her to follow Him. On profession day, Sr. Dominic told God, Whatever you want Wherever you send me However you want me to suffer, I am willing to do so. After profession, she began her teaching career. She taught in Illinois, Indiana and Colorado. She taught the primary grades and loved teaching. She also worked in many parish churches. There was a need for more help in the host department in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and Sr. Dominic was asked to go there. She lived and worked there for nine years. Not only did she bake hosts, she did a lot of maintenance work in and outside the convent. When it was decided to close the host department, she was asked to be a child care worker at the Bartlett Learning Center. Then there was a need for a receptionist for Immaculata Convent, so she changed her job again. In 2003, the sisters moved out of Bartlett to Lourdes Convent, while Clare Oaks was being built. While at Lourdes Convent in Chicago, she provided support services to the sisters. In 2008, she moved into Clare Oaks for retirement living in an apartment with Sr. Imelda Goska. She likes living with many sisters with whom she prays and gathers. Sr. Dominic is thankful to God for the many blessings and experiences during her 70 years in the community. Page 9 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

10 Page 10 Sister Irmina Bula 70 Years Sr. Irmina is celebrating her 70 th year as a SSJ-TOSF, having entered the congregation in 1940 from St. Hyacinth s Parish in Antigo, Wisconsin. She became a novice on Aug. 5, She continues to serve others with the bounteous love from the Lord that bolsters her. I know that by increasing my love for Jesus, He will teach me what to do to please Him, she said. Her 17-year teaching career was a most joy-filled experience, Sr. Irmina said, having taught kindergarten and first grade at St. Adalbert and Blessed Sacrament schools in Milwaukee. In 1960, she became a registered dietician and served as consulting dietician for 14 years in hospitals, nursing homes and senior citizen food sites. This was a deeply satisfying experience, she said of the years in Michigan and Wisconsin. In 1973 she and Sr. Edmund Antoniewicz founded a group home in Two Rivers, working in conjunction with the Manitowoc County social services agency. Over the course of 39 years, the two sisters provided daily care for more than 84 developmentally disabled children at the Sisters Treatment Group Home. This was my dream come true, Sr. Irmina reflects on her years of untiring work as a sister, foster mother, nurse, cook, baker, dietician and gardener at the group home. Although the sisters recently moved from their home in Two Rivers, they bring their most precious gift with them to Stevens Point. Sr. Irmina continues to share her great love as caregiver/foster mother to Mary Jo Erdman, who has lived with them since she was five days old. Sr. Irmina explains her calling into love like this: When the Lord calls Come follow me it is a call to unity by public profession, a call to a way of life centered in Jesus. It is a call to be lovers, counter-balancing injustices with generous hospitality and unselfish availability to one another and all people. By following His way, you will be used by God far beyond your own powers, affirming that your work is the Lord s, for He has called you into it. Page 10 Jubilee 2011

11 Page 11 Sister Jane Frances Koszarek 70 Years Truly, life is an incomparable gift! Theresa Koszarek was born March 2, 1924, to Martin and Clara Koszarek in Antigo, Wisconsin. She graduated from her parish school, St. Hyacinth, in 1937, and continued her education at Antigo High School. As early as 5 th grade, Theresa thought of becoming a teacher and a sister. As a teenager, she believed that convent living would be particularly suited to promoting in members a closer, personal relationship with God. In 1940, Theresa entered the Congregation of the SSJ-TOSF in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She attended St. Joseph Academy, and graduated in Later that year, as a newly-invested novice, she received the name of Jane Frances. Sr. Jane Frances received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Marquette University in 1952 and Later, a psychometrist s license was earned. Teaching has been the one constant in her life, though other assignments have intervened. Sr. Jane Frances taught in college, and on both secondary and elementary levels. She served as an elementary school consultant in the Milwaukee Archdiocese for 12 years. In 1966, Sr. Jane Frances was elected to the position of assistant to the provincial of the SSJ-TOSF. From 1972 to 1975, she served as regional director. From , she worked in the central services office in Stevens Point. Areas for which she shared responsibility were health insurance, social security and patrimony. There were ample opportunities for travel experiences with family and friends. Especially memorable for Sr. Jane Frances was a Rome-Assisi pilgrimage in Other visits to Canada, Alaska, and areas in the contiguous United States gave her a keen awareness and appreciation for our nation s awesome scenic wonders. Now retired, Sr. Jane Frances volunteers in supportive services. She pursues personal interests such as nature, reading, crossword puzzles and classical music. Reflecting on her past, she said, To have fulfilled my dreams, to have lived through love in God s company, is most satisfying. It is a gift that prompts deep, sincere gratitude. My prayer continues for all whom I have been privileged to know. Page 11 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

12 Page 12 Sister Leocadia Brzozowski 70 Years Sr. Leocadia Brzozowski will celebrate her 70 th year as a member of the SSJ- TOSF. Born in Wisconsin, she entered the congregation on Nov. 4, She became a novice on Aug. 5, She has devoted her entire career to homemaking and culinary arts for the sisters throughout Wisconsin. She showed her talent in gardening very early, assuming the responsibility for the gardens at St. Joseph Motherhouse in Stevens Point in 1943, where she also provided homemaking services. Her work took her to Menasha, Superior, Niagara, Milwaukee, Antigo, and Duluth, Minnesota. Sr. Leocadia has fond memories of milking cows, tending the garden and doing kitchen chores. She is now retired, but participates in the prayer ministry of the sisters. My vision and dream for the future is to be in constant union with the Lord and His blessed mother, she said. I hope so to live that I may be made worthy to see God face-to-face in eternal glory forever. Page 12 Jubilee 2011

