Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity December 2012 Volume 46, Issue 10
Communigram Celebrating 143 Year Legacy of Faith relive the experiences of our sisters in the past, may their dedication, commitment, trust and faith be a model to us today and an inspiration for us to continue moving forward in our mission of evangelization.
Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Novice Sister Regina Rose Pearson presented “Legacy of Faith’, celebrating the 143rd Anniversary of our Congregation in 3 showings in 3 different locations on November 9 and 10, 2012. Find here a snippet of the script and a few photos that were woven in the PowerPoint presentation. It is certainly evident that the theme takes up the challenge of Pope Bene- On June 5th, dict XVI to make this Year of Faith a new evangelization moment 1866, the faith of one woman to of Spirited-service of living our Gospel call. embark on an unknown path laid the foundation This year the Founder’s Day prostone of this religious community. gram revisited some of the commuOn that day, Theresa Gramlich nities’ greatest moments of faith, eventually to be our Mother Gabriel, those moments when our sisters gave her ‘yes’ to a request by Father committed entirely to the will of Joseph Fessler that she leave God and inserted themselves into her home and go to Clarks the heart of the culture and the life Mills, Wisconsin, 10 miles of the Church, thus becoming an away, to teach. She then took example of what it means to evangethe first steps towards becomlize in the way of the Gospel. In our ing a living witness of faith (ch Constitutions, it is said that “our 5). foundresses surrendered themselves in faith to meet the needs of their The foundation of the Contime, and so we continue to evigregation of Franciscan Sisters dence this same dedication, adaptaof Christian Charity on Nobility, and response to the needs of vember 9, 1869 was one event the Church, always remaining faithin the long history of the ful to our charisms.” We often revisChurch, the world, and the it and retell other peoples’ experishort history of the State of ences of fidelity in the hopes that it Wisconsin. Need for the minwill give spark to our own. As we istry of a Community of apos-
tolic women religious grew as the bedrock of faith in the territory of Wisconsin was being formed by a guiding Hand over many years. On that Tuesday, the cChurch in Manitowoc County in the Diocese of Milwaukee gave birth to a Franciscan religious community, the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. The enthusiasm of new beginnings generates living faith, untiring dedication and hope-filled moments of reaching cherished expectations. This was true of the new Community. On that day, Mother Gabriel revealed her awareness of a sense of responsibility for the Gospel way of life saying, “As we were now members of a community, we had to take the yoke of Christ on our shoulders.” She was joined by four other (Continued on p. 7)
May your spirit be awed by the miracle and wonder of Christmas― God’s deep love for us. A Blessed Christmas! The Communigram Staff
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Volume 46, Issue 10
By Sister Kay Elmer
Sister George Ann Schommer was born August 13, 1917 in Freedom, WI. Her parents, George and Ann, had her baptized in St. Nicholas Church, Freedom. She was given the name Genevieve Alice in honor of her two grandmothers. At age six she entered elementary school that was staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. After completing eight grades she entered Freedom Public High School. During her Junior year her father needed surgery for a brain tumor that was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. As her father was an invalid for 26 months, Genevieve was needed to assist the family. It was difficult to help at home while completing her high school studies, but she did very well and graduated as Salutatorian of her class in June of 1936. Then she remained at home to assist her mother and four siblings for two years before expressing her desire to enter a convent. She entered Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, on August 24, 1938.
Following her one-year Postulancy she was received into the Novitiate June 14, 1939 with Bishop Rhode as the celebrant. She was given the name, Sister George Ann, in honor of her mother and father. Before her second year of noviceship she was assigned to teach in Zanesville, OH, at St. Nicholas School and she started with a class of 59 lively fourth graders. The following year she moved to teach fifth grade with her class of the previous year. After three years she was assigned to teach at St. Joseph School, Waukesha, WI, a school of more than 800 elementary pupils. She taught 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades during her 12 years of residence at St. Joseph School. Sister Francis Philip Seidl was principal there from 1944-1950, ending her sixyear term in 1950 – the Holy Year! – and the parishioners on this occasion decided that a trip to Rome would be a great gift to her. Sister Francis Philip was thrilled, and soon other Sisters decided to join her on the trip! Sister George Ann’s mother decided to pay the expenses for her daughter to make the Holy Year Pilgrimage with about 15 other Sisters. On June 13, 1950 all of these Sisters boarded a TWA flight to Europe. Sister relates: “Our first stop was as Fatima, Portugal, where we visited the place where Mary appeared to three poor children. We met the parents of Francis and Jacinta and some of Lucy’s nieces. After an overnight stay we flew to Paris before heading for Rome.
