Sharing & Caring Spring 2014

Sharing & Caring Volume 24 Number 3 • Spring 2014 Sisters of the Precious Blood • Dayton, Ohio • www.preciousbloodsistersdayton.org

Offering Mercy with Tenderness

From the President’s Desk

Easter and Spring energize us

W

hen I first sat down to write this column we were entering deeply into the Lent/Easter season of the Church year and snow was still on the ground.

Here in the northern hemisphere, in spite of the harsh winter, the lengthening days and the emerging grass and flowers were signaling the dominance of the sun and the renewal of life.

The season of Lent is a wonderful reminder to go back to the basics of our discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Like baseball players in

With our belief in Christ Risen, we are called to renew our efforts at keeping our own faith fresh and new by witnessing that faith to all those we meet in our daily life and work.

2

Sharing & Caring

spring training, we reinforce the good habits that make us successful and identify and overcome those bad habits that hold us back from being fully what we can become. We do the good things over and over until they are deeply engrained. Like spring cleaning, we set about washing, scrubbing, polishing, throwing out the old and unsatisfactory and making space for something new.

We dedicate this time of year to a thorough review of our lives, letting go of whatever does not lead us to God and making space for God to do something new in us.

But Lent is not for itself alone just like spring training and spring cleaning are not.

The purpose is for what is yet to be. Spring training prepares for the season’s many games to come; spring cleaning prepares the house for guests and family alike. During Lent we set about reminding ourselves of who we are and Whose we are.

Lent is a time to lighten our spiritual load by encouraging us to let go of what bogs us down, what tempts us into “needing” to acquire the things of this world, what hinders us from being able to move nimbly. And moving nimbly is what we will need to do now that Easter is here, the Son has risen, and new life is bursting on the scene. Lent is meant to prepare us to be

able to race from the empty tomb to a wounded world with the news that forgiveness is necessary, healing is possible and that what God desires is for us to simply allow God to love us.

And now that both Easter and spring have arrived here in the north, we are energized to activity. With our belief in Christ Risen, we are called to renew our efforts at keeping our own faith fresh and new by witnessing that faith to all those we meet in our daily life and work. The really wonderful realization is that we are not doing this alone … the Resurrected Christ is our constant companion, loving us, urging us on, enjoying our efforts and forgiving our failures. As St. Iranaeus declared: We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. 

Sister Joyce Lehman President, Sisters of the Precious Blood

D

ivine Mercy Sunday brought added significance this year as we also celebrated the canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. While John XXIII died before I was born, I fondly recall John Paul II. I was in high school when he was elected. He came across as young, warm and engaging. At age 58, he was a vigorous sportsman who jogged in the Vatican gardens, lifted weights, was a regular swimmer and hiked in the mountains. John Paul easily related to young people.

Beyond his physical abilities, I was struck by his passion for peace, reconciliation and, of course, forgiveness. We saw that in 1981 when he was shot while riding in an open car in St. Peter’s Square by Mehmet Ali Agca, a would-be assassin. Years later, Saint John Paul II visited Agca in prison and forgave him.

Saint John Paul II also fought for human rights. As a priest, archbishop and cardinal, he ministered behind the iron curtain, enduring the terrors of communism. As pope, he was instrumental in the downfall

Established in 1989, Sharing & Caring is published quarterly by the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, Ohio, to communicate news of the congregation, Precious Blood Spirituality, and to promote the sisters’ mission.

All editorial content and photographs in Sharing & Caring are copyrighted. For reprint permission, please contact the editor.

of communism in his native Poland and around the world.

As he aged, developed Parkinson’s disease and became increasingly frail, we watched him embrace illness with grace.

Through his papacy, he taught us how to live and how to die.

That sentiment was on my mind as I interviewed Sister Elaine Becker for an article on her position as Coordinator for the Sisters living at the Maria Joseph Center in Dayton. The retired Sisters who live in the Center’s Emma Hall maintain a powerful ministry of prayer despite illness or physical limitation. Like John Paul II, they continue to minister to the extent that they are physically able.

At the same time, there is gratitude when a Sister is called home because there is the realization that the Sister was ready to see God’s face.

In this issue, we also meet Sister Kathleen Kelly, who has spent nearly 30 years working with an agency that provides housing to those with mental disorders. Now a volunteer, Sister Kathleen helps residents with budgeting, personal hygiene or transportation issues. She en-

CPPS Mission Statement Urged by the redeeming love of Jesus the Christ and rooted in Eucharistic prayer, we Sisters of the Precious Blood proclaim God’s love by being a life-giving, reconciling presence in our fractured world.

Editor Dave Eck, Director of Communications Layout and Design Michelle Bodine, Media Specialist

Editor’s Notes

Recalling Saint John Paul II

courages them, and is a friend.

Finally, we are introduced to Sister Dorothy Koenig, who has been ministering in New Mexico and Arizona for more than 40 years. Hers is a fascinating journey that has taken her from seminary kitchens to a diocesan center in the rural southwest to a volunteer position at St. Vincent de Paul.

Thanks for reading this issue of Sharing & Caring. We appreciate your feedback. If you have a comment or an article idea for future issues, please contact me at 937.274.2707 or communications@cppsadmin.org. 