13 Page 13 Sister Martha Bittner 70 Years On a cold December day, the Bittner household was elated with their special Christmas gift, a new baby girl named Dorothy Marie. She joined her loving parents, Mary and Michael, two brothers and a sister. I attended Immaculate Heart of Mary grade school, including the 9th grade, which closed after our graduation. I transferred to St. Joseph Academy, taught by SSJ-TOSFs, to complete high school. After graduation, jobs for teenagers were scarce, but I was fortunate to find a job near home. I accepted it because I was able to attend daily mass before going to work. One year after my graduation from high school, I entered the convent on Aug. 15, We had a small group of eight postulants and one additional postulant in January. I attended St. John College in Cleveland and received a bachelor s degree, then a master s degree from Wayne State University in Michigan. I taught at St. Francis Parish, St. Thomas, Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Fatima, Christ the Good Shepherd, and St. Paschal Baylon, all in Michigan. In Ohio, I taught at St. Josaphat, St. Monica, and Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also was involved in the religious education program and did tutoring. During my teaching years, I prepared many children for the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist. My 48 years of teaching were a joy, but I have to say that my 11 years in kindergarten were the best. After retiring from teaching, I worked at Immaculate Heart of Mary School library for 11 years. When the school closed, I remained at IHM convent doing things that needed attention until the apartments at Marymount Congregational Home became available. I m now residing in one of the apartments where I enjoy the peacefulness and prayer ministry. I m grateful to God for my religious vocation and also to my parents and family for their support. The SSJ-TOSF community is the best. God bless you for your love and care. Page 13 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

14 Page 14 Sister Anne Marie Luberda 60 Years Sr. Anne Marie Luberda is a registered nurse and healthcare professional. She was the fourth child born to Pauline T. and Francis J. Luberda and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Sr. Anne Marie attended St. Hyacinth Parish School, taught by the SSJ-TOSF. Her respect and admiration for the sisters who taught her and the many she read about serving in the missions fostered a desire to join the congregation. After final profession, she began a short period of teaching in Michigan at Christ the Good Shepherd and St. Thomas. She pursued an education in nursing, graduated from St. John College in Cleveland with a bachelors degree in nursing and began her mission of service at Marymount Hospital. At the community s hospital in Meridian, Mississippi, she served for seven years in various staff and management positions during the challenging 1960 s. She continued her healthcare education by earning a master s degree in nursing from Washington University and a master s degree in hospital administration from Saint Louis University. Community mission assignments included nursing positions and management positions in Michigan -- vice president of professional services, regional administrator of clinics, medical administrator, and consultant to healthcare institutions. In addition to her full-time administrative and service positions, she taught health care courses at the Ann Arbor Community College. Courses included credit and non-credit classes for respiratory therapists, nurses and returning nurses seeking to re-enter the nursing field. She organized a teaching program for surgical technicians, and a class for providing multicultural patient care. Among other services, Sr. Anne Marie serves as secretary on the Village at Marymount board and vice chair on the Marymount Health Care Systems board. Previously, she served as chair, National Development Council for the SSJ-TOSF; chair, Cancer Fund Raising, McAuley Health System; and member, Washtenaw Community College Education Advisory Committee. The Mississippi mission experience at St. Joseph Hospital molded her administrative and spiritual life. She notes, I came to deeply appreciate God s unconditional love, strength and peace. There were times when I felt God carried us through the days and times. My religious community experience taught me that together we could accomplish anything. Many of my patients taught me about faith, life and death. Page 14 Jubilee 2011

15 Page 15 Sister Angelora Grossman 60 Years Some people retire from a career to sit back and enjoy a life well spent. Others roll up their sleeves and continue to work tirelessly serving those around them. Sr. Angelora Grossman is one of the latter, who in her retirement from the teaching profession, now enjoys full-time office work and part-time rewarding travel work. Although currently serving as data entry clerk in the Finance Office for congregational services in Stevens Point, she enjoys taking working vacations in remote areas such as St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Jamaica and Kenya a long way from her original hometown of Arcadia, Wisconsin. Working with the Good News and Helping Hands volunteer groups, Sr. Angelora has gone seven times to build and paint wooden/mud houses, and work in schools and clinics. Only til one experiences this, will one fully understand and appreciate the life of others and be grateful for our own, she said. Her 43-year career as a teacher began at St. Peter Parish in Stevens Point in 1953, and five years later, at St. Paul School in Milwaukee for seven years. In 1965, Sr. Angelora became principal at St. Matthew School in Wausau for 11 years, while also teaching at the school for 21 years, until She then taught at Durand Holy Rosary School for the next 10 years. During a 10-month sabbatical, Sr. Angelora took computer courses, did substitute teaching AND prayed twice daily the prayer that included, I know, my Lord, that countless works can be done for you. But out of all these works, you, in your love, want only certain works to be done by me. You alone know the works that will be mine. You reveal these works to me step by step. I cannot know, as you, how each work is linked to the work you will ask me to do hereafter. This prayer later led her to work as a switchboard operator at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, where she also enjoyed work as an order processor and assistant supervisor at the American Girl Company, until she was called to the Motherhouse to work in finances. The prayer continues, Sometimes I lose my path, but you always wait for me with infinite patience. You are the shepherd who returns me steadily to the pasture of my own work. Help me to be present in the simplicity of my heart to each work that you have laid out for me. Page 15 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

