Sister Jubilarians Who Formerly Served in the Diocese of Rockford
June 18, 2020
SINSINAWA DOMINICANS
To honor Sinsinawa jubilarians, go to the Sinsinawa Dominicans’ website at www. sinsinawa.org/jubilee.
75 years
Sister Marie Celeste Gatti, OP
Sister Marie Celeste Gatti, OP, will mark her 75th jubilee in 2020.
Her home parish is Sacred Heart, Washington, D.C. Her ministry has been in teaching and education administration.
She served as principal and teacher in the Diocese of Rockford at Aquin Central Catholic High School, Freeport, 1961-1967, and in the Diocese of Peoria at Central Catholic, Bloomington, 1967-1972.
She also taught in Chicago, Oak Park and River Forest schools. She was director of secondary schools and secretary of the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation, and was executive director of Hope Rural School for the Diocese of Palm Beach. She served also in Washington.
Sister Marie Celeste now lives in community at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa.
70 years
Sister Rosa Rauth, OP
Sister Rosa Rauth, OP, will mark her 70th jubilee in 2020.
Sister Rosa’s home parish is Ascension in Oak Park. Her ministry has been dedicated to teaching music and math.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Rosa was director of music ministry at St. Patrick Parish, 1987-2006, and taught piano lessons during that time.
She also taught in the Diocese of Peoria’s Holy Trinity grade and high schools, in the Diocese of Madison at Edgewood School and College, and served in South Dakota, Oklahom, Nebraska and Minnesota.
Since 2006, Sister Rosa has been serving at the Motherhouse in Sinsinawa as volunteer organist, piano teacher and accompanist for the Sinsinawa Singing Seniors.
60 years
Sister Mary Ellen O’Dea, OP
Sister Mary Ellen O’Dea, OP, will mark her 60th jubilee in 2020.
Her religious name was Sister Mary Celestine, and her home parish is St. Cajetan, Chicago. Her ministry has been dedicated to scriptural teaching and preaching in feminist biblical interpretation mode.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Mary Ellen served as coordinator of the RENEW small faith groups at St. James Parish, Rockford, 1984-1985.
Sister Mary Ellen also served in the Archdioceses of Omaha, Chicago, Denver, St. Paul and Minneapolis, and in the Diocese of Helena.
She has ministered as an itinerant preacher, retreat director, and feminist biblical interpreter throughout the United States, based in Chicago, since 2005.
60 years
Sister Winifred Morgan, OP
Sister Winifred Morgan, OP, will mark her 60th jubilee in 2020.
Her religious name was Sister Arnoul, and her home parish is Our Lady Help of Christians, Chicago. Her ministry has been teaching and writing.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Winifred taught at Freeport Aquin, Freeport, 1973-1974.
She taught also in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and the dioceses of Madison, Sioux Falls, and Dallas.
Sister Winifred is living in community at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa.
FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF THE SACRED HEART
85 years
Sister Anna Clare Meyer, OSF
Sister Anna Clare entered the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart congregation 85 years ago.
Born in Avilla, Indiana, she primarily served in food service and as a clinical laboratory aide.
In the Diocese of Rockford, she served in food service at St. Joseph Hospital, Elgin (1938-1942); St. Francis Hospital, Freeport (1942-1943); St. Vincent Orphanage, Freeport (1943-1945); and in Danville as a Clinical Lab Aide (1945-1984).
Sister Anna Clare is now retired and living at St. Francis Woods in Frankfort.
SERVANTS OF THE HOLY HEART OF MARY
50 years
Sister Marie Mason, SSCM
Sister Marie Mason celebrates 50 years of profession with the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary.
She met her congregation through her mother. The SSCM sisters made arrangements for Marie to attend high school at Holy Family Academy in Beaverville, where they began an aspirancy program for her and other students interested in becoming sisters.
Sister Marie made her first profession in 1970. Her ministry has included the areas of secretarial, finance, healthcare governance and vocation.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Marie served at Mercy Center in Aurora, 1971-1980 (two years in the general division and seven years in the psychiatric division), and later for a few years as office manager at St. Anne Center (now Siena on Brendenwood) in Rockford. She also served the SSCM novitiate community in Batavia where she was the vocation director for the U.S. Province.
