CC Spring 2026

CROSS CURRENTS Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur • Ohio Province

SPRING 2026 VOLUME 22 ISSUE 1

PEACEFUL PRESENCE IN TURBULENT TIMES

CROSS CURRENTS SPRING 2026 | Vol. 22/ Issue 1 Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur change lives by making known God’s goodness.

Throughout the world, we are committed to education. We take our stand with those living in poverty, especially women and children in the most abandoned places.

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Ohio Province 701 E. Columbia Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45215 513-761-7636 sndohio.org Leadership Team: Sister Donna Wisowaty, SNDdeN, Provincial Sister Kim Dalgarn, SNDdeN Sister Kristin Matthes, SNDdeN

Sister Thérèse DelGenio, SNDdeN, presents Pope Leo with stoles, handmade by women in El Paso, Texas.

Cross Currents is a publication of the Mission Advancement Office, Ohio Province Gina Huiet, Director of Mission Advancement ghuiet@ohsnd.org 513-679-8101 Shannon Kapp, Communications Director, editor skapp@ohsnd.org 513-679-8117 Hannah Kennedy, Assistant Communications Director, designer hkennedy@ohsnd.org 513-679-8193

COVER: Sister Thérèse DelGenio, SNDdeN, presents Pope Leo with a wood ring like the ones some Sisters wear in solidarity with the people they have served in Brazil.

Pope Leo blesses the rosary of a Cincinnati man.

CROSS CURRENTS

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Contents TITLE STORY

MISSION INTEGRATION

4

10 The Hallmarks and the Heart of Coaching

Peaceful Presence in Turbulent Times

COVER STORY 8

A Visit in with a Friend in Rome

VOCATIONS 11

15 Students and School Staff Honored with

the Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Awards

MISSION ADVANCEMENT 6

Archbishop Casey Visits Sisters Sisters Host Arizona Friends' Event

Vocations Conference in Rome

7

Partners in Action Luncheon Surpasses Goals

JUSTICE & PEACE

16 Michelle Kiigi Joins Mission Advancement Advisory

10 Tea and Typing

OBITUARIES

SCHOOLS

18

We Will Always Remember

12 MND High School Graduates Earn SNDdeN Global Scholar Diploma Seal

14 Trinity School Celebrates Earth Day Through Action 3

Peaceful Presence in Turbulent Times SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Sister Meg Walsh, SNDdeN, (right) works with others in Arizona communities to advocate for policies that preserve human rights and dignity.

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur began in a world that was chaotic and uncertain. Founded in 1804 by Julie Billiart and Françoise Blin de Bourdon in the aftermath of the French Revolution, the congregation took root in the ruins of a society that had torn itself apart. Churches were shuttered, people made poor had been abandoned, and institutions had collapsed. Julie and Françoise’s response was not to wait for stability before acting. Their response was the stability.

Turbulence as a catalyst for growth From the very beginning, Julie and Françoise’s mission was both simple and radical: to make known God's goodness, and to take their stand with people made poor in the most abandoned places.

After they were forced out of Amiens, they moved to Namur, rapidly founding new communities across Belgium and France. By her death in 1816, Julie had established 19 schools in five dioceses, built not in times of peace, but through ongoing turbulence.

in Europe, the Sisters were already here. They had arrived in 1840 at the request of Bishop John Purcell to educate the children of immigrants and strengthen the growing Catholic school system in the young diocese. Within months they opened the first Notre Dame schools in America — a boarding school, day school, and a free school for girls made poor.

A drumbeat of moral witness Through their ministries of prayer, presence, care,

When new waves of Irish and German immigrants

and action, Sisters are a steady drumbeat of moral

arrived in Cincinnati, fleeing famine and revolution

witness through an increasingly unsettled moment in our world.

