Peace All Good

Jubilee 2016

Sisters of St. Josephof the Third Order of St. Francis

Bestow kindly Your Holy Spirit upon me to remind me that I was designed in my mother’s

womb to be a humble servant among God’s people.

They are like trees planted by streams of water,which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not

wither. In all that they do, they prosper. ~Psalm 1:3

Mission StatementSisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. FrancisDedication to Jesus Christ involves us intimately withHis liberating and reconciling mission—to make God more deeplyknown and loved,and in so doing,draw all personsto fuller and freer life.

Together with all our sisters and brotherswho strive for a more just world,we undertake those activitieswhich will promotethe material and spiritual developmentof the human family.

(The Constitutions, articles 30 & 37)

On the pages of this special issue of Peace & All Good, you will find the memories and stories of this year’s Jubilarians. Thank you to all sisters and associates who wrote these delightful biographies about their years in the SSJ-TOSF congregation.

Dear Friends,

All around us we hear “jubilee.” Pope Francis has proclaimed this year as a Jubilee of Mercy. We as a religious congregation celebrate jubilee as we recall the service of our sisters through the years… 50, 60, 70, 75, and 80. We also celebrate the anniversaries of our associates who have been in relationship with us for over 25 years. So where do we focus as we hear jubilee?

For the Jubilee of Mercy, we began with the opening of the Holy Door in Rome and then in various places in the world. Why a door? What is its significance? Stepping over the threshold of a door, we sense welcome and transformation. Lives change when one crosses that threshold. Pope Francis sees that change to be one of hope and mercy.

And when we think of the lives of our sister Jubilarians and our associates, we are aware that they, too, crossed a threshold to experience a new life, a new way of being a follower of Jesus. They moved from comfort zones to new places of being of service. The impact of their influence can never be fully measured.

As we celebrate jubilee in this year of mercy, we recognize that these women and men exemplified the spiritual and corporal works of mercy in their lives. Through these many years of service as Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis or in associate relationship, the works of mercy have been shared with many people. Yes, they have been examples of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, burying the dead, instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, admonishing sinners, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving offences willingly, comforting the afflicted, and praying for the living and the dead.

Thus we celebrate with these Jubilarians and follow in their footsteps as we continue to model the works of mercy in our own lives. Congratulations, Sisters and Associates; may mercy and hope continue in your lives!

Sisters Judy, Marge, Michelle, Jeanne

from the Central Board

L-R: Sisters Judith David, Marjorie White,Michelle Wronkowski, and Jeanne Conzemius

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Sisters80 YearsSister Leone Juszczyk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

75 YearsSister Benjamin Chrapczynski . . . . . . . . . .5Sister Irmina Bula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Sister Jane Frances Koszarek . . . . . . . . . .7

70 YearsSister Agnelle Swierczynski . . . . . . . . . . .8Sister Anne Maslanka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Sister Clarita Iwanski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Sister Julia Rdzak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Sister Liguori Slawinski . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Sister Martha (Marty) Cherney . . . . . . . .13Sister Melanie Adamski . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

60 YearsSister Catherine Kieliszewski . . . . . . . . .15Sister Gerri Kryshak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Sister Joan Marie Romaniak . . . . . . . . . .17Sister Joanne Wachowiak . . . . . . . . . . . .18Sister Lee Anne Danczak . . . . . . . . . . . .29Sister Loretta Ciesielski . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Sister Lucy Bruskiewicz . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Sister Mary Ann Stoltz . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Sister Michele Nemojeski . . . . . . . . . . . .23

50 YearsSister Carol Ann Killoran . . . . . . . . . . . .24Sister Jennifer Ladowski . . . . . . . . . . . .25Sister Katherine Wyszynski . . . . . . . . . . .26Sister Lois Bromark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Sister Lois Levandowski . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Sister Paulette Bergs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Associates35 YearsAssociate Carol Dillon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Associate William Dillon . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