There we stayed about a week visiting the four major basilicas. We had a general audience with Pope Pius XII. “St. Mary Major was located a few blocks from our hotel. There Father Holzum, Chaplain from Wood Hospital, Milwaukee, and a fellow traveler, offered Mass daily. We called it our parish church! One of the days while we were in Rome we took a day to go to Assisi and saw the Portiuncula, San Damiano, St. Francis Basilica and Clare’s incorrupt body. Another day we went to the Tre Fontane (Three Fountains), where it is said St. Paul was beheaded, and three fountains sprang up after his death.
Sister George Ann worked as a librarian at Sacred Heart Seminary―1971 photo.
“After a week in Rome we were scheduled to see the Oberammergau Passion Play. We left Rome in an open trolley to reach this quaint village in the Bavarian Alps, southern Germany. The villagers did the acting representing the Biblical
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characters who witnessed Jesus’ Passion. To watch the 8-hour play we entered this famous open stage ‘auditorium’ at 8:00 a.m., had a noon Intermission from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., and continued watching the play from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. This memorable Passion play has been held every ten years because the deadly plague prompted the people to promise God that they would portray the Passion every 10 years if they were spared the plague again. (This Passion Play was been performed again in 2010 in its 376-year history, with the next production planned for 2020.) “Before returning home we spent some time in Lucerne, Switzerland, and the closing experience of our European trip was a ride of several hours on Lake Lucerne, which is embedded within an impressive mountain panorama of trees, etc. We enjoyed the beauty of the city before moving onto Paris where we stayed overnight before taking our return flight home to New York. There in New York we spent some time sightseeing. One of the highlights was the opportunity to go to the top of the Empire State building--using four elevators! “From New York we took a train to Washington, D.C. We visited the U. S. Capitol, Mount Vernon, and other sites. We had an overnight stay with our Sisters at the Marist Seminary before leaving for home the next morning. I returned to Waukesha for five more years, moving from teaching in the lower grades to Grades 7-8. “More teaching followed. My next assignments were to: Oshkosh,
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Here I am to pray for the Sisters in Greenwood, MS and for our Community in general.
Sister George Ann with her nephew, Father George Schommer, OP.
“My hobbies are doing some crocheting, but especially, I find reading a favorite pastime. At the age of 95 years, my family held a birthday party for me, that was graciously suggested by my Dominican nephew, Father George Schommer, O.P., who presently is pastor at St. Dominic Parish, Washington, DC.”
Hilbert, Green Bay, Kellnersville, WI, and Ironwood and Escanaba, MI. During my summer vacations I was assigned to work for my college degree at St. Norbert College, where after nine summers, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. “At one point, I was asked to take the position of Librarian at Sacred Heart Seminary, Oneida, WI. After four years all the Sisters employed at the Seminary were withdrawn. From there I was assigned to the High School Library in Ironwood, MI, for nine years. Next, I was sent to be Librarian in Escanaba, MI, where after two years I received a surprise phone call asking me to start a library in Yuma, AZ. After 12 years building up a library there, I was sent for a year to the “cradle of our community” at Clarks Mills, WI. “My next assignment was to Holy Family Convent where I assisted Sister Eudelma Junk, working in our Convent library until I reached retirement age at 91 years. I then entered our St.. Rita’s Infirmary, where I’ve been for four years.
Kekaha Students Enjoy Fall Leaves Sister Monica Martin’s stepmom, Ginny, dried some fall leaves and shipped them to her in Hawaii. On Halloween, her 3/4 graders went to the kindergarten classroom to do a science lesson and a leaf-rubbing art project with them. Sister Monica found it “so much fun to watch the children ooh and ah over the leaves!” A couple interesting observations several of them made were, "Ew, they smell bad," and "they smell like something that's decaying." Sister immediately grabbed a leaf and inhaled a wonderfully nostalgic scent. She told them, "This is what fall/autumn smells like if you go to the northern states on the mainland!"