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TITLE STORY CROSS CURRENTS

With active and regular advocacy, the Sisters have

to Sisters writing postcards to detainees in Butler

planted themselves at the intersection of faith and

County? Sisters today are united with St. Julie by

policy in ways that would have looked entirely

the conviction and commitment to act for justice, not

familiar to St. Julie.

when it is safe, not when the world has settled down,

•

•

In Cincinnati, Sisters have organized regular prayer vigils outside the ICE detention office in

At a Mass on Earth Day, Fr. Larry Tensi described

Blue Ash, turning a place of fear into a place of

the world as one that "feels a little heavier each

witness.

week." But this is the world in which the Sisters of

In partnership with the Cincinnati Archdiocese Immigration Taskforce, Sisters write postcards of encouragement to the hundreds of non-criminal immigrants detained at the Butler County Jail, many of whom have no family, no language connections, and no legal representation.

•

but precisely when it has not.

In partnership with Ignite Peace and the Interfaith Alliance, Sisters have promoted the

Notre Dame de Namur have always lived. They have not waited for it to lighten before they began to work. They understood, two centuries ago and still today, that the weight of the world is exactly where they are called to stand.

St. Julie’s words remain the compass: "We exist only for the poor, only for the poor, absolutely only for the poor."

"Choose Love, Not ICE" campaign, a public

The challenges of the time may be different, but the

moral statement, faith-rooted and non-partisan

poor are still here. And so are the Sisters.

affirming that Gospel love of neighbor, not fear, should guide our actions.

•

Sisters in Texas and Arizona oppose work permit restrictions for asylum seekers and stand against deportation policies that leave people vulnerable to exploitation.

•

Sisters marked Laudato Si' Week (May 17–24, 2026) with its theme "From Hope to Action," by inviting the Province to register specific acts of care for creation and joining others around the globe in recognizing that the earth, like people made poor, is entrusted to our keeping.

The unchanging thread What connects St. Julie Billiart helping hide persecuted priests in Cuvilly, France, to Sisters praying outside an ICE office in Blue Ash, Ohio?

What connects women sailing on a ship to Ohio

Sister Rebecca Trujillo, SNDdeN, (left) and friend, Regina Bajorek attend a rally in Springfield, Ohio, to advocate for the preservation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many people from Haiti in the community. TPS for Haiti remains active due to a federal court order, and work permits for Haitian nationals are currently extended while litigation continues.

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MISSION ADVANCEMENT SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Archbishop Robert Casey shares a laugh with Sister Lois Ann Meyer, SNDdeN, during his visit in March.

Archbishop Casey Visits Sisters Cincinnati Archbishop Robert G. Casey celebrated Mass with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in St. Julie Chapel on Monday, March 9. Following Mass, the Archbishop enjoyed coffee and donuts and took time to visit with each of the 20 tables of Sisters. The Sisters who are natives of Chicago, like Archbishop Casey himself, extended a special welcome! Archbishop Casey concluded his visit with a tour of the Health Center and time with the Sisters in skilled care.

Sisters Host Arizona Friends' Appreciation Mass March 1st The Mission Advancement office hosted over a hundred friends and donors in the Phoenix, Arizona area for a Mass and special luncheon on Sunday, March 1. “It was Julie Billiart’s good friend Françoise Blin de Bourdon who made it possible for Julie to act on her vision of women religious changing lives around the world,” Gina Huiet, Director of Mission Advancement, said. “It’s the same today. Good friends are at the heart of the Sisters’ work and mission.”

Sisters and friends also volunteered at Gathering Humanity in Tempe on Saturday, February 28. Live The Good volunteers helped sort donations that help refugees and others in the area to furnish apartments.

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Sister Dorothy Deger, SNDdeN, (left) and Sister Meg Walsh, SNDdeN, (second from right) visit with guests at the Arizona Friends' Appreciation event in March.

Sister Rebecca Trujillo, SNDdeN, (left) alongside her sister Mardee Chavez, join volunteers at the Live The Good opportunity in Tempe, Arizona.

MISSION ADVANCEMENT CROSS CURRENTS

Sister Judi Clemens, SNDdeN, (right) caught up with Notre Dame Mission Volunteers (NDMV) staff and friends at the Partners in Action luncheon on May 13..

Partners in Action Luncheon Surpasses Goals The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur welcomed over 540 attendees to their annual Partners in Action fundraising luncheon on May 13 at Xavier University’s Cintas Center. With over 150 first-time attendees, attendance at the event was 14 percent higher than last year’s event.