Dave Eck Director of Communications

Address communications to: Office of Communications Sisters of the Precious Blood 4000 Denlinger Road Dayton, OH 45426 Phone: (937) 274-2707 E-mail: communications@ cppsadmin.org Printing Progressive Printers, Inc., Dayton, Ohio PRINTED WITH SOY INK ON RECYCLED PAPER

Spring 2014

3

News

Scenes from Salem Heights Nifty Nineties Sisters who are in their ‘90s were honored during the annual Nifty Nine-

ties event on Feb. 25. The Sisters shared stories from their ministries and enjoyed a special dessert.

Michelle Bodine photos

Mardi Gras The Sisters at Salem Heights celebrated Mardi Gras with games, puzzles and

slices of King Cake. Below left, from left, Sisters Rosalie Kastner, Rita (M. Melania) Yahl, Ann Catherine (M. Imelda) Merkel, Berenice (M. Edward) Janszen and Dolores (M. Michelene) Keller work on their puzzles. Center, King Cake and, right, Sister Berenice was crowned the Mardi Gras queen after finding the baby Jesus in the cake. Dave Eck photos

St. Patrick's Day Green was the dominant color March 17 for St. Patrick’s Day. Below left, Kim Jaynes, left, and Sister Ellie (M. Thomas) McNally; center, Tamiko Morrison shows off her St. Patrick’s Day eyewear; and Sisters Katie (M. Joseph Marie) Lett and Ellie. Michelle Bodine photos

4

Sharing & Caring

strong run through the NCAA basketball tournament. As the team prepared for its Sweet 16 appearance, the Sisters and staff at Salem Heights shot hoops and wore UD gear. Below left, Sister Ceil (Ellen Mary) Taphorn shoots while Brenda Gabbard, left, and Katie Hoelscher look on; below right from left, Brenda Gabbard, Linda Hageman, Katie Hoelscher and Tammie Bane. Michelle Bodine photos

Easter Eggstravaganza The Sisters prepared for Easter by coloring eggs, playing trivia

games and enjoying treats. Below left, from left, Sisters Ellie (M. Thomas) McNally, Barbara Jean Backs and Laura (M. Clarus) Will get some Easter cake. Below right, Sisters Rosemary (M. Columba) Laux, left, and Jane Francis Hoffman. Michelle Bodine photos

Employee Service Awards Employees at Salem Heights were recognized for their years of service April 9 at the annual service awards ceremony. Employees with 25 and five years of service were hosted by members of Council at the luncheon. Nancy Wilson of the Finance Department was honored for her 25 years of service. All employees received service awards. From left, Brian Donchez, Michelle Bodine, Lori Boyd, John Gilley, John Buehler and Nancy Wilson. (Wanda Plassenthal is not pictured). Dave Eck photo Spring 2014

5

News

Red and Blue Day Nearly everyone in Dayton followed the University of Dayton Flyers’

Ministry

Sister Elaine brings compassion to Sisters at Maria Joseph

A

fter working in parish and pastoral ministry for the last 36 years, Sister Elaine (Mildred Elaine) Becker is looking forward to a more contemplative experience in her new role as Coordinator of the Sisters residing in Emma Hall at Maria Joseph Center in Dayton.

The Sisters at Maria Joseph, a nursing facility, maintain an active prayer ministry, each Sister devoting her time to prayer to the extent that she is physically able. It’s not unlike the life Sister Elaine once led as a member of the former cloister of the Sisters of the Precious Blood.

“This is like going full circle,” Sister Elaine said. “It’s not what I do in prayer. It’s who I am in prayer. It has made me much more aware of being who I am, with shortcomings, but also with the

total love of God. You see that in the Sisters. They know God loves them.”

Emma Hall is the permanent home for just over a dozen retired Precious Blood Sisters, who typically move there for health reasons. Sisters also live at Emma as they recuperate from illness or surgery. Sister Elaine and her team are responsible for making sure the Sisters there are being cared for in the best possible manner.

Working with Precious Blood Sisters Arlene (Marie Andre) Hirsch, assistant coordinator, and Nancy (M. Rachel) Recker, pastoral care minister for the Sisters at Maria Joseph, Sister Elaine makes sure the Sisters are happy, safe and healthy. The team advocates for them, working with the Maria Joseph administration on their behalf when needed. They communicate

Above, Sister Elaine Becker; bottom left, Sister Elaine Becker visits with Sister Valeria Abele in Sister Valeria’s room at the Maria Joseph Center.

with the Sisters to understand their needs.

It is a complex ministry of administration and compassion. There is the ongoing stream of paperwork for everything from equipment to policy. There is helping Sisters to continue to live an active lifestyle. Sometimes, Sister Elaine deals with the grief a Sister experiences due to loss of family and adjustment to a new living situation.

“That’s where those pastoral, people skills come into play,” Sister Elaine said. “What you say to a Sister and how you say it is important.”

Then there are the gratifying moments: visiting with a Sister while she reflects on her lifetime of call or readies herself Story by Dave Eck; photos by Michelle Bodine

6

Sharing & Caring

Ministry

to meet Jesus. Those are the instances that bolster Sister Elaine’s own spirituality.

“One thing about working at Emma is that you learn how to live and you learn how to die,” Sister Elaine said. “You learn to live very simply. The simplicity of their life teaches me how to live simply.”