34 YearsAssociate Laura Wells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Associate Phyllis Cashin . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

33 YearsAssociate Jennifer Dillon . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Associate Suzanne Horvath . . . . . . . . . . 34

32 YearsAssociate Isabel Requejo Martell . . . . . . . 35Assoc . Marisa Gutierrez de La Coursiere . 36

31 YearsAssociate Judith Bulat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Associate Marjorie Fink . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Associate Shirley Gray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

28 YearsAssociate Mary Jo Hudson . . . . . . . . . . . 40Associate Irene Skarban . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

26 YearsAssociate Margaret Ochwat . . . . . . . . . . 42

25 YearsAssociate Charles Wells . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Associate Starr Burke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Table of Contents

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Since approximately 1560, jubilees of various anniversaries have been declared by the church. Jubilee celebrations, especially in religious communities, are especially auspicious and memorable occasions.

I am happy to celebrate my 80th anniversary of religious life at St. Joseph Motherhouse in Stevens Point, Wisconsin in June. I wish to remember in a festive way the many years that the Good Lord has walked with me and guided my footsteps along the path of faith and love.

So, cry Jubilee: “Let triumphant hymns of glory sound loudly: This day is holy unto the Lord.” Ad multos annos. How can I express my profound gratitude? Let us, together bless the Lord from whom all blessings flow. Let us, together, open a new chapter of dedicated service.

I am the daughter of Polish immigrants and the youngest of five children. I joined the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF in 1934 after being taught by the sisters and enjoyed many years of dedicated service in schools and the catechetical fields. I served in various locations, including Marymount High School in Cleveland, Maria High School in Stevens Point, as well as schools in Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. In addition to teaching, I have worked as a library clerk and, as part of my ministry to the elderly, as a Polish interpreter.

Today I am retired, living in Stevens Point, but continue my ministry in the SIS (Sisters Interacting with Seniors) program in the city. I also distribute food items donated by Dave’s Body Shop and often write opinion-editorial articles for the local newspaper.

Sister Leone Juszczyk (Evantia)80th Jubilee

“I wish to remember in a festive way the many yearsthat the Good Lord has walked with me….”

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God has been and is now so very good to me because of the many blessings He has given me to be able to celebrate my 50th, 60th, 70th, and now my 75th Jubilee. It was His goodness and love that brought me to this celebration.

Many memories of the past have truly been blessings and brought me to this 75th Jubilee. I especially cherish many unforgettable memories of helping others to love God and all other people. This remains true because the people with whom I served and shared life and worked with have been a reminder of the goodness and patience of God Who loved me and has remained with me at every moment of my life.

At a very early age, my greatest desire was to follow the Lord’s call and to become a sister. In 1940, my desire was fulfilled. My mother prayed and

encouraged me to follow His call. Her love and encouragement have influenced my life greatly.

My teaching career began in 1944 when I taught the primary grades, enjoying the privilege of preparing children to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.

After attending the University of Detroit for a time, I returned to Ohio and received my bachelor’s degree from St. John College in Cleveland in 1957. Returning to Detroit in 1959, I completed requirements to receive my master’s degree in education from the University of Detroit in 1965.

Many more years were devoted to teaching children from other countries: Pakistan, Uganda, Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines. Sometimes I was asked to be a sponsor for Baptism and Confirmation. I organized a Home Visitor’s Program in the parish especially for the homebound. My teaching career took me to other possibilities, including teaching religion three evenings each week to children in public schools. I tutored three days a week at the STARS program (Seniors Teaching and Reaching Students) in the public school nearby. I was able to do this for 16 years until I was hospitalized in 2007.

My career changed again in 2002 when I became a caregiver for an elderly, ill aunt until 2007. It was then that I returned to Marymount’s Village at Clare Hall in Garfield Heights, Ohio. At Clare Hall I was able to use my talents and offer my help when needed.

On certain occasions I design small greeting cards for the sisters and other people. This has been a great joy and relaxation for me. At the present time I am able to use my time for prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading.