Led by Founding Partner Fort Washington Investment Advisors and Presenting Partner Baker Concrete Construction, our 2026 sponsorship surpassed its goal by 25 percent!

Mission Advancement Advisory Board member Louise Stakelin, a Trinity University Class of 1977 alumna, and fellow Trinity graduates. Pictured below (third from left), Louise reflected on the joy of reconnecting through the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur mission, sharing that having them all together for this special event echoed the Sisters’ beloved motto: “Oh, how good is the good God!”

WCPO’s Tanya O’Rourke emceed the event and helped highlight several stories that illustrated the Sisters’ answers to courage.

“The immense community support helped our 2026 luncheon become the most successful in the event’s 20+ year history,” Sister Donna Wisowaty, SNDdeN, Provincial, said. “The generosity of our partners help fuel our mission locally, nationally, and internationally and enable us to continue answering the call to be courageous.”

Next years Parters in Action luncheon will be May 12, 2027.

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COVER STORY SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Sister Thérèse DelGenio, SNDdeN, presents Pope Leo with a wood ring like the ones some Sisters wear in solidarity with the people they have served in Brazil.

A Visit with a Friend in Rome 8

e

For most of us, the chance to visit a friend is a treasured opportunity. Sister Thérèse DelGenio, SNDdeN, traveled to Rome this spring for that opportunity to visit a dear friend.

For Sr. Thérèse, that friend happened to be former student, Robert Prevost, who is now Pope Leo XIV.

CROSS CURRENTS

Leo’s homily and deliberate

Sr. Thérèse also gave Pope Leo

instructions from the Swiss

a wood ring like the ones Sisters

Guard, the group followed Fr.

wear in solidarity with the people

John’s lead in climbing the stage

they have served in Brazil.

stairs and embracing Pope Leo. “It was just a natural reaction to open my arms, and he reached forward and returned the hug,” Sr. Thérèse said.

Sr. Thérèse also gave him a small paper gift bag holding over 80 notes of support from the Congregational Leadership Team, the Sisters and staff at Mount

The next day, Sr. Thérèse and

Notre Dame, Religious of the

her friends joined Pope Leo

Good Shepherd living at Mount

at the Curia in Rome for lunch

Notre Dame, and parishioners of

with Augustinian seminarians,

St. Joseph Parish. “I suggested

community members, and visiting

that he read one a night before

bishops. Sr. Thérèse and the

going to bed to warm his heart,”

group from Chicago sat at the

Sr. Thérèse said, “but he eagerly

Sr. Thérèse traveled with friends

head table, and she whispered to

read them all in two days!”

from Chicago, including Pope

Pope Leo, “This is surreal, having

Leo’s close friend Fr. John

lunch with you, here in Rome.”

Merkelis, OSA, and former

Then Pope Leo looked at her and

Catholic Theological Union

said, “You think this is surreal?”

classmates. Like Pope Leo, many

Tapping his heart, he added,

of those travelers learned from Sr. “What about me when I wake up in the morning and realize I’m the Thérèse’s supervision and work in addiction recovery service programs at St. Victor Parish in Calumet City, Illinois.

Pope? Now that’s surreal!”

Following their meal, Sr. Thérèse had a few moments to talk to

Sr. Thérèse saw her friend Pope

him about the SNDdeN ministry

Leo twice during her trip. The

with people made poor and

first time was at the weekly

marginalized across the United

Wednesday papal audience in

States. She shared with him

St. Peter’s Square. Sr. Thérèse

some stoles handmade by

and the group from Chicago sat

women in El Paso, Texas, and

in the third row as a welcome

asked for a special blessing on

to the faithful was proclaimed

the rosary of a Cincinnati man

in several languages, just like

who recently died, leaving behind

the first Pentecost! After Pope

a loving and struggling family.

“ I asked him

what we can do to support him...and he said, ‘Pray.’

”

- Sr. Thérèse

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MISSION INTEGRATION ROME SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

NewsBreak 1

Sister Rose Ann Fleming, SNDdeN, opened The Hallmarks and the Heart of Coaching workshop that brought together coaches from Badin, Chaminade Julienne, Mount Notre Dame, and The Summit Country Day schools.