16 Page 16 Sister Cecilia (Rosanne) Zielen 60 Years This above all: To thine own self be true. Since my senior year in high school, this quote from Shakespeare s Hamlet has been significant for me as a Sister of St. Joseph, TOSF. I began to feel a call to religious life in the third grade. When I shared my desire to be a sister with my fifth grade teacher, she encouraged me to pray for a religious vocation. Community life, retreats, education, travel and ministry presented many opportunities and challenges to be true to my own self. As a biology and earth science teacher at Lourdes High School, I participated in many workshops and classes that opened up a whole new world of perception and experience. At the same time, as a Congregation, we reflected on the Vatican II documents. Through these discussions, we deepened our understanding of the Church, the role of Franciscan religious life and prayer. Serving in congregational leadership on the Provincial and Central levels, was an invaluable experience. Visiting the Sisters in various parts of the country, and witnessing their lives in community and ministry was inspiring and life-giving. For many years, I wanted to be a missionary in a foreign country. To fulfill this dream, I attended the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio. There I studied Spanish, Hispanic Culture, theology and aspects of ministry to prepare for service in a multicultural setting. When I returned to Chicago from San Antonio, there was an opening in a new youth ministry program in the Humboldt Park and Logan Square areas of the Chicago Archdiocese where many Puerto Rican and Mexican families lived. Through this program I organized monthly meetings for youth ministers and various activities for the high school youth of these parishes. Although the youth ministry program was an avenue to minister with Spanishspeaking adults and youth, my heart desired to serve in a multicultural parish. The opportunity arose when there was an opening for a director of religious education at St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago. In this capacity, I was responsible for the religious education program for public school students, adult education, and the RCIA program. At St. Alphonsus, Sunday Masses were celebrated in English, Spanish, and German. For many years I was part of the Vocation/Formation Commission. Relating to women inquiring about religious life generated hope for our congregation and religious life. Consistently the favored aspect of our Come and See Weekends was the sharing of life stories of our senior sisters with the inquirers. To thine own self be true awakens in me a profound sense of gratitude for family, community, ministry and travel. To thine own self be true also bids me to be open to the Holy Spirit and whatever the future holds. Page 16 Jubilee 2011

17 Page 17 Sister Claire Cejer 60 Years Sr. Claire was born in Cleveland, daughter of Anthony and Clara Cejer. She graduated from Marymount High School, received her bachelor s degree from St. John College, graduate degree from Marquette University, and PhD. from Boston College. Sr. Claire currently works with the public school religious education program for SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She spent many years as a teacher and later as a computer software consultant in Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She also was an assistant professor in the Boston College School of Education. Page 17 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

18 Page 18 Sister Dominica Fick 60 Years Sr. Dominica Fick will celebrate her 60th year as a SSJ-TOSF, looking back with no regrets and looking forward filled with great joy. When the Lord called, it was a persistent call until I answered, she said. I was not blessed to have the encouragement of my parents to enter the convent. I lost my family when I crossed the threshold of the SSJ-TOSF, but for 60 years, I have had the love and friendship of a community of women dedicated to be of service to others. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she graduated from Sweetest Heart of Mary High School in Detroit, earned her Bachelor of Science from St. John College in Ohio, and her Master of Arts from Wayne State in Michigan. She was a teacher and principal for many years in Ohio, Connecticut, Michigan and California. She later served the congregation as director of management services at Marymount Congregational Home in Garfield Heights, where she resides today. If asked, if I would do it again, Sr. Dominica said, now enjoying retirement. I wouldn t hesitate. Page 18 Jubilee 2011

19 Page 19 Sister Francesca Grzeslo 60 Years Let the little children come of such is the kingdom of Heaven. (Mark 10:13-16) This phrase best describes the 60 years of a passion for teaching which was deeply implanted within the heart of Sr. Francesca at the early age of eight. At that time in life, paper dolls were the fad for young girls. The desire to teach started with creating paper sisters to teach paper doll children in schools and orphanages. It was in her freshman year at Lourdes High School in Chicago during a three day silent retreat that her desire to become a sister began to be set aflame. After much begging for approval to enter the SSJ-TOSF, her parents allowed her to enter the aspirancy at Riverside, Illinois, at the age of 15. After two years of postulancy, she was invested in the congregation and the journey began. It was during this journey that the words of Jesus, Let the little children come, took root. Sr. Francesca went to teach in Chicago, Indiana and Colorado. Hundreds and hundreds came, and the passion continued to grow. Sr. Francesca joined the staff at the Bartlett Learning Center from 1970 to Her work with special needs children was often built into a 17-hour day. As teacher and child care worker in the school/residence, her childhood dream came true. It was there that much joy filled the two decades of ministering to small boys ages four to ten. After-school/evening hours were filled with roller skating, swimming, picnics, dances, exercise classes and parties with the children. Amidst all the joys in ministering to the children of the center, a call of the heart began to swell within. The Desert will lead you to your heart where I will speak. (Hosea 2:14) So there it was after committing to the ministry of the Bartlett Learning Center for 20 years, Sr. Francesca followed the call into the desert of Arizona from 1991 to the present. She says she is energized by both her teaching at St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School in Avondale, and her active involvement with the SSJ-TOSFs growing associate program. Ten women have committed from the parish/school to this powerful and enriching opportunity, Sr. Francesca said. Page 19 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

20 Page 20 Sister Jean Ehasz 60 Years I entered the community of the SSJ-TOSF on Aug. 27, 1950, and was received into the Novitiate on Aug. 10, Since then time has flown by filled with a Yes to whatever and wherever God called me. In reflecting on the years between 1951 and 2011, my experiences have been numerous. The surprises God placed along the way of my journey made me realize that He was in charge, and I was to trust and follow. Words of Louis Evely, a spiritual writer of years ago, became alive for me the sign of God is that we will be led where we did not plan to go. I spent 39 years of ministry in the field of education, primarily in elementary schools and a few years in high school. Along with teaching, I was organist in various parishes, a member of the Formation Team of the community, and caregiver for my elderly mother for nine years. Upon retiring from teaching and administration as principal in 1995, I was gifted with a Sabbatical year that changed my life and the focus of my ministry. During that year I participated in a three-month intensive Franciscan Sabbatical program at Tau Center in Winona, Minnesota. On returning from Winona I co-founded the Franciscan Center at Marymount with Sr. Francis Therese Woznicki. I spent the next 10 years as co-director of the Franciscan Center. Those years have deepened my love for and response to living out the values of our Franciscan calling. Article 32 of the Third Order Rule has become my inspiration since Let us want one thing only the Spirit of God at work in our hearts and in our lives. My years at the Franciscan Center ended with the honor of being nominated for and receiving the 2006 Peacemaker of the Year award for our community at the annual Franciscan Federation Conference. The criterion for the award was that it go to someone who gifted the congregation with Franciscan peace through involvement in the ministry of spirituality, prayer ministry and/or retreat ministry. Since retiring from the Franciscan Center in 2006, I ve moved back to Marymount Congregational Home the place where I went to high school and entered the community. You might say I ve come full circle as I am now retired from active ministry (whatever that means, because there is always someone or something to help out with around the Marymount campus). The latest challenge on my journey is involvement with health care. I m now a member of the Board of Directors of the Marymount Health Care Systems and the Village at Marymount. I am truly grateful and praise God for these past 60 years and pray for the grace to continue to be a faithful presence, however I am able, of the God who loves us all. Page 20 Jubilee 2011