From Habitually Speaking by Sister Monica http://habituallyspeaking.blogspot.com/
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International Students Spend Time in West Point West Point, NE―Twenty college students (from 11 different countries) studying at the University of Nebraska in Omaha spent a couple days in West Point. They were hosted by local families and the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, St. Mary's Convent. The students toured St. Joseph's Retirement Community, attended a Chamber Breakfast honoring an inductee to the "Newspaper Hall of Fame," toured St. Francis Memorial Hospital, visited the Public School and ate lunch with the students, toured Beed Transfer Co. as guests for supper, toured Nielsen Center and ended their time with bowling and a pizza party.
St. Mary’s Convent hosted: Yanghee Kim from South Korea and Judith Reitzner from Austria.
Sr. Sharon Paul, Sr. Mary Beth Prinz, Yanghee Kim, Sr. Doris Jurgenson & Sr. Marie Bernadette Dorn in St. Mary's Chapel. Submitted by Sister Sharon Paul
Fall Break Greenwood, MS ― As a result of a revised school calendar, students and staff of St. Francis School in Greenwood had the pleasure of having the whole week of Thanksgiving off. There was no Fall Break in the middle of October as some years offered, so these days were well anticipated. The Sisters decided to begin the week with an excursion to the Mississippi Museum of Natural History in Jackson and beat the crowds that would be out on Black Friday. We were amazed at the excellent facilities that depicted several life size displays of various animal and plant habitats, a 100,000 gallon aquarium with over 200 species of water life, a 1,700 square foot greenhouse called "The Swamp" and “yes” there was an alligator in there. Their special exhibit housed 20 robotic dinosaurs, including baby dinosaurs coming out of their eggs.
return sometime to check out their 2 1/2 miles of nature trails which looked very inviting. Submitted by Sister Mary Beth Kornely
Sisters Francis Mason and Mary Ann Tupy paused a bit to take in the beauty of the day and the beauty of the outside displays at the Mississippi Museum of Natural History.
There was so much to learn and the time spent gave us a deeper appreciation and knowledge of the environments and animals that are part of Mississippi. You can be sure we looked carefully at the various kinds of snakes, and noted which were venomous and nonvenomous. Since the day quickly slipped away from us, we hope to
$500 was raised for scholarships for students at St. Francis School in Greenwood through an afghan raffle. Sister Mary Beth Kornely was able to deliver this creation of hers to James Brown, a member of the St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lexington, one of the mission parishes of St. Francis that is 45 minutes from Greenwood. With a huge smile he told us that he is going to give it for a Christmas gift to the relative who raised him.
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Ad
Volume 46, Issue 10
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By Sister Kathleen Murphy Social Justice Commission
This month our model of faithful striving Christ. Nicholas proved to be selfless in sharfor a just and peaceful life is Saint Nichoing whatever he had when he was faced by las. We usually don’t associate St. Nick need. He endured suffering, deprivation with social justice. Visions of toys, and even prison in the name of sharing in stockings, candy canes and sugar justice and living his faith. plums typically dance in our heads at Consider: Have I been generous and the mention of his name. However, selfless in meeting the needs of others? if we consider the early legends Have I been greedy with my time, abiliabout Nicholas’ life, the common ties or possessions? thread is his selfless concern for those whose lives, innocence and joy Pray: Jesus, our Promised One, give us the are in jeopardy. We hear of Nicholas vision and generosity we need to truly see protecting and reviving children and Thomas Nast’s St. Nicholas - Public Domain and provide for the needs of those around us, youth. He sees no place for violence, povwe pray… erty, greed or exploitation in a world saved by
Doors Open to New Evangelization Manitowoc WI―Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Marie Kolbe Zamora was recently featured in a Diocese of Green Bay Compass article Silver Lake College Opens Its Doors to the New Evangelization, Franciscan-run college launches theology courses with focus on ‘reproposing’ Gospel to the world.
Charity), the pastor (who, at the time, was Fr. Dan Felton), members of the board, and various people. What came out in all of these interviews was the new evangelization. It was clear that the new evangelization was the wave of the future, and it was the wave of things to come at this college, in particular."
Benjamin Wideman writes about his interview with Sister Marie Kolbe who not only outlines the current Theology program of study, but also shares how the curriculum supports “Pope Benedict XVI definition of the new evangelization as ‘reproposing’ the Gospel” to others.