The Hallmarks and the Heart of Coaching On Sunday, February 22, coaches and athletic department staff from the four regional Ohio Province schools—Badin High School, Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School, Mount Notre Dame High School, and The Summit Country Day School—came together to learn about The Hallmarks of a Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community and how they can be integrated into athletic programs and team culture.

“We talked about the basics of our shared Notre Dame mission and deepened our understanding of the Hallmarks personally and professionally,” Director of Mission Integration, Donna Groene,

said. “Coaches explored and shared how The Hallmarks might be integrated into coaching decisions to enhance students-athletes’ experiences."

Sr. Rose Ann Fleming, SNDdeN, Special Assistant to Athletics, Xavier University, welcomed coaches and administrators. “In my experience, many of the students I have advised at the college level will give major credit to their coach in high school who kept them going,” she said. “There is a tremendous opportunity for the development of the human being through sport.”

JUSTICE & PEACE

Tea and Typing On the first Friday of each month, Sisters at Mount Notre Dame gather for a special kind of tea party.

Teresa Phillips, Justice, Peace and Care of Creation (JPCC) Director, organizes Legislative Teas where Sisters write letters to their congressional representatives and local newspaper editors.

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Nancy Wellmeier, Margaret Shawn Scanlan, and Judi Clemens compose letters to representatives and editors at the monthly Legislative Teas.

death penalty, and roads and public transportation.

In the past few months, the letters have been

Some of these letters have elicited a response, and

focused on justice issues like immigration raids,

two letters to the editor have been published in the

detention centers, local school district issues, the

Cincinnati Enquirer.

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CROSS CURRENTS

VOCATIONS

Sister Stephanie Thompson (left), join fellow Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from Kenya, Praxides Awino and Mary Akinyi, for a Seder Meal during Holy Week.

Sister Carla Vasconswelos, SNDdeN, from Brazil attended the International Safeguarding Meeting in Rome with Sister Stephanie.

SNDdeN from Five Continents Gather in Rome to Shape Formation Ministry From March 23 to April 1, Sisters working in

One of the workshops explored the ethical use of

vocation and formation ministries across the

psychological tools, emphasizing that assessment

Congregation traveled to Rome for a significant

must support discernment and pastoral guidance

moment of collaboration, discernment, and

rather than replace it. According to Sister

hope. Rooted in the spirit of St. Julie Billiart and

Stephanie Thompson, SNDdeN, Director of

Françoise Blin de Bourdon, the meeting brought

Vocations for the Ohio Province, these are tools

together diverse voices to reflect on the future

that Formators can use to help individuals grow at

of formation and the responsibility entrusted to

each stage of discernment. “A holistic candidate

those who accompany the newer members of the

evaluation with a pastoral emphasis can help guide

Congregation.

a person on how to best use her gifts and talents

Formators discussed how the Sisters’ approach to

to serve God,” Sr. Stephanie said.

welcoming new members functions across different

Woven through these conversations was a broader

countries and cultures. While values and charism

commitment to safeguarding and ensuring that

remain constant, participants discussed a scarcity

everyone in the formation process is protected.

in trained mentors and the language barriers that

Formators left Rome with a clearer picture of how

make sharing resources difficult. At the same

their work fits into something larger than any one

time, Formators recognized the opportunities for

province as well as a renewed commitment to

stronger collaboration and shared responsibility

carefully guide those aspiring to enter religious life.

among provinces across the SNDdeN world.

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SCHOOLS SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

MND Graduates Earn SNDdeN Global Scholar Diploma Seal

By Elaine Skeldon, Director of Marketing and Communications Mount Notre Dame High School

Mount Notre Dame High School awarded its inaugural recipients of the SNDdeN Global Scholar Diploma Seal at graduation in May. As the first students to earn this distinction at Mount Notre Dame, these young women are helping establish a meaningful tradition rooted in global understanding, leadership, faith, and service. Through their academic experiences, service projects, global engagement, and Global Competency Portfolio, these students reflected deeply on how they have grown in their understanding of other cultures, global issues, and their role in promoting dignity, justice, and solidarity.