God is good—life is good—what we make of it is up to us. I thank God for all that He has done for me during these wonderful 75 years.

Sister Benjamin Chrapczynski75th Jubilee

“God is good–life is good–what we make of it is up to us.”

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Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.” For 39 years, I have ministered to children with severe disabilities. Some had physical and mental impairments that limited walking, speaking, seeing, and other life activities.

Jesus modeled compassion and love for those with disabilities during His lifetime. He always took time to cure the blind, deaf, mute, lame, crippled, and those with skin problems.

Jesus has been my guide as I cared for and loved each of my little ones who came to me as infants, toddlers, and small children. Through the care and love given these little ones, they were comforted and felt the love given them. When it came time for them to leave because of age or death, I grieved because I loved them dearly.

One touched my life more dearly and was my “little angel, Mary Jo.” She came to me when she was five days old and had a life expectancy of five years, but she lived to be 38 years old. She will always have a place in my heart.

This ministry has helped me to accept my own limitations and I thank God for giving me the experience of these precious little ones.

Sister Irmina Bula75th Jubilee

“Jesus has been my guide as I cared for and loved each of my little ones who came to me….”

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I was born in Antigo, Wisconsin. The parish school I attended was St. Hyacinth in Antigo. As a teenager, the words of Jesus, “Come and follow me,” resonated in my heart and mind. Confident that Christ’s invitation was extended to me, I entered the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, whose Motherhouse is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. I graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Stevens Point. Through further education, I received Bachelor of Philosophy and Master of the Arts degrees from Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Varied assignments followed. I have taught in college and on both the secondary and elementary levels. For 12 years, I served as elementary school consultant in the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

Celebration of my 75th Jubilee brings back treasured memories. Previous Jubilee observances are recalled as times of great joy and profound gratitude. They were celebrations of life, and of commitment to God and to a religious way of life. The presence and witness of family and community members added to the solemnity and happiness of each occasion.

My youthful dreams and hopes for a happy, meaningful life have been fulfilled as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. I am deeply grateful to God for my vocation. I am thankful for the love and support of my community, family, and friends.

God’s unconditional, steadfast love inspires me. My love of God motivates me and fills my life with meaning. It affects everything, such as the way I treat others, the way I accept disappointments, the way I spend my time, and how I respond to the beauty of God’s creation. Hope and trust in God continue to support and sustain me in responding to the inevitable challenges of life.

Time and experience have taught me that when we keep God as the center of our lives, everything falls into place. I believe that love and gratitude are life-giving, priceless gifts and highly recommended. I have found that the expression of love and/or thanks doubles the joy and well-being of both receiver and giver.

Life has been both a challenging and enriching experience. I have run the course and am now in the homestretch. I will continue to pray for others and enjoy with gratitude the blessings of retirement, even as I look forward to a promising future.

Sister Jane Frances Koszarek75th Jubilee

“My love of God motivates me and fills my life with meaning.”

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I entered religious life 70 years ago and today feel incredible gratitude for the life I have been given. I am very grateful God has called me and I’ve been able to persevere all these years.

The desire to serve God in the minores was always deeply planted in my spirit. I entered the SSJ-TOSF congregation at age 22 and never looked back. I was raised in Terryville, Connecticut, the middle child of nine brothers and sisters, and attended Prospect Street Grammar School and Terryville High School. During those years, I attended catechism classes taught by the SSJ-TOSF sisters. During the Depression and war years, I got a job at General Motors to help support the family.

Over the years since joining the SSJ-TOSF community, family members have asked if I ever wanted to leave. I tell them “NO” quite emphatically. I never wanted to leave. I never thought about leaving. I have no regrets and have been very happy in religious life.