Sister Marie Kolbe gives presentations on the new evangelization and oversees a department that offers several courses (some as core courses and others as electives) in the new evangelization.
“I interviewed everybody I could think of to discern what we needed to do to wake the [theology] program up and move ahead," said Sr. Marie Kolbe, the college's theology program director. "I interviewed students, the faculty, the Sisters (Franciscan Sisters of Christian
To learn more about Silver Lake College of the Holy Family’s Theology Program, check out: https://sl.edu/traditional-program /academics/majors/humanities-andsocial-sciences/theology-and-newevangelization/
Sr. Marie Kolbe Zamora, director of the Silver Lake College theology program, is pictured inside the college’s chapel in Manitowoc. Sr. Marie Kolbe has been instrumental in launching new courses on the new evangelization. (Benjamin Wideman | For The Compass)
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Franciscan Leaders Grateful for Collaborative Ministries Manitowoc, WI ― On November 27 Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity and Franciscan Friars of the Assumption BVM Province leaders met in Manitowoc, WI for a Spirited-conversation on shared ministry. Already responding “yes’ together as Franciscan brothers and sisters to the needs of the people of God in Greenwood, MS at both St. Francis of Assisi and Immaculate Heart Parishes, as well as St. Thomas Parish, Lexington and Sacred Heart Parish, Winona, all present were full of gratitude for the mutual commitment to the furthering of the Gospel in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Our Community of Franciscan Sisters also expressed thankfulness for the faith-filled presence of the As-
sumption Province friars who serve and have served as our Motherhouse Chaplain. We look forward to future collaboration together built on grace and the experience of God’s fidelity. by Sister Julie Ann Sheahan
Sister Anna's Bakery Sierra Vista, AZ―Being very skilled with using yeast in her baking led Sister Anna to making caramel and cinnamon rolls for donut Sunday at our parish for the Feast of Christ the King. It all began with the pastor, Fr. Ariel Lustan asking Sister Carol Seidl to help revive the parish's donut ministry by having school parents help out some Sundays. It seems Fr. Ariel really loved the cinnamon rolls that his former parish made and sold. In thinking what this roll looked like and where to find it I said, Sister Anna loves to bake and makes caramel rolls. She made samples one weekend for the pastor and he loved them. Our school secretary volunteered to make some also. Sr. Anna began Saturday morning with her baking of caramel and cinnamon rolls.
convent―with her willing spirit and love to be in the kitchen she is becoming known for her baking and love to do it.
Sister Anna Maar served her caramel rolls after Mass on the Feast of Christ the King.
We all have talents and some are hidden and don't come out till later in life and some don't come out till you live with fewer Sisters and you end up trying things because there is no other Sister to do it and some times talents come out because of an invitation to help. Sister Carol thinks the above describes Sister Anna and the "little bakery" she is developing in their
Sister Theresa Feldkamp's mother and three sisters visited her and the Sisters at St. Benedict Convent, Cambridge, OH, Nov. 9 - 12. They walked the Victorian Village downtown, experienced the light show at the court house one evening, and enjoyed many games of SKIP-BO or Mexican Train. Of course, we had plenty of good food to savor. It was great to hear their laughter and share in their lively spirit.