Sister Marie also served in Kankakee and Champaign-Urbana. At present she is living in Florida to assist her family.
DOMINICAN SISTERS OF SPRINGFIELD
60 years
Sister Judith Hilbing, OP
Sister Judith Hilbing (formerly Sister Francis Irene) celebrates 60 years of religious profession with the Dominican Sisters of Springfield.
Her ministry has focused on the education of youth and the promotion of a more just world.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Judith taught at Holy Angels School, Aurora, grade 1, from 1960-1965.
After 18 years teaching elementary students, she began what added up to 18 years of ministry in Peru, in part during the tumultuous days of the ascendency of the violent rebel faction Sendero Luminoso.
She also served in elected leadership for the Springfield Dominican congregation and served the Spanish-speaking community in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. She will soon complete two terms as prioress, Sacred Heart Convent.
60 years
Sister Myra Flahive, OP
Sister Myra celebrates 60 years as a Springfield Dominican
She holds a B.A. in education; a K-9 teaching certificate; and an M.Ed. degree.
In the Diocese of Rockford, she taught grades 5-6 at St. Peter School in Aurora, 1985-1987.
Before she completed 54 years of teaching in Illinois, Sister Myra taught every grade, K-8, and spent a dozen years as a parish school of religion coordinator in Decatur.
She is now serving with ministry of prayer at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield.
60 years
Sister Margaret Mary Byrnes, OP
Sister Margaret Mary celebrates 60 years with the Springfield Dominicans.
Her first 18 years were given to elementary education in parochial schools, then she taught religious education in two rural religious education centers in the Springfield diocese.
In the Diocese of Rockford she served at Holy Angels, Aurora, 1964-1971, grades 4-5; St. Charles Borromeo, Hampshire, 1971-1974, grades 4-5; St Thomas the Apostle, Crystal Lake, DRE from 1985-1986; SS. Peter & Paul, Cary, DRE from 1986-1987, and as outreach minister from 2006-2014; Dominican Literacy Center, Aurora, tutor from 2014-2018.
Currently she serves at Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield, in the library and with preaching.
60 years
Sister Anne Lawrence Buchmiller
Sister Anne Lawrence celebrates her 60th jubilee with the Springfield Dominicans.
Sister Anne Lawrence spent the greater part of her years educating children in central Illinois at first in elementary schools often teaching music. She was a principal in Springfield and Granite City schools.
In the Rockford Diocese she taught music at St Peter, Aurora, 1970-1971, grades 5-6.
In 1978 she began to teach secondary grades in Chicago Heights and Springfield schools.
She retired in 2019 and now ministers in community service, overseeing supply distribution and filling in as organist for community prayer.
60 years
Sister Bernadette Marie McGuire
Sister Bernadette celebrates 60 years as a Springfield Dominican. Her education includes a B.A. degree in English, a 6-12 teaching certificate, and a Master of Library Science.
After a dozen years teaching elementary school, she switched to library science in the three Illinois high schools owned by the community: Marian Catholic, Sacred Heart-Griffin, and Rosary High School in Aurora, 1993-2017.
“Her dry wit and insatiable curiosity made this a perfect ministry of support for students,” says the congregation.
She now resides at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield.
60 years
Sister Marilyn Jean Runkel, OP
Sister Marilyn Jean celebrates her 60th jubilee with the Springfield Dominicans.
She holds a B.A. degree in English; certificates in teaching and K-12 administration/supervision; M.Ed. in educational administration; M.S. in management and organizational behavior, and a Ph.D. in organizational development.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Marilyn Jean taught at Holy Angels, Aurora, 1960-1963, grade 5.
She was principal in the Springfield and Duluth dioceses, director of the Office for Catholic Education in Springfield and the first president of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School there.
She taught for Benedictine Universit and was the associate dean of Academic Affairs, chair of the Education Department, and also oversaw the Management and Organizational Behavior master’s degree.
She currently serves as an adjunct professor at Benedictine and as a board consultant, facilitator, and writer.
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