This diploma seal recognizes students who have intentionally connected their academic work, faith, and real-world experiences in a way that reflects the mission and Hallmarks of a Notre Dame Learning Community.

Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN, former President of Mount Notre Dame High School, enthusiastically congratulated the students for earning this distinction as an SNDdeN Global Scholar. “By

Their portfolios beautifully capture what it means

completing the requirements and reflecting on their

to live out those Hallmarks each day. Principal

experience, these young women are also living

Karen Day shared, “This seal reflects the intentional

out the advice St. Julie Billiart gave to the Sisters

choices our students make to engage the world

many years ago—'You must have hearts as wide

with curiosity and purpose. We are proud to see

as the world.’ May these Global Scholars continue

them grow into empowered leaders who will make a

to expand their horizons and, with faith and courage,

meaningful difference in a global community.”

make a difference in our world,” Sr. Rita said.

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SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN, joins Mr. Ben Hunt, Assistant Principal for Academics at Mount Notre Dame High School, in congratulating the first group of students to earn the SNDdeN Global Scholar Diploma Seal.

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SCHOOLS SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

NewsBreak 1

NewsBreak 3

Students from Trinity School in Ellicott City, Maryland, participate in a Water Walk to foster empathy and awareness of those who struggle with having clean water.

walked a route through campus,

Trinity School Celebrates Earth Day Through Action

collecting water along the way and engaging in a hands-on experience that fostered empathy

Through intentional classroom

One of the highlights of the

lessons, school-wide initiatives,

month was the school’s

and daily reflections, Students

participation in the Beyond

at Trinity School in Ellicott

Plastics Initiative. Students in

City, Maryland, deepened their

grades 3–8 wrote an impressive

“The experiences helped our

understanding of environmental

171 letters to major corporations,

community remain grounded in

responsibility, conservation, and

advocating for reduced plastic

the inspiring witness of Sister

justice for all people.

use. The youngest learners also

Dorothy Stang,” Marguerite

contributed by creating drawings

Conley, Head of Trinity

that expressed their care for

School, said. “Sr. Dorothy’s

the environment. These efforts

legacy reminds us that caring

demonstrated the power of

for creation is not only an

student voice and the importance

environmental responsibility, but

of advocacy in promoting justice

also a profound expression of

and responsible stewardship.

faith, justice, and love.”

Throughout the month of April, the school’s Environmental Committee thoughtfully provided resources, activities, and opportunities for students K-8 to engage with these themes.

Morning announcements and

and awareness. Together, they completed 825 laps—equivalent

classroom instruction reinforced

Another impactful experience

the importance of caring for

was the K–8 Water Walk, drawing

God’s creation, culminating

from the SNDdeN Clean Water

in a joyful and meaningful

for Life program, which helped

Earth Day celebration on,

students better understand

Wednesday, April 22.

the many people who have no

to 206.25 miles.

access to clean water. Students 14

Young students at Trinity School in Ellicott, Maryland, participate in the Water Walk tradition.

MISSION INTEGRATION CROSS CURRENTS

Spring 2026 Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Recipients: Allathea Ackroyd Catholic Central High School Springfield, Ohio Patrick Burns Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School Dayton, OH Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN, presents a Spirit of Dorothy Stang award to Meghana Curran at The Summit Country Day School.

Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN, and Sister Marie Romejko, SNDdeN, present a Spirit of Dorothy Stang award to staff member Pedro Contreras at Badin High School.

Students and School Staff Honored With Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Awards Each spring, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur give The Spirit of Sister Dorothy Stang Awards to staff and graduating seniors in the Catholic high schools and parish youth ministry programs in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The awards are granted in collaboration with the Archdiocesan Offices of Mission, Social Action, Youth and Young Adult Ministry and Evangelization and Catechesis.

The award helps to keep alive the memory of Sister Dorothy Stang and her solidarity with the poor, her care for the earth and her love for Jesus’ mission. The awards honor school staff and graduating high school seniors who exemplify the values of Sr. Dorothy through their social justice ministry, service work, and teaching.

“

Sr. Dorothy’s legacy reminds us that caring for creation is not only an environmental responsibility, but also a profound expression of faith, justice, and love.