My ministry of teaching was with many grades, in many places. Some of the classes were double grades; sometimes I had to move quickly to replace or fill in somewhere. One of my favorite assignments was teaching at St. Stanislaus School in Bristol, Connecticut with especially fond memories of one third-grade class. After leaving teaching in schools, I began teaching catechism—another love of mine. I have enjoyed helping out in each parish where assigned. I liked decorating the church or being in charge of the altar boys. At that time, we didn’t have altar girls.

I am grateful that God has kept me all these years. Though homebound these days, I continue a prayer ministry, something I’ve been engaged in for many years. I pray with people for healing or other needs, bringing comfort as well as grace to those I encounter.

Sister Agnelle Swierczynski70th Jubilee

“I am grateful that God has kept me all

these years.”

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Celebrating another Jubilee this year brings to mind all the peace, happiness, and joys experienced on my life’s journey. I have memories of the community celebrations and gatherings with community members; special liturgies, festive and somber; and experiences through which I have grown in so many ways. These memories help me to realize how blessed I have been through the years.

At the present time, as I celebrate my 70th Jubilee, I am most grateful for my call to religious life, for all the special people in my life who have helped in so many ways in this journey over the years, and for all the opportunities I have had that have so enriched my life.

I have found meaning and fulfillment in all the ministries in which I have participated. My early years in religious life were spent in teaching at St. Francis in Detroit, Michigan; St. Monica and Marymount High School in Garfield Heights, Ohio; and Regina High School in Harper Woods, Michigan.

I was privileged to embark on a new ministry as pastoral minister at St. Dominic Parish in Suttons Bay, Michigan, which I found very rewarding.

I found the years serving as provincial of Marymount Province very rewarding in that I had the privilege of getting to know each sister personally. This was a gift in itself.

I was given the opportunity to serve as the pastoral administrator of a lovely parish–St. Dominic in Metz, Michigan–in the Diocese of Gaylord. It was an honor and a great privilege to be a part of this wonderful parish ministry.

I felt called to hospital ministry as staff chaplain at Marymount Hospital and found the years spent there to be very special, inspiring, and memorable.

After the years spent at Marymount Hospital, my ministry became one of service to the sisters at Marymount Convent. I was honored to be called to this life’s work.

Presently I am serving in whatever way I am able as a resident of Marymount Congregational Home. There is never a dull or boring moment at this time in my life. I have duties as the sacristan in the congregational home chapel, serve as Eucharistic minister at Villa St. Joseph, and have countless opportunities to visit patients in the facilities at the Village of Marymount.

As I celebrate this Jubilee, most of all I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for all that has been, for the present time with so many opportunities to serve, and I look to the future to whatever time is yet allotted to me to do what God will call me to do.

Looking back at my life’s journey, I have found that St. Paul’s exhortation, “For those who love God, all things work together unto good,” has been a constant reminder that God is always at my side and that when all is said and done, “ALL SHALL BE WELL.” ( Julian of Norwich)

Sister Ann Maslanka (Alberta)70th Jubilee

“As I celebrate this Jubilee… I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude

for all that has been….”

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“As I celebrate this Jubilee… I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude

for all that has been….”

Jubilees are joyful and an opportunity to be grateful for memories of years gone by. They are special times to thank God for those years past and the life He has given us. Seventy years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis is an extravagant gift from God and with it has come many blessings.

All my life I have been “gifted” with many gifts. I am grateful for my parents and family who gifted me with their love and care. With them, I grew in my Catholic faith and then with the sisters who taught me at St. Peter School in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

What a gift I received when God called me to be a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis 70 years ago. It was an opportunity to share my Catholic faith with the children I taught and their families in Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.

Gifts are chosen and wrapped with care, and each ministry prepared me for the next. There were challenges that had to be overcome as I sharpened my Spanish-speaking skills for my work in Puerto Rico and as an inner city schoolteacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

What a gift I received to help me transition from 23 years in Puerto Rico to a life in the States—spending a sabbatical year in Dover, Massachusetts, a place of spiritual and physical renewal.

“Give and you will receive” is true for me because I shared these gifts in retirement as a chauffeur, receptionist, and dietary assistant in Maria Center, and now, in prayer ministry.