21 Page 21 Sister Joan Butkiewicz 60 Years Sr. Joan Butkiewicz (Josette) was born in Elyria, Ohio, of parents Rose and Frank on Sept. 2, She is the second youngest of eight children -- six girls and two boys. She attended Holy Cross School in Elyria which was staffed by our sisters, and entered the Community as an aspirant in 1948 after completing the 8th grade. Sr. Joan graduated from Marymount High School in 1951, invested in August of that year, and entered Novitiate in South Bend, Indiana. After completing novitiate, Sr. Joan began her long-time teaching career in Connecticut, Ohio and Michigan. While teaching in Cleveland, Ohio, at Immaculate Heart of Mary, she became a supervising teacher preparing other teachers in the field of education. Sr. Joan graduated from St. John College of Cleveland with a Bachelors Degree in Education, a Masters Degree in Supervision and Administration at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a Masters Degree in Religious Education at S.S. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. Following her degree in religious education, many years were spent as a Religious Education Coordinator at St. Anne Parish in Warren, Michigan. Sr. Joan later returned to the classroom, teaching junior high at St. Germaine School for 13 years. Her final teaching assignment found her back at St. Anne teaching junior high. After retiring, on many occasions she found herself returning to the classroom as a substitute teacher. As I reflected at the time of my 50 th Jubilee, and wish to reiterate now as I celebrate my 60 th, dedicated service to the Lord has itself been for me a stimulating, challenging and satisfying experience, Sr. Joan said. These past 60 years have been spent in teaching, supervising and coordinating religious education, all of which have been successfully accomplished because of my support, guidance, prayerful encouragement and cooperation of a loving family, community members, colleagues and friends. Page 21 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

22 Page 22 Sister Louise Szerpicki 60 Years The celebration of my 60-year Jubilee occurred within my 80 th year of life. This calls for a time out to contemplate, appreciate and express gratitude for both happenings. I hold my life in the SSJ-TOSF Community and my progression of human development of 80 years as precious gifts made possible by our generous God and by the many who throughout my 80 years I have encountered. They, who called out the better part of me as well as those who challenged me, even to depths of almost no return, helped me to realize who I am today. As I consciously, with determined intention, live out my years continuing to connect with grace into the gift of deeper inner self, the positive and negative encounters provide shape and meaning into fuller wholeness. These necessary building blocks reflect a more truthful realization of my true self. Thus far, I am led to summarize my life with expressions of gratitude and love. My wish is that you also be connected with your deeper inner self and do encounter the supreme goodness within God! Page 22 Jubilee 2011

23 Page 23 Sister Marlene Hostetter 60 Years We dream our lives in grand gestures, but we live our lives in small moments. Amen! Alleluia! (K. Nerburn) The SSJ-TOSF have been an intimate part of my life for the past 73 years. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, my early education and Christian formation took place at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. It was here that I learned, through the examples of the sisters and my family, to celebrate and consecrate the ORDINARY moments of life. It was here that the love of teaching became my lifetime goal and passion. During my 60 years in the community, I taught school for 56 years: one year at Ascension Parish (Warren, Michigan); 19 years at Immaculate Heart Parish (Cleveland, Ohio); 32 years as teacher/principal at Holy Cross Parish (New Britain, Connecticut); and four years as literacy teacher (New Britain). It was as teacher, principal, director of religious education, tutor for the New Britain Literacy/ESL Program, resource person for the social activities/craft program at St. Lucian Residence, and history tutor for those preparing for American citizenship that I was able to discover what made life worthwhile. My years teaching as a SSJ-TOSF enabled me to discover a spark of the Divine in each person encountered. My ministry enabled me to use the gifts and techniques taught me at Marymount High School, St. John College, Villanova University and the Catholic University of America. In the book of Micah, the prophet says, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. I am so grateful that as a SSJ-TOSF, I can help shape the world I touch with my words, my actions and my dreams. My community has taught me to discover and recognize the hidden power of the ORDINARY and that what we make happen for others, God will make happen for us. Page 23 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

24 Page 24 Sister Rita Marie Malachinski 60 Years Sr. Rita was born in Chicago, daughter of Andrew and Genevieve. She graduated from Lourdes High School, received her bachelor s degree in elementary education from Quincy College, master s degree in special education from Northeastern Illinois University, master s degree in administration and supervision from the University of Dayton. She also is certified as a nursing assistant, and in occupational and physical therapy, early childhood management, and elementary and special education. She was a teacher and school administrator for many years in Illinois and Indiana, both in grade school and religious education. She pioneered the special education program for the SSJ-TOSF in Bartlett (now Clare Woods Academy) and served as administrator there for 12 years. She resides at Clare Oaks in Bartlett, Illinois. Page 24 Jubilee 2011