At the same time, when a Sister dies, there is gratitude because so often the Sister was waiting to see Jesus.

“They have all been ready to see God face to face,” Sister Elaine said.

A native of Cincinnati, Sister Elaine first felt a call to religious life in the eighth grade and told her parents she wanted to join a religious community. Her father was against it so she went to Regina High School in Norwood. She attended Marquette University as a journalism major, but, again, felt called to religious life, this time as a contemplative. Eventually, she learned of the Sisters of the Precious Blood contemplative community, of which she was a mem-

Above, Sister Elaine Becker visits with Sister Cleophas Schumacher in the chapel in Emma Hall; bottom left, Sister Elaine Becker at the nurses’ station in Emma Hall.

ber for 11 years.

After the cloister disbanded, Sister Elaine earned a Master’s in Theology from the Athenaeum of Ohio. She ministered in various parishes and at Archdiocese of Cincinnati, overseeing the religious teacher certification programs for 27 parishes. She continues to teach for the Cincinnati arch-

diocese in the areas of prayer and evangelization.

It’s that background that makes Sister Elaine a good fit in her current ministry.

“She’s got a good personality,” Sister Nancy Recker said.

“She really loves the Sisters and she communicates well with them. And the Sisters like her.” 

“It’s not what I do in prayer. It’s who I am in prayer. It has made me much more aware of being who I am, with shortcomings, but also with the total love of God.” – Sister Elaine Becker

Spring 2014

7

In Brief Left, Sister Donna Lietta speaks during the Mercy Manor banquet March 21. Sister Donna, former executive director at Mercy Manor, was given the 2014 Sister Jean Foppe RSM Visionary Award at banquet. Dave Eck photo; right, Sisters of the Precious Blood accept the Organization of the Year Award at the Su Casa Hispanic Center of Cincinnati Awards Dinner in Cincinnati on April 9. E.L. Hubbard photo

A

plaque commemorating the 132 years of Sisters of the Precious Blood ministry at Immaculate Conception Parish in Celina, Ohio, was dedicated Dec. 10, 2013. Sister Nancy (Lisa Marie) Wolf, who retired as a kindergarten teacher from the school in 2013 after 30 years of service there and 46 years of teaching, attended the dedication. Precious Blood Sisters began teaching at Immaculate Conception in 1878, seven years after the school opened. They remained there until 1972. Precious Blood Sisters returned to Celina in 1975 and continued to serve at the school until Sister Nancy’s retirement. The plaque, which features the Sisters of the Precious Blood logo and dates the community ministered at Immaculate Conception, expresses gratitude to the Sisters for their contributions.

T

he Sisters of the Precious Blood were recognized as Organization of the Year by the Su Casa Hispanic Center of Cincinnati at an awards dinner April 9. The congregation was honored for its commitment to Hispanic/Latino communities here and abroad.

“The Sisters of the Precious Blood were recognized because of the great work they do for the Hispanic/Latino immigrant community in this region and throughout Latin and South America,” said Steve Feldmann, spokesman for Su Casa. “They have been outstanding supporters of Su Casa, especially with the commitment shown by Sr. Mary Wendeln.”

The Sisters of the Precious Blood actively minister to the Hispanic and Latino communities in Cincinnati, Dayton and in the northern reaches of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. They teach 8

Sharing & Caring

religion classes and help prepare young adults for confirmation. They help with cultural transition, assist immigrants in obtaining their legal rights, and, even, undertake simple tasks such as grocery shopping.

More importantly, the Sisters pray for those who are seeking justice, safety and security for their families and themselves.

Nearly 20 Sisters of the Precious Blood attended the awards ceremony. Previous recipients of the award include Procter and Gamble, and the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA.

S

ister Mary Lou Schmersal attended the inaugural event for the first annual National Catholic Sisters Week at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn., from March 7-9. The weekend brought together teams of Sisters interacting with college-age women, inspiring young women to discern their own call to religious life. National Catholic Sisters Week was held March 8-15 as part of Women’s History Month.

In addition to highlighting the role Catholic Sisters have historically held, the week focused on a contemporary view of Sisters — their lives, mission and works. The effort, which is being launched by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, is intended to shine a national spotlight on Sisters and their ministries.

S

ister Donna Liette received the Sister Jean Foppe RSM Visionary Award from Mercy Manor in Dayton during the agency’s annual awards banquet March 21. Mercy Manor provides a safe, spiritual residence for homeless women with histories of addiction, incarcera-

S

ister Brendan Jordan was the guest of honor at Mullen High School’s annual Mardi Gras fundraiser at the Hyatt Regency in Denver on March 1. The school recognized Sister Brenden for her 38 years of service to the college-preparatory school in Denver.

“It was like an absolute dream,” Sister Brendan said. “There were over 500 people there.”

Sister Brendan is best known for starting the school’s De La Salle program, which helps struggling students find academic success at Mullen. Many of the students in the program come from distressed neighborhoods. Sister Brendan worked with more than 150 students as director of the program from its inception in 1987 until she stepped away from it in 2001.

Many of those students have earned advanced college degrees and 10 have either earned

doctorates or are working on them.

Some of her former students are now teachers or school administrators and are forming similar programs in their own schools.