- Marguerite Conley, Head of Trinity School

”

Patrick Cavanaugh St. Xavier High School Cincinnati, OH Pedro Contreras Badin High School Hamilton, OH Meghana Curran The Summit Country Day School Cincinnati, OH Heather Dunn Archbishop Alter High School Dayton, OH Claire Farwig Ursuline Academy Cincinnati, OH Melanie Heldman Mount Notre Dame High School Cincinnati, OH Josh Nienaber Roger Bacon High School Cincinnati, OH Camille Roman Saint Ursula Academy Cincinnati, OH 15

SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Michelle Kiigi Joins Mission Advancement Advisory Board

Michelle Kiigi and Sister Geri Bolzan, SNDdeN, enjoy the Parters in Action luncheon on May 13.

By Joe Foley

“God is in the mix somehow,” says Michelle Kiigi, the most recent addition to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Mission Advancement Advisory Board.

“Things don’t happen by coincidence,” Michelle says.

This sentiment certainly seems true in her own life. As a young woman, she worked in banking in Nairobi, managing accounts for religious congregations in

through the Diversity Immigrant

16, attend Mount Notre Dame

Visa Program, known as the

High School and Saint Ursula

Green Card Lottery. Her win was

Academy, respectively. Both are

by chance. Or maybe, with ‘God

thriving, but their entry into the

in the mix,’ it wasn’t. Regardless,

world was not easy. Michelle

it changed her life.

had difficult pregnancies. In part

With her daughters she crossed the ocean, settling in Cincinnati. Today, she works to foster relationships among people committed to faithbased education for children who otherwise might continue in a cycle of poverty as Donor Relations Manager for Cincinnati’s Catholic Inner-City

because of health insurance provided by her Nairobi employer, the births were successful.

But for the majority of Kenyan women, especially in rural areas, such insurance isn’t available.

This isn’t lost on Michelle.

Five years after her arrival in Cincinnati, she founded Kilazo Kizuri, which in Swahili means

her native Kenya. She had no

Schools Education Fund (CISE).

reason to believe she would

But Kenya, too, remains close to

provides necessities for new

live anywhere outside her own

her heart.

mothers in rural Kenya, including

country, until, in 2012, she won entry into the United States 16

Michelle’s daughters, now 18 and

‘A Good Bed’. Kilazo Kizuri

foam mattresses and mosquito

MISSION ADVANCEMENT CROSS CURRENTS

nets. It also works to prevent teen pregnancies; to educate about HIV/AIDS; and to promote small, income-producing occupations as alternatives to prostitution.

Michelle has also taken an interest in Bishop Korir Memorial Secondary School, run by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Kenya’s Rift Valley. The school educates children who are deaf and/or living with other disabilities, disabilities that in some cases might have been prevented through prenatal medical care.

“In Kenya, in many places in Africa, when you have a child with special needs, it’s almost seen as a taboo,” says Michelle.

“ For the

When Michelle was young she and her father often visited her great aunt, who was a religious Sister. Her aunt ministered in a clinic for people who were made poor.

“It’s where my eyes were opened in terms of religious life,” says Michelle.

Then, in the Nairobi bank, she was able to see the impact of religious congregations, particularly in the area of education.

And it’s education, whether among young women in Kenya, or among children with special needs, or among boys and girls in America wanting to break free from poverty – that has become central to Michelle’s life. It’s the driving force of her work with CISE; and now, in the worldwide congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur through her involvement with the Ohio Province’s Mission Advancement Advisory Board..

Saint Julie Billiart

2026 Milestone Anniversaries for St. Julie 210th anniversary of her death in Namur (April 8, 1816) 120th anniversary of her beatification in Rome (May 13, 1906) 275th anniversary of the birth of Saint Julie in Cuvilly (July 12, 1751)

Michelle Kiigi (center) visited Sisters Everlyne Nekosa Oguba (left) and Masheti Wangoyi (right), SNDdeN, Kenyan Province Team this spring.

Sisters to open that school, it’s powerful. It’s going where the need is, where the calling is.

”

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OBITUARIES SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER We pray for our deceased Sisters and remember with gratitude their lives of dedication.