25 Page 25 Sister Bernadine Lepak 50 Years Life is an unfolding mystery that leads us to places we thought we would never venture. And along life s journey we gather crumbs of happiness that will give us a loaf of contentment and joy. So my journey began in 1943, the fifth child born to Ed and Tillie Lepak in a faith-filled, loving family. My elementary education years were spent at St. Stanislaus School in Stevens Point. The school was staffed by our sisters, my 4 th grade teacher being Sr. Barbara Jean Peplinski. After attending a year at Maria High School, I entered the SSJ-TOSF in August, In 1964, I began my teaching ministry at Blessed Sacrament in Milwaukee, while also attending Alverno College to obtain a teaching degree. After graduating from Alverno in 1971, I attended summer sessions at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana to obtain a master s degree in religious education in For over 30 years, I was involved in teaching parish religious education in various schools in Wisconsin. In 1998, my journey took a different twist. I was invited to become the activity director at St. Joseph Motherhouse, a role I still enjoy today. Each day is unique, bringing joy, smiles and comfort to the sisters, especially in Maria Center. The activities range from reminiscing, games, exercise, bingo, prayer, movies, sing-a-longs and memory loss activities. On special occasions, I dress up and entertain the sisters and have a fun time. To see the sisters smiles is life-giving and makes every day worthwhile. Looking back, I thank God for all who have come into my life and refreshed me, adding to my crumbs of happiness, and for all who have given me hope and love on my journey as a SSJ-TOSF. As I feel hope, joy and happiness rise in my heart, I trust God will continue to be with me on my journey. Page 25 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

26 Page 26 Sister Caroline Cerveny 50 Years Aug. 10, 2011, will mark 50 years of being a member of the SSJ-TOSF! Never in my wildest imagination did I plan on 50 years going by so quickly and on meeting so many wonderful friends over these years! I have been blessed in my journey of serving high school students, our sisters while serving in SSJ-TOSF congregational leadership, diocesan catechetical ministry, parish pastoral ministry, Catholic publishing, Campus Ministry, University Academic Technology, and now the founding of a faithbased educational technology ministry - INTERACTIVE CONNECTIONS. As I reflect on my journey, I am very aware that the God of life and love has constantly led me from one passage to another. You will often hear me say, I never planned to be here! Somehow I just arrived! My fascination with educational technology began in an encounter with a 12-year-old boy in a Chicago Hyde Park Radio Shack Store in This young man held my attention for 45 minutes telling me about bits, bytes, RAM, ROM and more. As I left the store, I clearly realized that I was OUTDATED and could not speak the language this young man spoke to me. That began my journey to learn more about the educational technology world. This story is the best example of how I try to "be open to God's Spirit and bear witness to the Christ who leads us daily." Each of us in our own way are simple instruments sharing the gift of God's life with one another. Which for me today means - inviting folks to read my blog acyberpilgrim.org so that ministers will become more comfortable with the technology world that now surrounds us. Or joining the conversation at Digital Catechesis where friendships and conversations focus on your technology needs or sharing good online videos with one another. I celebrate these 50 years in gratitude to all in the community, family and friends who have been my companions on the journey! I appreciate what you've done in every way in every place, and I want to thank you very much. Acts 24: 3 (God's Word Translation). Page 26 Jubilee 2011

27 Page 27 Sister Cecilia Marie Morton 50 Years How did I ever get to this point in my life? I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. My mother died from tuberculosis when I was two years old, leaving behind her only child. My father never wanted me to become Catholic. He had heard unfavorable stories, and our family was mostly Baptist. I spent one year in a Catholic school, where I got to know and love the Blessed Virgin. In my teens, I joined the Catholic Church. It took a public school teacher to tell me she felt I had a vocation. I politely told her, I don t have a vocation and I am not going to enter the Convent! I did almost everything I could to keep from entering the convent. I fought with myself and others, trying to convince them and myself that I was not cut out for convent life. I soon found out however, that you can t run from God. Eventually I returned to Ohio because the wife of the family I had lived with as a child got sick. I found a spiritual director, unaware of the fact that he was a member of an Interracial Council. He suggested that I join our congregation and I did! Funny I should enter an all-white community of mostly Polish Sisters. Experiencing institutional racism was a whole different ballgame for me. I didn t know there were Caucasians in the early 1960s who had never seen an African American in real life. This was new, and I felt vulnerable and alone. After this came the Civil Rights Movement, the Interracial Council and their dinners, and Vatican II. When the National Black Sisters Conference came along, I was encouraged to be a part of it. God had a plan for me, and he was truly leading me! It was at one of our Community High School retreats that I met Deacon McNeeley. I later found out that he had asked for me to come to work at St. Bernard Parish in Detroit, Michigan. Working at St. Bernard gave me the opportunity to work with people of all ages. I was also given a chance by our congregation to spend a year in Africa learning as much as I could about my roots. At the present time, I am involved in the Rites of Passage Program and programs dealing with the Black experience. I would be negligent if I did not mention that there were sisters in our congregation who were there for me at different times in my life; sisters who felt my pain and prayed and fasted for me. I am fully aware that it took a lot of wisdom, foresight and courage to open doors that were closed to me and others to step through. Page 27 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

28 Page 28 Sister DeAnne Zawadzki 50 Years Many moons ago, when I told my parents I was going to the convent, there was a bit of surprise and silence. They thought it was a phase and would last a short time. I felt convent life was in my veins and since my sister, aunt and numerous cousins seemed happy, I would be, too. My life in ministry has been as an itinerant. Reflecting on my life in ministry, I pray that as I moved through, my small gift has made this world a better place. For many entering the community in the 1960s, the question was whether to be a teacher or a nurse. I wasn t sure I could be either, but moved into the classroom with the supportive direction of some wonderful women. When it was time to work on a master s degree, I chose theology/religious studies. I moved from elementary school to high school at Aquinas, which meant a change in direction and an on-the-job education from the students. An invitation from Sr. Josephine Marie Peplinski took me from Michigan to Indiana. Living at the motherhouse provided time for a second novitiate and time to learn and grow. Helping to set up the communications office, working in the Catechetical Office for the Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend, and an eventual move to Fatima Retreat House at Notre Dame, all provided me with an opportunity to learn about the world out there and the world within. From South Bend, God moved me to Ft. Wayne, in the same diocese but 90 miles east. My work in the diaconate program, vocations office, and as representative of religious, was made even better by the fact that the Most Rev. William McManus was bishop of the diocese, and a source of blessing and friendship. After 25 years, God called me to move back to Ohio and a ministry of a different kind. Provincial administration is something every community member should experience. It was my honor to work with many wonderful women. Being back in my hometown has given me a chance to minister to the people of God in a variety of ways, and has also given me a chance to be part of my biological family in a different way. For all that was, I am grateful. For all that will be, I continue to welcome with an open heart. Page 28 Jubilee 2011