“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that these youngsters have held on Sister Brendan Jordan at Mullen High and carried this School’s annual Mardi Gras fundraiser in Denver on March 1. Sister Benita Volk forward,” Sister photo Brendan said. “I thank God for it.

It’s like the circle is complete.”

Sister Brendan joined Mullen in 1976 as assistant principal and held that position for 19 years. She is now an academic advisor at the school. 

Happy Birthday In each issue of Sharing & Caring we recognize the birthdays of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Congratulations to the Sisters celebrating Spring and Summer birthdays.

7 9

10 11 13

15 17 20

22

24 27 29 2

APRIL Rosemary Goubeaux Martha DeBrosse Virgine Elking Mary Barbara Agnew Alice Schoettelkotte Maureen Mangen Joyce Ann Zimmerman Mary Yarger Karen Elliott Kathleen Kelly Genevieve Volk Elaine Becker Linda Pleiman Jean Rene Hoying Maryann Bremke Mary Ellen Andrisin MAY Elizabeth Kammerer

6 11 13 17 19 20 22

23

30

Deb Huss Thelma Wurzelbacher Rose Helene Wildenhaus Virginia Hebbeler Carmen Voisard Arlene Hirsch Lou Ann Roof Benita Volk Mary Ellen Lampe Nancy Recker Gladys Marie Lowe

4 7 9 16 17 19

JUNE Catherine Nader Joanne Belloli Theresa Walter M. Carmelita Monnin Ann Catherine Lehmkuhl Mary Faye Hellman Mary E. Wendeln

23

25 30

Charlene Ann Heidenreich Adeline Mertz Joan DeChristopher Joyce Lehman

1 2

3

8 9 14

16 22

24 27

JULY Marie Renee Hoehn Mary Garascia Rita Manriquez Patricia Ann Dieringer Barbara Jean Backs Marla Gipson Elizabeth Westgerdes Amy Junk Nancy Wolf Laura Will Dolores Keller Judy Niday Helen Weber Joyce Langhals Spring 2014

9

In Brief

tion and abuse while they re-establish themselves into the community. More than a dozen Precious Blood Sisters joined Sister Donna, a former executive director of Mercy Manor, at the banquet.

Cover Story

‘You see them

SUCCEED and it’s

REWARDING.’

I

T'S IMPOSSIBLE to miss the beauty and history of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood. Lying just north of downtown, the community features ornate century-old churches whose spires rise above Italianate-style tenements and storefronts.

On the cover, Sister Kathleen Kelly stands outside of a Tender Mercies residential building on Race Street in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The building is home to 12 women; above, Sister Kathleen with a resident of Tender Mercies.

10

Sharing & Caring

Cover Story

“I always wanted to do social work. I wanted to do some type of work with the poor and disadvantaged.”

– Sister Kathleen Kelly

Findlay Market, dating to 1852 and Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market, teems with shoppers each weekend. Buildings are being renovated into lofts and trendy new restaurants are popping up. Music Hall and Memorial Hall are neighborhood jewels. Construction crews are busy installing tracks on main streets in the heart of Over-the-Rhine for Cincinnati’s new streetcar.

After years of neglect, investors are pouring dollars and dreams into a revitalization of this urban community.

The new glitz of OTR may be creating headlines, but the glamour is not what Sister Kathleen Kelly is about. Not at all. Her focus is squarely on the six buildings and 150 residents of Tender Mercies, a non-profit in OTR that provides housing and supportive services to homeless people with mental disorders. For nearly 27 years, Sister Kathleen has been in-

Above, Sister Kathleen Kelly in the library at Tender Mercies.

volved with the agency, first as human services coordinator for 18 years and then as a full-time volunteer for the last nine.

“I love it,” Sister Kathleen said. “I love to come in every day.”

Sister Kathleen’s primary job as a volunteer is oversee-

Story and photos by Dave Eck

Spring 2014

11

Cover Story Above, Tender Mercies’ mission statement is displayed in a residential building.

ing a residential building of 12 women. The residents are independent, but Sister Kathleen is there as a resource. She works with residents who may need support with personal issues, budgeting or transportation. She assists them in reading documents they don’t understand and helps cover desk shifts at other buildings.

Each December, she becomes the Christmas Lady and works with four parishes to collect gifts for each resident. It’s a job she took on shortly after joining Tender Mercies in 1987.

With a broad smile and friendly wave, Sister Kathleen spends her days scurrying among the Tender Mercies buildings doing what she does best: being a friend to everyone she meets. She visits with them, gives hugs and asks how they are doing.

Every resident, a victim of mental illness compounded by bad choices, has a story.

Sister Kathleen encourages them while commanding their 12

Sharing & Caring

respect.

“She wants to know everything about everybody,” said Jerome, a resident at Tender Mercies. “She’s always here and you can come talk with her. She comes down to everybody’s level.”

Working at Tender Mercies is Sister Kathleen’s second career, but it’s where she found her true calling.

She was raised in Cincinnati and graduated from Regina High School in Norwood. She was taught by the Sisters of the Precious Blood, but never grew up wanting to be a Sister.

“It dawned on me during a retreat in my senior year,” Sister Kathleen said. “All of a sudden, it came to me like a flash.”

After graduation, she worked for a year before entering the community.