For complete memorials, please visit sndohio.org.

SISTER PATRICIA KNOPP, SNDdeN May 6, 1936 - July 12, 2025

SNDdeN for 71 years Sister Patricia Knopp entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1954, inspired by her SNDdeN teachers at Julienne High School in Dayton. After eleven years teaching speech and language arts in schools, Sr. Patricia pursued a master's degree in religious education that led to publishing Catholic, communications, and adult religious formation. She served as Managing Editor at Claretian Publications in Chicago, coauthoring and editing religious education materials, and later as Director of Public Relations at Chaminade Julienne High School. In 1988, Sr. Patricia began developing communication standards and publications for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur itself, editing the congregation's revised constitutions, founding and editing the congregation-wide newsletter, and assisting with other communication tasks for the Congregation.

She helped establish the National Communicators Network for Women Religious, whose work continues today in collaboration with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. A devoted and tireless servant of SNDdeN’s global mission, Sr. Patricia brought her gifts of writing, justice, and conviction to every ministry she undertook.

SISTER BERNICE WEILBACHER, SNDdeN

August 31, 1925 – July 23, 2025 SNDdeN for 74 years

Sister Bernice Weilbacher entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1951 after delaying her entrance to help support her family. Sr. Bernice used her exceptional musical talent to build choral programs and shape music education in SNDdeN academies and high schools for 22 years. She believed deeply that teaching music was a pathway for students to experience God in the beauty of sound. After a year-long intensive study of earth science and biology, Sr. Bernice began teaching middle school science and religion. She earned a Certificate in Theology at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, and served as Co-Director of Religious Education in the small mining town of San Manuel, Arizona, where she and another Sister of Notre Dame de Namur ministered faithfully to a rural parish community. Sr. Bernice remained an active and grateful presence in the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur community, playing violin at community liturgies, organizing celebrations at the Mount Notre Dame Health Center, and walking the grounds daily before passing to new life nearly a month shy of her 100th birthday.

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SISTER PHYLLIS ANGERER, SNDdeN July 17, 1929 – August 24, 2025 SNDdeN for 78 years Sister Phyllis Angerer entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur shortly after graduating from Julienne High School in Dayton in 1947, drawn by the Sisters' spirit of simplicity and charity. After fifteen years of dedicated teaching in Ohio and Michigan, her ministry took a transformative turn when her work with the sick and elderly awakened her to their urgent, underserved needs. Returning to Cincinnati, Sr. Phyllis served as Director of Spiritual Services and then as Administrator at Clifton Care Center. She adopted a philosophy of nursing home care that blended a home-like atmosphere with quality professional nursing. In 1987, Sr. Phyllis brought that same vision to the Mount Notre Dame Health Center, where she expanded skilled care capacity, enriched programming for the Sisters' physical and mental well-being, and provided invaluable wisdom during the planning and construction of the new facility in 1999-2000. Sr. Phyllis then managed the Mount Notre Dame Gift Shop whose proceeds supported Province needs and the Clean Water Project for Sisters in Africa. Sr. Phyllis leaves a legacy of warmth, administrative excellence, and a welcoming presence that made God's goodness known to all who encountered her.

SISTER BARBARA FIAND, SNDdeN

January 16, 1940 – December 30, 2025 SNDdeN for 45 years

Sister Barbara Fiand's journey to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur began with an extraordinary life. She was born in Java during World War II, surviving internment and displacement across Indonesia, Japan, and Germany before her family settled in Montreal. Sr. Barbara felt a deep, persistent call to religious life that led her first to the Sisters of St. Anne of Quebec in 1958 and ultimately, after years of teaching and doctoral study, to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Cincinnati in 1980. A philosopher, theologian, and prolific author of twelve published books, Sr. Barbara built a distinguished academic career teaching seminarians and lay ministers at the Athenaeum of Ohio for 17 years. She also taught classes at Xavier University, the University of Dayton, and Loyola University Chicago and served as a Research Professor of Spirituality at Loyola's Institute of Pastoral Studies and adjunct faculty at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Sr. Barbara led retreats and workshops and made presentations across the United States and in

workshops and made presentations across the United States and in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond, earning praise from retreatants as "prophetic," "a breath of fresh air," and a teacher who "affirmed and liberated" through her courageous wisdom. A woman of profound faith and joyful humanity Sr. Barbara loved singing, whittling, and walking in nature. According to her nephew, she was “a force to be reckoned with and loved at the same time.”

