May 8, 2009
Two sisters make first profession at Ferdinand
Sisters Doris Schepers and Gail Hamilton made their first profession of monastic vows as Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in a ceremony at Mon-astery Immaculate Conception, May 2.
Sister Doris, 47, a native of Ferdinand, is the daughter of Oscar and Marlene Schepers. She has four brothers and three sisters.
She has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a major in mathematics from Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, and associate degrees in computer programming from Sullivan College, Louisville, and in computer information management from Ivy Tech, Sellersburg.
Since entering the monastery in August 2006, Sister Doris has taken classes in Benedictine studies, religious formation, theology and Scripture. She has worked at the monastery and part time at North Spencer Alternative Education Center in Dale. Currently, she works part time as a teacher aide at Forest Park Junior-Senior High School in Ferdinand.
Sister Gail, 45, from Welland, Ontario, is the daughter of Wayne and Henrietta Hamilton. She has two sisters.
She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from St. Catharine’s Business College in Ontario. She also studied at Niagara College, Ontario. She has certification in American Sign Language from the Canadian Hearing Society and activities director certification from the Indiana State Department of Health.
Since entering the monastery in August 2006, Sister Gail has taken classes in Benedictine studies, religious formation, theology and Scripture. She has worked at the monastery and part time at the Guadalupe Center in Huntingburg. She currently works in the monastery gift shop and in the Activities Department at the monastery’s Hildegard Health Center.
In the coming months, Sisters Doris and Gail will pursue full-time ministries away from the monastery as they continue to discern their call to full membership as perpetually professed Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.