She eventually became a teacher in elementary and high schools in Ohio, Indiana, California and Colorado. Still, from the time she was young,

she felt called to serve those in need.

“I always wanted to do social work,” she said. “I wanted to do some type of work with the poor and disadvantaged.”

By mid-1980s, open placement in the Sisters of the Precious Blood was a reality and Sister Kathleen began to look for a new ministry.

Around that time, Archdiocesan Father Chris Hall and two Franciscan priests were building a fledgling agency in OTR to help homeless people with mental illness. They started in 1985 by taking over operations of an apartment building and moving in residents. Father Chris was looking for someone to help residents obtain their Medicare/ Medicaid and disability benefits. The position was needed, Sister Kathleen explained, because residents would ignore official notices of benefits and not seek to obtain them. She

With a broad smile and friendly wave, Sister Kathleen spends her days scurrying among the Tender Mercies buildings doing what she does best: being a friend to everyone she meets.

Cover Story

interviewed with Father Chris and was hired.

Soon Sister Kathleen was pleading, cajoling and coaxing residents to apply for their benefits. She would watch for notices and drive residents to their appointments. Such was her persistence that she sometimes found herself in places many people wouldn’t enter. She once got word that a former resident had been approved for benefits, but needed to follow up. She learned where the person was staying and ended up in the building’s hallway calling the person’s name. It didn’t matter that the place was a known crack house. Another time a resident had an appointment so Sister Kathleen went looking for him. She was told that he cleaned in a bar in exchange for free drinks. Though the bar was known as being extremely violent, she strolled through the door, found the man and got him to his session.

“I had to get him to his appointment. That was the important thing,” she said.

“To me, it was a great big adventure.”

Gradually, she began to help the residents with personal issues, budgeting and teaching them life skills. She became more involved in their lives. After 18 years, she decided it was time to turn the human services coordinator job over to someone else, so she retired to begin volunteering. That didn’t slow her down and co-workers see the fulfillment Sister Kathleen receives from her work.

“It’s her passion for the residents, her passion for the work scene,” said Stacey With-

Above, Angela Harris, a residential support worker at Tender Mercies in Cincinnati, with Sister Kathleen Kelly.

erspoon, a service coordinator at Tender Mercies who has worked with Sister Kathleen for the last 17 years. “You see (residents) succeed and it’s rewarding. We do this for a reason.”

As one of the longest serving employees/volunteers at Tender Mercies, staffers often rely on Sister Kathleen’s institutional knowledge. Her advice on past programs is invaluable when the agency is planning future initiatives, said Trish Hibbitt, human resources manager at Tender Mercies.

In recognition of Sister Kathleen’s service, Tender Mercies created the Sister Kathleen Kelly Award in 2013 and named her its first recipient. The award will be given to employees or volunteers who meet three of the four Tender Mercies criteria: community partner, neighborhood partner, employee of the year or volunteer of the year. When the agency’s original building on Race Street is

eventually renovated, it will be renamed in honor of Sister Kathleen and Marcia Spaeth, a founding board member of Tender Mercies, former fulltime volunteer and former Chief Executive Officer of the agency.

Back at her office in the Race Street building, Sister Kathleen chats with a resident who is watching Ohio State and Dayton play in the NCAA basketball tournament. The woman had been busy applying for management jobs. Sister Kathleen offers her a little pep talk.

Those are the moments that give Sister Kathleen satisfaction and help her grow spiritually. They are the moments she sees God’s hand in her work.

“These residents are so spiritual,” Sister Kathleen said.

“They have so much faith in God, and anything that happens, they accept that it’s from God and God will help them through it. They just teach me so much.”  Spring 2014

13

Ministry

Sister Dorothy’s ministry includes kitchens, companionship

O

n Mondays Sister Dorothy (M. Angelista) Koenig boards a bus with other parishioners from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Clare of Assisi parishes for a ride into Phoenix and the 500 meals they will help prepare and serve at St. Vincent de Paul.

Sister Dorothy is among thousands of volunteers who help feed those in need. She is also a veteran of kitchens, large and small, as food service bookends her ministry as a Sister of the Precious Blood.

Sister Dorothy chuckles, noting her volunteering today is reminiscent of her first 28 years in religious life when she was a cook in seminaries and schools in Ohio, Indiana and

Colorado.

As a cook at St. Joseph College in Rensselear, Ind., Sister Dorolthy helped cook for the Chicago Bears. She remembers the players coming through the line.

“Our job was to see that they had food and putting it on the players’ trays,” she said.

In between the time in the kitchens, Sister Dorothy worked as an audio-visual coordinator at a New Mexico diocesan religious center, was a grade school teacher’s aide and spent years providing home care and companionship for the elderly.

It’s a journey that has taken her from her childhood farm in Ohio to Dayton to the missions in rural Arizona and

Above, Sr. Dorothy Koenig during the CPPS 175th anniversary celebration in Phoenix.

Contributed photo. Below left, Franciscan Father Vincent Mesi, St. Mary’s pastor and presider at the 175th Anniversary Mass, accepts the gifts of bread and wine from Sisters Mary Louise Hoelscher and Dorothy Koenig. Both sisters served in the Southwest for decades, especially among the Native American and Hispanic peoples. Ambria Hammel photo; The Catholic Sun; www. catholicsun.org. Reprinted with permission.