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143 Year Legacy of Faith (Continued from p.1) seemed a logical conclusion, it was a Mother Gabriel, the very difficult process and the transifirst pioneer memtion, surely an act of faith, was not ber of our commuOne year after their recepeasy for either group… nity, now thirty-two tion, Sisters Gabriel, Colletta, years old, was the The call for a “new evangelization” Seraphica, and Odelia pronew Mother Supeis about transforming ourselves so fessed their Vows. A day latrior. She could nevthat we can be Christ to the world, er, Sisters Gabriel and Seer have realized the raphica were assigned to the so that when we speak doctrine to burden she would the world, we do it with the heart of very first mission of the soon have to bear Christ. We are to make present the Community in Potosi, Wisas, surprisingly, person of Christ by what we say, but consin. Aside from the sadMother Gabriel Germany became even more critically, by what we do. ness of being torn away from the setting for Today, we as Franciscan Sisters of their newly professed companions, events which would deeply affect Christian Charity are called to conthe work they found in Potosi was the life of the Sisters at Silver Lake tinue this journey and mission toheavy and the number of pupils was within two months of her election. wards becoming living witnesses. As great. Despite the difficulty, these In 1871, the Imperial Chancellor of Sister Louise Hembrecht reminds us Sisters carried on, ever mindful and the new German Empire, Otto van in her Oct. 9 letter, “this Year of eager to fulfill their work for the Bismarck, sought to weaken the RoFaith calls us to renew our own glory of God. (ch 6) man Catholic influence and initiated sense of faith through study and the Kulterkampf. Aside from many As the years went on and the comreflection, to deepen the knowledge schools being taken over by the munity continued to grow, it beand understanding of our faith, and State, many religious were expelled came increasingly important that the to be able to better witness and verfrom Germany, a small community, Sisters had accommodations for all. balize it when the occasion arises. the School Sisters of St. Francis of On Sunday, July 20, 1873, the corBut more than anything, this Year of Gieboldehausen, included. Through nerstone of the convent was laid, a Faith calls us to deepen our relationmuch correspondence and collabojoyous occasion indeed. For Mother ship with Jesus, the center ration with Gabriel, it was a very special year. A of our faith, to grow in Father Fessler dream of the foundresses was being love.” The apostolic exit was decided realized brick by brick. However, hortation, Evangelii Nuntithat these Germore than the walls of orderly laid andi, states that the man Sisters bricks to shelter them, they looked Church is an evangelizer, would find a forward to growing together within but she begins by being new home in those walls as a Franciscan Commuevangelized herself. She is America with nity of Sisters “being built into a the People of God imthe Franciscan house where God lives in Spirit.” mersed in the world. She Sisters at Silver (Ch. 6) has a constant need of beLake. Despite The Sisters from Germany ing evangelized, if she many difficulIn August, 1875, the Franciscan wishes to retain freshness, ties, the two Community at Silver Lake, only vigor and strength in order to procommunities decided to amalgamate once the dream of a young woman, claim the Gospel. Evangelization is during the summer of 1876. It was Theresa Gramlich, was nearing its not simply an isolated, personal not simply a matter of “joining” the seventh anniversary. Another dream, event, then. It is inherent to being a American Community but of unitwhich she shared with her companpart of ing, fusing, and becoming one with ions, “a real convent, a motherby Sister Regina Rose Pearson t h e them. Though the amalgamation house,” had also been realized. women in her reception, three of whom would remain.
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Founder’s Day Homily Father Placid Stroik, OFM, Motherhouse Chaplain, presented an imaginative and reflective homily at Mass on November 9, by weaving together our Founder’s Day and the readings from the day’s feast―the Dedication of St. John Lateran. The following are some excerpts from his homily. Celebrating home, here and now in 2012 and at St. John Lateran in Rome and, wherever we―the temple of the Lord happen to be—in a small building in Clarks Mills, Wisconsin, November 9, 1869.
demanded that ‘impractical’ measures be taken . . . .” The Five [referring to our founding Sisters] took a gamble on the Lord’s faithfulness. The Five trusted they would grow to let God’s big dreams be fulfilled in them.
Today we are celebrating pioneer efforts, the courageous unfolding of dreams painted/created in little houses, cabins and shacks. Saul Bellow writes of life in earlier years:
We celebrate beginnings today, which are always and merely a promise of more to come, but never contradicting what was there from the beginning—namely the longing for holiness and mission. To invite the whole world to actually be the temple, the Basilica, the Church, the Body of Christ, a house of prayer for all people, the people of God always loving and living the Gospel.
“On winter afternoons when the soil was frozen to a depth of five feet,. . . you felt . . . the characteristic mixture of tedium and excitement, of narrowness of life together with a strong intimation of scope, a simultaneous expansion and constriction in the soul, a clumsy sense of inadequacy, poverty of means, desperate limitation, and, at the same time, a craving for more, which
We have as much to celebrate today―as in 1869 with 5, as it was with 1,000 in 1955; as it is now with 300 in 2012―because the dream, the promise are all the same. The Charity poured out by Christ Jesus―through His incarnation, death, and resurrection―in 5 who were received into the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity would grow―and is growing,―to walk―wherever the Gospel needs to be heard.
Fr. Placid Stroik,ofm
Founder’s Day Around the Motherhouse Each Sister was asked to sign her name on a colored leaf to be displayed at some future date. The result: this creative “family” tree.
