March 5, 2010
Nine Ferdinand Benedictines will celebrate jubilees in 2010
Nine Benedictine sisters of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand will celebrate anniversaries of their religious profession in 2010. These sisters have given a total of 470 years of consecrated life and service to the Church.
On October 31, Sisters Wilma Davis, Mary George Kissel, and Theresita Schenk will celebrate the 70th anniversary of their monastic profession, and Sister Mary Leah Baehl will celebrate her 60th anniversary.
Sister Wilma, a native of Columbus, Indiana, entered the Ferdinand monastery from St. Bartholomew Parish in 1938. She made her first profession of vows in 1940 and her final profession in 1943. She taught at Indianapolis, Vincennes and Ferdinand before going to St. Ann Mission in Belcourt, N.D., in 1957. She was a founding member of Queen of Peace Monastery in Belcourt, established by the Ferdinand Benedictines. During her 47 years in Belcourt, she taught school, was director of religious education for the Diocese of Fargo and for St. Ann Mission. She served as subprioress of the Belcourt monastery for six years and as prioress for eight years. In 2004 she transferred back to the Ferdinand monastery, where she did support services and wrote a history of the Ferdinand sisters’ ministry in North Dakota. She currently serves on the Benedictine Oblate Team and in the ministry of prayer.
Sister Mary George, a native of Evansville, entered the monastery from St. James Parish, Haubstadt, in 1938. She made her first profession of vows in 1940 and her final profession in 1945. She taught at Celestine, St. Benedict in Evansville and the Evansville Rehabilitation Center. She served as principal and taught at Holy Spirit, St. Joseph and Resurrection in Evansville, and Christ the King in Indianapolis. She was a missionary and taught in Bogota, Colombia. In 1975, she established The Reading Carrel in Evansville, where she continues to serve as director and teacher.
Sister Theresita, a native of St. Philip, Posey County, entered the monastery from St. Philip Parish in 1938. She made her first profession of vows in 1940 and her final profession in 1943. She taught music for almost 60 years at schools in Evansville including St. Benedict, Christ the King and St. Joseph; at the Academy in Ferdinand, where she also served as Alumnae Director; St. Benedict College, Ferdinand; and Vincennes University, Jasper Center. At the monastery, she has served as liturgist, organist, and composer of liturgical music. Currently, she teaches piano lessons at the monastery, plays the organ, and composes music.
Sister Mary Leah, a native of Evansville, entered the monastery from St. Bernard Parish, Snake Run, in 1953. She made her first profession of vows in 1950 and her final profession in 1953. She taught in Evansville at St. Joseph, St. Theresa and Christ the King, and in Indianapolis, Huntingburg, Schnellville, Mariah Hill and Ireland. She was a nurses’ aide in the monastery infirmary. Since 1977, except for two years, she has been at the Ferdinand Benedictines’ monastery in Morropón, Peru, where she has served in pastoral ministry, peace and justice work, teaching, and ministry to the elderly and homeless. Currently, she teaches english and ministers in a nursing home.
On July 3, Sisters Shirley Ann Schultheis, Mary Francis Williams, and Mary Lee Hillenbrand will celebrate their 50th anniversary of profession. These sisters made their first profession of monastic vows in 1960 and their final profession in 1965.
Sister Shirley Ann, a native of Evansville, entered the monastery from Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Haubstadt, in 1958. She taught at schools in Fulda, Celestine, St. Henry and Evansville including St. Benedict and Marian Day. She was supervisor at Southern Indiana Rehabilitation Services (SIRS) in Ferdinand, supervisor of Adult Day Activity (ADA) program at SIRS in Boonville and director of social services at the monastery. Currently, she works in the monastery gift shop.
Sister Mary Francis, a native of Vincennes, entered the monastery from St. Thomas Parish in 1958. She taught at schools in Celestine, St. Anthony, the Academy in Ferdinand, Schnellville and at Mater Dei in Evansville, where she has taught since 1967.
Sister Mary Lee Hillenbrand, a native of Evansville, entered the monastery from St. Beedict Parish in 1958. She was an Xray technologist and worked in physical therapy at Stork Memorial Hospital, Huntingburg. She worked as an occupational therapist for the monastery and for Visiting Nurse Association in Spencer County. She served in parish ministry at Apache Junction, Arizona, and at Troy, Indiana. She was a chaplain at St. Mary’s Hospital, Evansville, and an early childhood teacher at C.K. Newsome Community Center and Sacred Heart Parish, both in Evansville. Currently she does support services and health care ministry at the monastery.
On June 5, Sisters Louise Laroche and Susan Mary Hooks will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their monastic profession.
Sister Louise, a native of Berlin, New Hampshire, entered the Ferdinand Benedictines’ monastery in Martin, Kentucky, from St. Ann Parish, Berlin, in 1983. She made her first profession of vows in 1985. She moved to the monastery in Ferdinand in 1986, where she made her final profession in 1993. She taught at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic School in Paintsville, Ky., and at the Mountain Christian Academy in Martin, where she was also director of the elementary school. Since 1987, she has been a teacher at Holy Family School in Jasper. For the past year, she has taken a leave of absence from teaching to care for her father in Berlin.
Sister Susan Mary, a native of Slovak, Ark., entered the monastery from St. Anne Parish, Memphis, Tenn., in 1984. She made her first profession of vows in 1985 and her final profession in 1993. She worked in the Business Office at Marian Heights Academy, Ferdinand, and as Patient Accounts manager at St. Joseph Hospital, Huntingburg. She was business manager at St. Helen Parish, Louisville. Since 2001, she has been serving as assistant vicerector administration/comptroller at Pontifical North American College in Rome, Italy.