New Mexico and, finally, to the suburbs of Phoenix.

A native of Wapakoneta, Ohio, Sister Dorothy grew up on a farm, one of ten children.

Farm chores were shared.

Dorothy cared for the chickens, helped with the garden and preserved food. Life on the farm was an education unto itself.

“You learn everything there,” Sister Dorothy said.

“You really need mathematics and (learn) how things grow.”

After her sophomore year in high school, she followed her sister, M. Gemma, who was two years older, into the community. While Sister Gemma Story by Dave Eck

14

Sharing & Caring

Sister Dorothy once brought a dog she was watching for someone to one of those gatherings and the dog took off down a hall just as the bishop walked in, she recalled with a laugh.

She also worked as an elementary school teachers’ aide in Holbrook, Ariz. It was a position she enjoyed, particularly working with first graders.

Care and companionship for the elderly was the next leg of Sister Dorothy’s journey, a ministry she served for 17 years. During this time, Sister Dorothy offered respite care, home care and companionship. In addition to caring for people, she would often protect them from unscrupulous craftsmen. If a toilet was running, for example, she would offer to fix it herself instead of calling in a plumber who might take advantage.

“They were such nice people.

They were kind,” she said.

“You went home knowing you had done something worthwhile. You felt you were helping people.”

Though now retired, Sister Dorothy continues to volunteer with St. Vincent de Paul.

In addition to her work in the kitchen, she collects donations for the agency monthly and helps with a newsletter. She lives with her biological sister and they typically attend an hour of Eucharistic adoration at St. Clement of Rome Parish in Sun City, and she often attends another hour on Friday at St. Elizabeth Seton. Sister Dorothy enjoys spending time outside and keeps up with yard work.

“I have enough to do,” she said. “I was always doing something. You’re supposed to do things for people and I always did the best I could with the knowledge I had.” 

Above, Sisters Gemma and Dorothy Koenig stand in front of the Evangelization Center Holbrook, Arizona. Contributed photo.

Spring 2014

15

Ministry

went off to be a teacher, Sister Dorothy settled down in the kitchens. Sister Gemma taught in Ohio and California so the siblings had little contact during the first 30 years of their religious life. Eventually, Sister Gemma arrived in the Gallup, N.M. diocese and Sister Dorothy soon joined her.

She grew to love the west.

“It’s dry and you see blue sky most of the time," Sister Dorothy said. "We see beauty in the grounds and rocks.”

While Sister Gemma served out in the missions, Sister Dorothy began her audio visual work in the library at the Center for Evangelization and Christian Formation for the Gallup Diocese. She interacted with Sisters from other communities, getting them materials for their work in the rural areas.

“They were all missionaries,” she said. “We’d get together for retreats and luncheons.”

Vocations

Young women interact with Sisters at Martha Dinner

T

he first chapter of Luke tells the story of the angel Gabriel coming to Mary with news that she will become pregnant and bear a son to be named Jesus.

Though she wonders how this can be, she remains open to God's call and fulfills the plan God had for her.

"Mary had to be perplexed as to what all this meant," Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr said in remarks during a Jan. 14 Martha Dinner at Ascension Parish in Kettering.

"She is a woman who certainly wants to do the will of God." Like Mary, people discerning religious life today hear God's call through prayer, Archbishop Schnurr explained, adding that God has a plan for each of us and gives us talents to live out that plan.

Sponsored by Vocations Coordinators in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas, the dinner enabled high school girls and young women to

16

Sharing & Caring

interact with Sisters from a dozen communities of women religious. More than 20 young women attended the event.

Displays highlighted each community's various ministries and geographic areas in which they serve. Women mingled and socialized with the Sisters for more than two hours.

Sisters offered information about their community's charisms and spoke to young women about their own call to religious life.

In sharing her story, Marianist Sister Nicole Trahan explained that discernment can require opening one's heart to the idea of religious life. A lay Marianist for three years, Sister Nicole continued to grow and deepen in her understanding of the Marianist charism, but she felt that something was missing. For her, that was community, and that's why she began to contemplate religious life.

"So often when we talk about a call there is a temptation to believe that God's 'call' comes clearly from outside ourselves – like a sign in the sky or a clear message in a homily," Sister Nicole said. "For me, and often for others, God's call comes to use in subtle, gentle ways –

Above, Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr gives his remarks; bottom left, Marianist Sister Nicole Trahan discusses her vocation.

God moving in our hearts, in our minds in the depth of our beings."

Like Archbishop Schnurr, Sister Nicole encouraged the women to pray as they discern if God is calling them to religious life. Other suggestions are to celebrate the sacraments regularly, engage in spiritual direction, spend time with Sisters, attend discernment retreats and get to know oneself.

Bridget Miller, a Cloverdale, Ohio, native and a student at Capital University in Columbus, is discerning religious life. She attended the Martha Dinner and enjoyed meeting other women who are also in discernment.

"I think it helps you knowing there are other people going through this," Miller said. "Whether it's the Sister or people attending, I can take that extra energy to search a little farther, go a little deeper in prayer. It's like guidance and motivation."  Story and photos by Dave Eck

A

fter becoming pregnant in high school and then having four more children, Sylvia James figured her chance at completing secondary education had passed.

"I gave up," she said.