29 Page 29 Sister Dorothy Ann Krolikowski 50 Years Sr. Dorothy Ann was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and entered the congregation in August, After novitiate, she attended St. John s College of Cleveland where she was introduced to spiritual writings that have influenced her way of being in relationship with God and with others. One of the writings is The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. The words, She was not asked to do anything herself, but to let something be done to her. She was not asked to renounce anything, but to receive an incredible gift, are words embedded within sister s heart. She received both her B.A. in Education and her M.A. in Education with a major in religious studies from St. John s. Sr. Dorothy Ann taught in elementary schools in Ohio and Michigan. Later she became the first Director of Religious Education at St. Monica Parish in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She continued serving in that capacity at St. Dorothy Parish and St. Anthony Parish, both in Michigan. Sister s ministry in parishes was temporarily interrupted when she was elected to provincial leadership. Reflecting on those years, she said, Congregational leadership presented a great challenge to me. It forced me to think out of the box, to explore new ways of membering and to take informed, prayerful stances on political and religious issues. Soon after her experience in administration, Sr. Dorothy Ann took the position of principal at St. Ann School in Cleveland Heights, and later at St. Therese in Garfield Heights, both in Ohio. Thinking back to that time, Sr. Dorothy Ann recalls, Just when I thought I was settled in my ministry until retirement, Sr. Felicia Mann invited me to consider being director of Marymount Child Care Center. The only qualification I felt I had for this ministry was my love for children and the fact that I knew my God would be walking with me into this unknown land. Sr. Dorothy Ann will be ending her fourth year at the Center and it is no longer foreign territory. Being with those fresh from God encourages me to look at everything in a new way. I ve learned to see all things as if I was seeing and experiencing it for the first time, she said. My 50 years in religious life have taught me to be open to God s invitations and to the surprises that come with them. I am grateful for all that has been, grateful for all that is and I await with eagerness for all that will be. Page 29 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

30 Page 30 Sister Dorothy (Barbara) Monikowski 50 Years As I pause to reflect on the meaning of this 50 th Jubilee, I realize again that today s world is very different from the world of 1961, the year of my investing as a novice. I have been witness to incredible world events over these years; I have met several thousand people in my ministries on two continents; I marvel at the evolution of progress in so many areas, I watch with anticipation the changing face of religious life; and I have traveled to parts of the world which linger with awe in my memories. And given the opportunities for relationships, education and ministry which the Community afforded me, I too have changed. As I hold all these gifts of my life, I am humbled and grateful for all that God has given me. Among my most cherished gifts are my parents, Frank and Genevieve Monikowski. I grew up in a happy, loving, and close-knit family with grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins all living in the same northwest side neighborhood of Chicago. After graduating from high school and working for a while, I entered the community on January 8, Thus began the journey of religious life for me which has always been filled with surprises of the Spirit. From 1964 to 1974 I served as a teacher and principal in schools in Illinois and Indiana. In 1974, I served in Provincial Administration at Immaculata Convent, Bartlett, IL. This was followed by an invitation to work in the Chicago Archdiocesan School Office as a consultant for teachers and principals. In 1982, I once again was elected to serve in Provincial Administration. When my term was completed, I went back for studies at Loyola University, Chicago, and earned a Master s Degree in Organization Development in 1988, supplementing the Master s in Educational Administration and Supervision granted by Concordia University in River Forest, IL. My mission and motivation as an organizational consultant is the mandate given by Jesus to St. Francis: Go and repair my house because it is falling into ruin. As Associate Director of Planning for the Archdiocese of Chicago during the tenure of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, my work was both challenging and rewarding. Working with Cardinal Bernardin was a blessing in more ways than I can tell. Helping parishioners face the necessity of closing or merging parishes was among the most challenging work I have ever done. In 1992 I began to work independently as a consultant and facilitator. I have been led to people and places beyond my expectations. I have focused my efforts at rebuilding God s house with congregations of men and women in chapters, assemblies and convocations, with dioceses, communities, parishes, universities, associatlions and federations in strategic planning, with reconfiguration of congregations through mergers and consolidations, with leadership development, conflict management, and transformational planning. I have served close to one hundred organizations in more than twenty states and in Brazil. The journey has had its price at times. Yet overall it has been of God as I often remember that with God all things are possible. My deep gratitude extends to the many special people in my life who have supported and encouraged me through the good and the tough times. Some have been in my life for a reason, some for a season, some for a lifetime. They form a special fabric of love that I carry deep in my heart. For them I will always be grateful. As I stand on the threshold of Jubilee, I embrace God s continuing call with all its immediacy, risk and excitement. I desire to be lured by God s Spirit to open the doors of my heart and the gates of my spirit to all that is before me. I know that the Spirit of God is upon me. I have been anointed to continue to repair God s house and to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. Page 30 Jubilee 2011

31 Page 31 Sister Elaine Ann Robleski 50 Years In reflecting on my 50 years in the community, I find that the Lord has truly blessed me and allowed me to grow in many ways. Through the years, I have been called to share my talents in a variety of ministries which included the Culinary Arts at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ascension Parish and St. Germaine, all in Michigan. Following those years, my talents were channeled in another direction and I served as Secretary to the Religious Formation Department at St. Anne Parish in Warren, Michigan, and Secretary to the Faculty at Regina High School in Harper Woods, Michigan. At present, I minister in the healthcare field as a Medical Records Transcriptionist at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. In Medical Transcription, we strive to maintain the highest quality and accuracy in creating/transcribing the patient s medical record. As part of the health care team, we are all involved in the overall care and well-being of the patient. In my free time, I enjoy being around nature, especially flowers. As a way to relax, I like to listen to music and spend time with my feline friend, Zubie. I am grateful to God for all the blessings of my life, especially for my parents, brothers, relatives and friends. I am most appreciative to my community that continues to support me on my journey as a SSJ-TOSF. Page 31 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