SISTER PAULA LASCHENSKI, SNDdeN July 4, 1928 – January 18, 2026 SNDdeN for 79 years Sister Paula Laschenski entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1946, inspired by the Sisters who taught her at Notre Dame High School in Moylan, Pennsylvania. After earning her degree from Trinity College, Sr. Paula began a teaching career spanning more than two decades in parish schools across New York, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Following Vatican II, Sr. Paula embarked on a second chapter of ministry, earning a master’s degree in audio-visual production from Indiana University. She directed her work toward documenting migrant farm workers, producing television programming, and advocating for the poor, eventually serving as editor and designer for the Tri-Province Development Office’s Publication, Encounter. Sr. Paula used her art and communications expertise to advance the congregation's ministries throughout her life, maintaining a Fine Art America website to generate income for SNDdeN causes, designing a tribute calendar honoring martyred Sister Dorothy Stang, and remaining, to the end, a woman of deep faith, gentle spirit, and boundless wonder at the beauty of God's creation.

SISTER MARY LOU STOFFEL, SNDdeN March 12, 1935 – February 16, 2026 SNDdeN for 72 years Sister Mary Lou Stoffel entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1953 after her teachers at Notre Dame High School in Chicago inspired her with their example that "Catholic education is the greatest work on earth." That conviction fueled Sr. Mary Lou’s 37-year tenure as principal in Catholic elementary schools across Ohio and Chicago, where she also served as a mentor to teachers, new principals, seminarians, and pastors alike. Sr. Mary Lou served on the Province Finance Committee, the Provincial Assembly, and as an Area Contact for Chicago-area Sisters, while also pouring herself into her local community through cooking, shopping, planning celebrations, and genuinely caring for each Sister around her. Even after relocating to Mount Notre Dame in 2017, she continued driving Sisters to appointments, volunteering with high school students in the Adopt-a-Sister Program, and cheering on her beloved Chicago Cubs. Sr. Mary Lou leaves a legacy of faithful service, love for people, and joyful devotion to God and the Sisters of Notre

CROSS CURRENTS SISTER JOAN MAUREEN URBAN, SNDdeN August 20, 1940 – March 21, 2026 SNDdeN for 67 years Sister Joan Maureen Urban entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1958, drawn by the genuine care she witnessed her SNDdeN teachers show each student at St. Maria Goretti High School in Philadelphia where she was proud to be part of the school's first graduating class. After earning her bachelor's degree from Trinity College, she devoted decades teaching in Catholic schools across Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, excelling especially in the primary grades. Sensing a need for a new direction, Sr. Joan turned to healthcare and pastoral ministry, remaining actively engaged in prayer and community life until her death this past March. As a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, Joan embodied the congregation's mission of compassionate service, touching countless lives as a teacher, chaplain, and devoted friend, guided by the belief that "we're all just walking each other home."

SISTER JANE FUNCH, SNDdeN

January 22, 1931 – May 10, 2026 SNDdeN for 76 years

Sister Jane Funch entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1949 at age 18, inspired by the joy she discovered volunteering with the Sisters in teaching children at an inner-city school. Her work in education spanned an extraordinary 42-year ministry in Catholic elementary schools in Dayton and Columbus. She taught nearly every grade level and served as principal at multiple schools and was known for her warmth and genuine investment in each student's future. Sr. Jane courageously oversaw school closures and pioneered newly consolidated schools serving diverse populations — work so impactful that the Municipality of Riverside, Ohio, declared May 24, 1994, "Sister Jane Funch Day." When she concluded her ministry in schools, she returned to Cincinnati where she continued serving her congregation as community treasurer, Province Internet Coordinator, and committed participant in Notre Dame committees, remaining faithful to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur's mission of education and care for those most in need.

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