About two years ago, however, she began working with Precious Blood Sister Ruth Ann Meyer at the Brunner Literacy Center (BLC) in Dayton on a graduate equivalence diploma. After years of struggle and study, she passed the test and earned her GED. James was among 22 BLC clients recognized during a special graduation ceremony at the center on Jan. 15. The clients, each of whom passed the GED test, were called individually to receive a certificate noting their achievement. Family members snapped pictures. Tutors from the center smiled and

News

Brunner Literacy Center holds GED graduation applauded during the presentation.

The tutors and administrators at the center keep the clients focused on success, clients said. It makes the difference.

"For them to push us along and motivate us, it gave me more confidence," James said. "It gave me belief in myself."

Joseph Thomas, who passed the GED test Above, Precious Blood Sister Helen Weber speaks durin 2012 after studying ing the graduation at Brunner Literacy Center; bottom left, Sylvia James, left, with her stepmother, Geraldine at the center, is now Stark, during the graduation ceremony at the Bruna student at Sinclair ner Literacy Center. Sylvia was among 25 clients who Community College in passed the graduate equivalence diploma test after studying at the center.

Dayton with a 3.1 grade point average in the school's computer network the center's first client to earn engineering program. He was a GED. "I studied a lot of able to understand college math here." material because of his work Among the BLC graduat BLC. ates were five siblings of the "They prepared me quite a Prather family. Their father bit for college," said Thomas, is going to begin the program this year.

The center opened in 2011 to address a high rate of illiteracy in the area. The center offers one-on-one tutoring to those who wish to pursue a GED or simply want to enhance their skills in basic subjects. The center serves about 150 clients with more than 90 volunteer tutors.

BLC was co-founded by Precious Blood Sisters Helen Weber and Maryann Bremke.

Several Sisters regularly tutor at the center.  Story and photos by Dave Eck

Spring 2014

17

In Memoriam

Sister Dorothy (M. Amadea) Dennis February 1920 — March 18, 2014

Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Dorothy Dennis, 94, was held at Salem Heights on March 21. Sister died at Maria Joseph Center in Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. Dorothy had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 79 years.

One of ten children born to George and Margaret (Sievers) Dennis, Dorothy Marie was born in Fort Wayne, Ind. in February 1920. On July 30, 1934 at the age of 15 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. She was known in religious life for a while as Sister M. Amadea.

For 69 years Sister Dorothy served others. For 34 years she cooked, kept house and did general work in schools, convents, seminaries, health and other institutions in Rome City, Ind; in

Phoenix, Ariz; in San Luis Rey, Calif; in Denver, Colo; and in Cincinnati, Marywood, Glandorf, Toledo, and Dayton. Dorothy served five years as an activity director in health care facilities in Denver. She also was a Group Mother for four years in St. Joseph Children’s Home in Dayton.

Her love of children and family called her to serve in child care services for 26 years in Denver and Littleton, Colo. Those who knew her in her Child Care ministry were so thankful for her young attitude, her open mind, her spirituality and her flexibility.

In 2006 Sister Dorothy retired to Salem Heights. For health reasons she moved into the Maria Joseph Center in 2013.

Preceding her in death were her siblings: Ignatius, Lucinda, Sylvester, Loretta, Genevive, Germaine, Rosella, Josephine, and Richard.

Interment was in the Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Mary Anne Westerheide June 1924 — March 15, 2014

Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Mary Anne Westerheide, was held at Salem Heights on March 19. Visitation immediately preceded the liturgy. Sister died at Maria Joseph Living Care Center March 15. Mary Anne had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 72 years.

One of nine children born to Julius H. and Bernadine (Hoying) Westerheide, Rosalinda Hilda was born in St. Patrick, Ohio in June 1924. At the age of 17, following her older sibling, Sister Leonita Westerheide, Rosalinda formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood on July 26, 1941.

In religious life she was known as Sister Mary Anne Westerheide.

Sister taught students in the United States for 30 years at schools in Missouri; in Arizona; and in Miamisburg, Norwood, Columbus Grove, Celina and Hamilton, Ohio. For more than 25 years she ministered in Chile, South America where she taught primary grades and later English to Adults as a Profesora.

In 2011 Sister Mary Anne retired at Salem Heights in Dayton, Ohio and for health reasons later moved to the Maria Joseph Center.

Sister Mary Anne is survived by her sisters Mary Agnes (Joseph) Puchalski and her twin Mary (Ivin) Loy of Dayton and Englewood, Ohio, and nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her brothers, Joseph, Alfred, Maurice and John and her sisters Leona (Charles) Wolf and Sister Mary Leonita.

Interment was in the Salem Heights Cemetery.

In Sympathy Sister Arlene Hirsch on the death of her brother, Andy.

Sister Dolorosa Oen on the death of her sister, Dorothy.

18

Sharing & Caring

Sister Barbara Jean Backs on the death of her sister-in-law, Ginny.

Sister Ceil Taphorn on the death of her broth-

continued on page 19

August 1928 — February 25, 2014

Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Carlotta Lammers, was held at Salem Heights Chapel on February 28. Visitation immediately preceded the liturgy. Sister Carlotta, 85, died February 25 at the Maria-Joseph Center in Dayton. She had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 65 years.