32 Page 32 Sister Josephine Espinos 50 Years There is a season and a time for all things. How wonderful the ways God walks with us in the twists and turns of life. Sr. Josephine grew up in a multi-cultural environment, as her mother s parents came from Czechoslovakia and her father was born in Mexico, both from deeply religious environments. Sr. Josephine is one of seven children. Her older sister, Sr. Rose Cecile, now with the School Sisters of Notre Dame, affected her early prayer life. An invitation by Sr. Jane Zawadzki, her homeroom teacher at Sr. Barbara High School, influenced her vocational choice to the SSJ-TOSFs in During Novitiate, she wrote a request to the congregational leadership with the hope to be sent to the missions some day. Sr. Josephine felt called in this direction because as a teen she spent a year with her uncle priest and her aunt in a mountain town in Mexico, where she learned to speak Spanish and developed skills in catechesis. Her first years of ministry were spent as a teacher in the primary grades. In 1972, she and Sr. Monica Lachcik arrived in Peru. Among the challenges faced was the difficulty to maintain contact with the congregation or family, as there were no phone lines in Tahuantinsuyo, and frequently mail was tampered with or never arrived. Political tensions were strong, and at the time, Sr. Josephine found herself rethinking her religious vocation. Feeling much inner anguish, she left Peru in1978 with the hope of returning some day. She found ministry serving as a bilingual religious education coordinator, but in 1981, she left the congregation. Sr. Josephine felt the Holy Spirit calling her back to the SSJ-TOSF community in 1986 as a lay associate. During an Advent retreat in 1992, led by the healer Barbara O Malley, she received upon her heart the Scripture from the prophet Hosea: I will lead you to the desert and will espouse myself anew to you. After receiving various signs, she realized God was calling her back to the SSJ-TOSF family and Peru. The congregation reaffirmed her decision as they lovingly embraced her once again. She is forever grateful to God for her merciful love and to her sisters in community for their loving acceptance of her. Page 32 Jubilee 2011

33 Page 33 Sister Kenneth Bielski 50 Years Sr. Kenneth Bielski spent her grade school years as a student at St. Josaphat School in Cleveland, where she grew up with the SSJ-TOSF as her teachers. She was inspired by them to join the Congregation s aspirancy program during her high school years. She graduated from Marymount High School in June, 1961, and entered the novitiate of the SSJ-TOSF in August. She pronounced her first vows in 1963 and her final vows in Her early ministerial career found Sr. Kenneth serving at St. Hedwig Parish in Akron, Transfiguration Parish in Cleveland, and at the residence of Bishop Floyd Begin in Oakland, California. In the early 1970s, Sr. Kenneth took over the management of the kitchen and bakery at Marymount Congregational Home and oversaw the preparation of meals for the sisters in the home, as well as the residents of the Clare Hall Skilled Care facility. During these years, she perfected the art of cake baking and decorating, and her wedding and jubilee cakes were true works of art. Many would say that they were too good to eat, but they would immediately add that they also tasted so good that just admiring them was never enough! In 1982, Sr. Kenneth became the chief cook, foods manager and director of the kitchen at the Cathedral of St. John, the diocesan home of Cleveland Bishop Anthony Pilla. She continues to serve in this capacity with the current diocesan Bishop Richard Lennon. It was evident very early in her religious life that Sr. Kenneth possessed both the heart, as well as the abilities, of a real homemaker. Over the years, she attended specialized classes and workshops that put the finishing touches on her many natural gifts in cooking and baking. Sr. Kenneth has a gentle, quiet way of communicating the genuine love of God to those with whom she comes in contact. She regularly visits the sick in local hospitals, faithfully attends wakes and funerals, and accompanies the dying as a trained hospice volunteer with the Hospice of the Western Reserve. Page 33 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

34 Page 34 Sister Mary Ann Walentowski 50 Years My dad (Edward), mom (Estelle), sister (Carol) and I lived in South Chicago. My grandparents, aunts and uncles all lived in Chicago. My dad worked in the steel mill and my mom worked in the box factory. My sister and I went to Immaculate Conception school. I got to know the sisters by helping after school and in summer. I entered the convent after 8th grade and attended Lourdes High School with the other aspirants. It was and is wonderful being part of the SSJ- TOSF. I cooked and cleaned most of my life at several places, but I was at Lourdes High School the longest. My favorite things are reading, listening to music, being outside and baking. I like all animals, especially dogs. Now I live at Clare Oaks with the SSJ- TOSF and my sister Carol. I work as a housekeeper in the skilled care unit at Clare Oaks. I meet many good people who inspire me. Page 34 Jubilee 2011

35 Page 35 Sister Monica Lachcik 50 Years I was born (Leona) June 12, 1943, to Monica Kropidlowski and Joseph Lachcik. I was the third of four children. I attended St. Salomea School, where our sisters taught. I was highly influenced by them and became determined to enter the convent at an early age. Right after the 8 th grade, at age 13, I went to Lourdes High School and became an aspirant, and then a postulant after four years of high school. I became a novice on Aug. 10, All congregations were asked to send sisters to South America by Pope John XXIII. I asked to go, but was told to wait. Time passed and I became a teacher at St. Mary Perpetual Help for a year, then off to St. Barbara for a year, to St. Simeon for three years, and to Holy Rosary in Gary, Indiana, for three years. I asked to go to Peru to join Srs. Clement and Angela. Sr. Josephine Espinos was thinking about the same thing, so we asked to go together. We left for Peru on June 23, We went to a language school for three months, returning to the convent and parish on weekends to get acquainted with the people and the work. We didn t know if we could do it, but we had great teachers the wonderful people we have learned to love. We took over the handling of the sacramental programs and began work with the women in the area. We formed women s groups, soup kitchens, and pushed the government to supply the village with a health center, which exists today. We started a kerosene station, began a noodle factory, and helped create a bakery. With the help of our congregation, friends and the Columban Fathers, we built an auditorium where our groups meet and have many activities for formation and evangelization. We are very proud to say that we have 20 associates who work with us on all kinds of programs, in the parish, in our reflections on our congregation, and with the needs of the people in our village. I thank my family, my congregation and God for these 39 years of love, life and happiness with the Peruvian people. May I be blessed to continue in this mission in Tahuantinsuyo. Page 35 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