After Evening Prayer on November 8, Sisters took the lighted candles to set at the graves of each of the foundresses and our deceased Mother Superiors. The display in the front of the chapel celebrated our history with photos of all of the major superiors to date. At the entrance of chapel there was a display of various historical documents.
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Special Education Professor Recognized by the Wisconsin Association for the Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired Manitowoc, WI―On October 19, 2012 Sister Mary Kaabout the program,” states Sr. Mary Karen, “is that ren Oudeans, OSF, PhD, Professor of Special Educastudents work closely with teachers in the field in order tion at Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, was to provide them with the most current and best pracpresented the Special Recognition Award by the Wistice in the field of vision.” consin Association for the Education and RehabilitaThe program which began in 2000 is a cooperative tion of the Blind and Visually Impaired. Sr. Mary Kaventure with the Department of Instruction and the ren has worked tirelessly to promote and improve eduWisconsin School for the Blind cation for visually impaired stuand Visually Impaired. “It is a dents, their future educators, and statewide program,” explains Sr. other professionals in the field Mary Karen, “however, Silver of Blindness and Low Vision. In Lake College is the only location 2000, Silver Lake College bein the state to offer licensure for came and continues to be, the teachers of the visually imonly institution in Wisconsin paired.” Prior to the program at where educators can become SLC, Wisconsin teachers had to certified as a Teacher of the Visgo out of the state in order to ually Impaired. “We are consistreceive training. Assistant Proently receiving great evaluations. fessor of Special Education, SisOur instructors come from the ter Rosalyn Muraski, was among field, bringing their experience Pictured are instructors in the visual impairment the first cohort to complete the and expertise directly from the licensure program at Silver Lake College: (l to r) Lisa program. “It broadened my classroom to the student which Tomberlin (Monona Grove, WI), Sr. Mary Karen whole view of things we take is essential to the future of spe- Oudeans (Silver Lake College), Dawn Anderson for granted and what it’s like for cial education,” states Sr. Mary (Holland, MI) and Karen Schultz (Wausau, WI). people who have lost their viKaren. sion,” she states. In the summer of 2012, the seventh cohort of students studying to attain Licensure as Teachers of the Visually Impaired began their coursework at Silver Lake College. Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) is a two year cycle of courses offered on weekends in order to make it accessible to people currently in the workforce. “What is essential to note
“Being able to utilize the vision component of special education allows teachers to serve students better because the range of student need is wide,” states Sr. Mary Karen. While there is a nationwide shortage of teachers certified to work with special education students, Silver Lake College stands at the forefront of improving education for the 21st century.
Construction Continues on SLC Music and Holy Family Conservatory Addition
Garden area
Left photo: foundation laid for the studios and practice rooms for SLC and the Conservatory. Each will have windows as this section is built around a garden area. Right: Rounded front wall of the auditorium going up. Also visible is the foundation for the lobby in front of the auditorium.
Chapter Delegates/Alternates Meeting Manitowoc, WI―November 30 – December 3, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity took a few more steps in preparation for our June 2013 General Chapter. While all of us are praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Sister Louise Hembrecht and her Council, 45 elected Delegates and 8 Alternates (Sisters who share responsibilty for pre-Chapter preparations and if needed, fill a vacancy of one of the Delegates) are discussing important input received from the entire Community at our July 2012 Quasi Chapter. Sisters composed proposals (legislative, recommended or inspiriting actions) that will be distributed Community-wide in February. After reviewing this material, any Community member is free to submit other matters for consideration until the General Chapter begins. Community Director Sister Louise Hembrecht and her Council, as well as a Planning Committe of 5 Sisters are responsible for the necessary preparations and
functioning of our General Chapter. Among other tasks, Planning Committee members Sister Mary Edith Schimpf, Sister Anne Marie Selinksy, Sister Camilla Wolfgram, Sister Myra Jean Sweigart and Sister Natalie Binversie, managed physical arrangements, led presentations, as well as helped assign committee work for the weekend.
Above―Planning Committee members from left to right: Sisters Anne Marie Selinksy Myra Jean Sweigart, Camilla Wolfgram, Mary Edith Schimpf, and Natalie Binversie worked at last minute details.
Delegates working in committees.