The youngest of seven daughters born to Frank W. and Theresa (Kaufman) Lammers, Wilma Mary was born in New Cleveland, Ohio in August 1928. At age 20, she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood on August 28, 1948. She was known in religious life as Sister Mary Carlotta.

She was a teacher for 36 years in Ohio, Colo-

rado, Arizona and Indiana, including four years teaching religious education. She was director of religious education for one year. From 198997, Sister was pastoral assistant at St. Dorothy Parish in Warren, Mich. Sister Carlotta retired to Salem Heights in 1997 and became an active volunteer at Emma Hall at the Maria-Joseph Center. She was also a volunteer tutor at the Brunner Literacy Center in Dayton.

Sister is survived by nieces and nephews, including Precious Blood Sister Mary Lou Schmersal. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Kathryn (Vincent) Schroeder, Louise (Mark) Schmersal, Dorothy (Norbert) Kuhlman, Ruth (Thomas) Kuhlman, Edith (Robert) Duling and Teresa (Clayton) McMichael.

Interment was in Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Rita Herman March 1933 — January 7, 2014

Resurrection liturgy for Precious Blood Sister Rita Herman was held at Salem Heights Chapel, January 10.

Sister died at Maria Joseph Center in Dayton, Ohio on January 7. Rita had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 63 years.

The first of eight children born to Edwin and Theresa (Ruen) Herman, Rita Pauline was born in Lima, Ohio in March 1933. At the age of 17 she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood on August 30, 1950.

She was known in religious life for a while as Sister M. Ralph.

Sister Rita stated that over the years her life has been a ‘Cup of Life Poured Out in Love’ for the Lord and her Precious Blood Community.

For 56 years Sister Rita enjoyed teaching students in grades four through eight in Sedalia, Mo.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Flint, Mich.; and Celina, North College Hill, Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio. Retiring in 2009 Sister moved to the Salem Heights motherhouse in Dayton, Ohio. In 2013 Sister Rita joined her community of Sisters in the Maria Joseph Center nursing home in Dayton. This unassuming, generous woman was always caring for others to the end of her life.

Sister Rita is survived by her sisters Edna (Bill) Greeley and Frances Rhine, both of Lima, Ohio, and her brothers, Leo (Helen) Herman and Donald (Kathryn) Herman of Cloverdale, Ohio; her brothers Ralph (Kay) and John (Jean) Herman of Ottoville, Ohio; as well as her brother Carl (Doris) Herman of Ft. Jennings, Ohio.

Interment was in the Salem Heights Cemetery.

For the full texts of the eulogies given at the sisters’ funerals, go to: www.preciousbloodsistersdayton.org; click on About Us>In Memoriam.

continued from page 18

er-in-law, Ray Diesel Sister Evelyn Monnin on the death of her sister, Liz Mann Sister Nancy McMullen on the death of her sister-in-law, Reba McMullen.

Sister Virginia Hebbeler on the death of her sister, Rody (Rosemary) Dineen.

Remembering Ruth Kunk, sister of deceased Sister Mary Catherine Kunk.

Shirley Oldiges (former Sister Rose Sharon) Ed Kaiser, father of Peg Bergman (former Sister Rosalia) Spring 2014

19

In Memoriam

Sister Carlotta Lammers

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID DAYTON, OH Permit No. 966

4000 Denlinger Road Dayton, OH 45426-2399

Precious Blood Sister Nancy Recker

W

hen I was confirmed in the sixth grade, the bishop asked our group what Sisters take when they make their profession. I was the only one who raised a hand and said “vows.” It was then that I first thought about becoming a women religious. In the eighth grade, Precious Blood Sisters Florentine and Alicia asked what I would like to be as an adult and I wrote that I wanted to be a nun.

I really think that God was calling me. I always liked the Mass. I was very attracted to Eucharist.

After eighth grade, Sisters Florentine Gregory and Alicia Meiering brought me to Dayton to visit Fatima Hall, their Congregation’s high school for girls preparing to enter the convent.

I expressed an interest in going to Fatima, but my ather was against it. He thought I was too young, so I went to the local school for freshman year. I entered Fatima Hall in my sophomore year.

The call never left me. I just knew that this where God wanted me to be. I never re20

Sharing & Caring

ally thought about leaving the community. I can’t imagine being anything other than a Sister of the Precious Blood.

During my freshman year in high school, Sister Florentine was my English teacher and I admired her. She knew how to take adversity and make it positive. Her whole approach to life was an acceptance of what is, not blaming circumstances on people and still being the loving person she was. I wanted the strength she had to rise above adversity.

Sister Alicia, who taught me in grade school, was fun, too.

She taught us how to dance.

In speaking with women discerning religious life today, I simply explain they should give it chance. They should research different communities to find one with a charism that fits their interest and passion.

We, as older religious, need to support the young women who are coming and asking us about religious life. We need to support them not where we are, but where they are. Their world is totally different than ours and the people they will be minister-

ing to are totally different than those we were ministering to in our lives. You have to be open to what is and very much be open to the possibilities.  Sister Nancy Recker is pastoral care minister at Emma/Lourdes Hall CPPS at Maria-Joseph Center in Dayton, Ohio.

If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive Sharing & Caring, call (937) 274-2707 or e-mail communications@ cppsadmin.org.