60 years
Sister Arturo Cranston, OP
Sister Arturo is celebrating the 60th anniversary of her profession of vows as a Sinsinawa Dominican.
Her home parish is the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C. She earned a B.A. at Rosary College and a master’s degree in music from Pius XII Institute in Florence, Italy. Her main area of ministry has been piano and choral music. She has served in Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Chicago. In 1982 and 1983, Sister Arturo interned with Land between the Lakes, a federal project located on federal land in Kentucky and Tennessee. She learned fishery, wildlife and forestry management and about developing recreation programs. That prepared her for a 22-year ministry at Camp WeHaKee (now WeHaKee Camp for Girls), in Winter, Wisc.
She currently lives in East Dubuque and is a musician at St. Dominic Villa at Sinsinawa.
“I love my life,” Sister Arturo says. “If asked, I’d do it all over again!”
60 years
Sister Patricia Kieffer, SSCM
This year, Sister Patricia celebrates 60 years of religious vows with the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary.
She was born in Chicago and earned a B.A. in psychology and education and an M.A. in religious education at St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind..
She taught in parochial schools in the dioceses of Joliet, Peoria, the archdioceses of Chicago and Washington, D.C., and in the Diocese of Rockford at St. Peter School in Geneva from 1961 to 1966 and 1970 to 1972.
Sister Patricia is now retired and lives at the Holy Heart of Mary Community in Batavia.
60 years
Sister Rita Mary Phalen, SSSF
Sister Rita Mary celebrates 60 years as a School Sister of St. Francis this year. She was born in Louisville (Ill.), and her home parish was St. Clement in Lancaster, Wis.
Having earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in religious studies, Sister Rita Mary has served as a teacher, a director of religious education and in other parish work.
Her first assignment was in the Diocese of Rockford at St. Therese of Jesus School in Aurora. After that, she taught at Holy Family School in Rockford. She then was formation director for her order in Milwaukee, Wis. After that, she served at St. Mary in Sycamore and at St. Nicholas, St. Rita of Cascia and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora.
Currently, Sister Rita Mary lives in Aurora and serves as the on-call chaplain at Copley Hospital, as a volunteer at Maryville Health Care for Children Home in Chicago, and she is a eucharistic minister for Presence Mercy and Copley hospitals.
60 years
Sister Gladys Stanke, SSSF
Sister Gladys celebrates 60 years as a School Sister of St. Francis this year.
Born in Buffalo Grove, she earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., and did graduate work at the University of Illinois. Her chief area of ministry was elementary school education.
In the Diocese of Rockford, she served at St. Michael Romanian Byzantine Church in Aurora from 1958 to 1961; at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Aurora, from 1961 to 1978; at St. Peter, South Beloit, from 1978 to 1981; Sacred Heart School in Aurora from 1982 to 1990; and from 2012 to the present is a volunteer at Waubonsee Community College.
“The most satisfying aspect of my vocation is to bring the Gospel message to the people that I serve,” Sister Gladys says. “This is because all are united with the Creator and our world as one family in the universe.” Her advice to anyone considering a religious vocation is “to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and listen to your heart.”
60 years
Sister Nancy Ulrich, SSSF
Sister Nancy celebrates her 60th anniversary of her reception into the School Sisters of St. Francis this year.
Born in Chicago, her home parish was St. Irene in Warrenville. She studied education at Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis., earned a master’s degree in religious studies at Mundelein College, and master’s degree in education and has taken courses in leadership. Her chief area of ministry was teaching junior high school students and directing religious education.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Nancy taught sixth grade at St. John the Baptist School in Johnsburg from 1964 to 1967; fourth grade at St. Therese of Jesus School in Aurora from 1967 to 1968; and fifth grade at St. Mary School in McHenry from 1968 to 1971. Since then, she has served at Our Lady of Good Counsel School and Parish, teaching sixth- through eighth-grade and serving as assistant principal and as principal. At present, she is a part-time volunteer for religious education and preparation for the sacraments of holy Eucharist and reconciliation.
The most satisfying part of her work, Sister Nancy says, has been “teaching and working with children and helping with music (piano, organ) for liturgy.” Her advice to those considering a religious vocation is to “meet people in more than one religious community. Talk about a vocation within a community (and) pray for help in deciding about a religious vocation and community.”
50 years
Sister Mary Megan Farrelly, OP
Sister Mary Megan celebrates 50 years as a Springfield Dominican.
She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa; a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Illinois; and a master’s in adult education developmental education from National Louis University in Chicago. She has served in the dioceses of Springfield, Peoria, Chicago and Joliet.
In the Diocese of Rockford, Sister Mary Megan served as principal at Rosary High School, Aurora, from 1996 to 2004); and as instructor at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove from 2004 to 2007.
She now resides at St. Mary Convent in Aurora and is assistant principal and curriculum director at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst.
50 years
Sister Kathleen Ryan, OP
Chicago native Sister Kathleen Ryan celebrates 50 years with the Springfield Dominicans.
She studied elementary education at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, and received a master’s in educational administration and supervision from St. Thomas University in Minnesota. She served in the Diocese of Springfield and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
In the Diocese of Rockford, she was a teacher at Holy Angels School, Aurora, from 1970 to 1976, and at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Crystal Lake from 1977 to 1980; was principal at St. Margaret Mary School in Algonquin from 1983 to 1986; and she taught at St. Peter School, Aurora, from 1992 to 1993.
She has served at the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora from 1993 to the present.