36 Page 36 Sister Rita Schmidt 50 Years At age 13, I wrote the following poem. It was published in Manna, America s Catholic Youth Magazine in A Bride of Christ My vocation is now at stake, It s time for me a choice to make. A future of happiness and security, And most of all, the virtue of purity. There are many hurdles that I face, My strength of will, I must embrace, That in the religious state I find, A healthy body, soul and mind. The grace of God and prayers I ll need, To choose a vocation for me indeed; A Bride of Christ, I want to be, God, grant this request to me. Rita Schmidt (Grade 7) St. Michael School, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin As I reflect on the sentiments and aspirations I expressed so sincerely many years ago, I am awed at how my life has unfolded. Gratitude wells up in my heart. It is not a simple emotion or an oblivious attitude. It is constantly reclaiming my whole past as a concrete way in which God has led me to this moment. So with a heart open to God s love and direction, I began my service to God and the Church as a primary teacher, and later a principal. It was a joy to teach, guide and nurture children and affect the lives of their families in the parish setting. Since I taught little people, the child in me was able to come out. It especially was alive and well when I taught art classes. The gift of those 18 years was letting my creativity go free, so I could be effective and happy. In 1982, I received a call to be coordinator of the personal lives of the sisters at St. Joseph Convent in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Those six years brought an opportunity to get to know and love our sisters dearly and to become acquainted with more of our sisters on a congregational level. The ministry to our elderly sisters opened up new avenues of service, namely in pastoral care. Since then, I pursued education for clinical pastoral education and am a certified chaplain for the last 20 years. Recently, I had the privilege of walking with our newest members as a candidate minister. God be praised for the blessings and graces I have received. Truly a rewarding life! Page 36 Jubilee 2011

37 Page 37 Sister Joyce Hollkamp 25Years I met Sr. Karen Shimko in my home parish in Jackson, Mississippi. My new 4- Volume Christian Prayer Book had just arrived in the mail. Karen and I began conversation with her explaining how to use the Office Book. Before we finished, she gave me the address to our Vocation Director, Sr. Gretchen Clark. I had begun discerning religious life for myself two years earlier with the SSNDs. Although they are wonderful individuals, nothing happened. The SSJ -TOSF congregation was different. On Palm Sunday, I wrote to Gretchen; on Holy Saturday my answer came. Gretchen invited me to Cleveland. Life since has been a blessing. On Aug. 25, 1985, I moved to Cleveland, concerned how to be self-sufficient as a candidate. Moving 1,000 miles made finding a one-year job a challenge. God took care of everything. While Sr. Lorraine Durkalski gave me a tour of Marymount Convent, we met Sr. Catherine Britton. Lorraine introduced us, explaining my need for a job. Sr. Catherine welcomed me to work in Campus Ministry with Lorraine at Trinity High School. After a year, I was accepted into novitiate and moved to South Bend, Indiana. In November, 1987, I moved to Belleville, Michigan, where I completed my education at Eastern Michigan University while ministering at St. Anthony Parish. There Srs. Juliana Sobieski, Theresa Marie Slonina and Denise Seymour played a special role in my growth as a religious. After completing my education, Sr. Leanne Leszczynski hired me as Business Manager at Regina High School where I ministered for 10 wonderful years. In December 2005, I moved home to Cleveland. On Jan. 13 th, Sr. Mary Alice invited me to be Coordinator at Marymount Congregational Home. Joyfully I accepted that invitation. Then came the renovation! I learned to live with sporadic heat/light. Sr. Katherine Wyszynski taught me to read construction contracts. I learned to read blueprints. I watched the adventure unfold as our convent changed from dirt, dust and debris to warmth and new life. On April 9, 2009, Sr. Dolores Sever and I were first to return to our newly renovated home where I continue to minister as Business/Facilities Coordinator at Marymount Congregational Home. Page 37 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis

38 Page 38 Sister Sharon Dillon 25 Years Sr. Sharon Dillon entered the SSJ-TOSF community in Cleveland, Ohio. The catalyst for this was Sr. Gretchen who first introduced Sharon to the community at St. Jude Convent. Prior to entering, she earned a masters degree in Education, with a focus in Special Education and Physical Education from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. While in initial formation, she worked as a social worker at Marymount Hospital in the Discharge Planning Department for ICU, ER and Oncology. From her arrival day, an alert person would have noted a woman with an innovative flare. Sr. Sharon moved to South Bend, Indiana, for her novitiate bringing her near to her parents, Carol and Bill Dillon. The move also linked her with Marian Diaz through their work at Catholic Worker House where she spent her summer while teaching at St. Bavo School during the rest of the year. Her friendship with Marian and her husband Miguel, currently the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, has been lifelong. After final profession, Sr. Sharon worked with special needs adults at Logan Center, while also serving the SSJ-TOSF community with membership on the Peace and Justice Commission. She also worked as a social worker at Memorial Hospital while serving as vocation minister for the congregation. True to her innovative propensity, she co-founded with Sr. Gretchen Clark a respite care home for the developmentally challenged called Chiara Home. Her saturation with all things Franciscan led to Washington when she accepted the position as Executive Director of the Franciscan Federation. Subsequent positions have remained within the Franciscan tradition: Executive Director of the Franciscan Mission Service, Religious Event Coordinator for Catholics in Alliance, and currently Executive Operations Coordinator for a Franciscan Secular Institute. Sr. Sharon is also a certified Franciscan spiritual director and has continued to provide direction and retreats for the past 20 years. In all things, Sr. Sharon is guided by her faith in God, her reflections upon the daily Scriptures and her generous service to all things living. Page 38 Jubilee 2011