For all the gifts I’ve received and the gifts I’ve shared over the years, thank you, God; but the greatest gift I’ve received is the gift of life.

Sister Clarita Iwanski70th Jubilee

“Seventy years is an extravagant gift from God and with it came many blessings.”

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I am celebrating 70 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis and what foremost comes to mind is gratitude. These years represent God’s graces bestowed on me, life achievements, and the love and support of family, friends, and community.

I believe my mother had something to do with my vocation because she wanted a son to be a priest and daughter to become a nun. She received her wishes for both. Two of my brothers became priests and I joined the SSJ-TOSF community. My mother, herself, at the end of her life spent her last days with the sisters in the infirmary at Bartlett. This was a special time for her and for me.

I am grateful for the talents God graced me with. I was a home economics teacher at Lourdes High School for many years. I loved teaching the girls how to manage taking care of family and home.

The Lord opened new doors for me after teaching in elementary schools, and home economics at Lourdes High School. I was elected to be a member of the Provincial Team. Other ministries after that were coordinators of Immaculata Provincial Home, pastoral care in St. Catherine Hospital in Indiana, and a secretary at American Medical Association. All of these ministries were wonderful experiences and blessings for me.

In my retirement, I had the opportunity of being a sacristan for Lourdes Convent. I enjoyed this ministry, using my artistic talent for decorating the chapel for holidays and the liturgical seasons of the year. Now that I am at Clare Oaks, the Lord has given me time to relax, to pray more, to join in the activities here, and enjoy the beauty surrounding our beautiful home.

It is important to me to celebrate my Jubilee because I believe that God is to be thanked, loved, and adored for all the blessings and love He has gifted me with all these years. After all, he is the main reason for choosing to follow Him in religious life. I am happy that I answered His call and that He called me to live and serve Him with the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF. I have already started living and cherishing the blessings of the “hundred-fold.” Thanks be to God!

Sister Julia Rdzak70th Jubilee

“I am happy that I answered His call, and that He called meto live and serve Him….”

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Once again, it’s Jubilee time… another opportunity to recall God’s goodness to me as I approach 70 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.

Each Jubilee of the past was always looked forward to but especially our 25th and 50th Jubilees. The greatest joys experienced in each event were the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and the presence of my family members and dear friends who witnessed my happiness for all those blessed years God called me to serve in His name.

Now we celebrate 70 years of service to a most loving, caring God. A new goal is reached! Will there be a 75th Jubilee? Whatever God wills for me. At 87 what is it that energizes me and keeps me vibrant and alive? Children! Yes, in 2005 forced retirement brought me home to Marymount Congregational Home. What has life to offer me? Sister Felicia Mann was the blessing God sent. She invited me to volunteer my services at Marymount Child Care Center. Thus, for the past 10 years I guide three- and four-year-olds by the computer. We learn numbers, colors, and ABCs, preparing them for kindergarten.

My other blessing is volunteering every Friday at Womankind, a prenatal clinic for women needing help during pregnancy.

Thus, I might say the Child Care Center and Womankind are both life-giving services. They are God’s work for me. Each day I rise and shine because I am happy to do what I do. I answer the call.

In all my 58 years of service in the field of education, plus my past 10 volunteer years, I have experienced peace, love, and happiness. Praise God for His call. However, my happiest 13 years were working with children with special needs. These young people worked hard to achieve. They made progress because they knew they were loved. It was truly a work of love for me.

In summary, I would say to any of you contemplating religious life: you are not making the choice; God is calling you. Pray, listen, pray. Whatever you are called to do, remember God calls and you respond. You become the hands and heart of Jesus in whatever way you serve others. My life in this community was an answer to God’s call. The Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF, my grade school teachers, had a great influence on my vocation. I came, I prayed, I served with great joy. I have been blessed and you will be also. God is LOVE!

Sister Liguori Slawinski70th Jubilee

“… I have experienced peace, love, and happiness. Praise God for His call.”

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As a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, my years of ministry to God, His people, and our congregation have been spent in food service for our sisters and associates, the hospitals I have worked at, and to the parishioners to whom I minister. My service has been rewarding through the satisfaction and joy I feel when the faces of those I serve meals reflect happiness and appreciation for the time, effort, and love I put into cooking and baking for others.

The most rewarding aspect of my ministry has been my love of baking. Decorating cakes for all occasions brings me humble joy as the recipients view their special cake for the first time. I have long believed that one eats first with their eyes so it is very important that my cuisine is pleasing to the eyes. Even though some do not understand my love of cooking and baking, I truly enjoy preparing and serving delicious, appetizing foods.

I am most grateful for the joy I experience each day as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. Being called back to the congregation by God and accepted back by my sisters has been a blessing in my life daily.

It is exciting to be a member of this community. The fact that there is still work I can do, and service to God’s people I am called to do, is an energizing and precious gift from Him. I am blessed being in community with wonderful sisters and associates who humbly serve the Lord.

I would say to follow your dream, believe in what is in your heart, listen to where God is calling you to be, and most of all, bring your joy forward; do not place it on the back burner of your life.

Sister Martha (Marty) Cherney (Justine)70th Jubilee

“I am most grateful for the joy I experience each day as aSister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.”

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I grew up in Terryville, Connecticut, the daughter of Joe and Fannie Adamski. I was born on November 18, 1925 and baptized at St. Casimir Church on Christmas Day.

I met the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis through the choir at church. Answering the call to religious life, I was invested with the sisters in Garfield Heights, Ohio in 1946, and received the name Sister Mary Sebastian.

After novitiate, I headed to Michigan to teach, first at St. John the Baptist in Dearborn, Michigan, and later at St. Francis School in Detroit. In 1953, I took a break to complete my bachelor’s degree at St. John College in Cleveland, and then returned to classrooms at St. Hyacinth in Cleveland and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lorain, Ohio. In 1959, I began teaching at the high school level at Regina High School in Harper Woods, Michigan, and St. John Cantius High School in Cleveland. I found that my teaching ministry was most rewarding and enjoyable.

After 10 years in Michigan and Ohio, I moved back to Connecticut in 1963 to teach at Holy Cross School in New Britain. I also taught at Our Lady of Mercy Junior High School in New Britain and St. Paul High School in Bristol, Connecticut before retiring in 1997 after almost 50 years of teaching.

My interest in social justice came to the forefront during my time in Connecticut. I became a member of the Connecticut Coalition for Peace in Grafton, Connecticut, a group of peacemakers opposed to building and launching nuclear submarines.

I also received a grant to spend a summer studying in Poland, which allowed me to discover more about my Polish roots.

After retiring, I turned to volunteering for agencies that help children and families as my health has permitted.

Sister Melanie Adamski (Sebastian)70th Jubilee

“I found that my teaching ministry was most rewarding and enjoyable.”

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Parents are called to be life givers. My mom always was the most instrumental in helping me to hear and respond to God´s call in faith and to religious life. The year before my Silver Jubilee, mom took sick and before she died she told me, “Don’t worry, one way or another, I will be at your Silver Jubilee.” It was so. At the grand reunion of my family to celebrate my 25th, I, along with several family members commented, “We feel a real sense of Grandma´s calming presence among us.”

My dramatic step over the threshold of St. Joseph Motherhouse was followed by two years of novitiate and strengthened my dedication to God. There were constant awakenings, particularly following the changes brought about by the opened windows of Vatican II. I believe renewal in religious life, and in the church, had a most stirring and positive affect on my own religious growth.

A long desired 30-day retreat into the “desert” of silence and contemplation came to be. It became my preparation for a new ministry as I accepted the call to serve as the first woman pastoral associate of the La Crosse Diocese. Such leadership was needed among the people of Torun and Hull, two rural parishes outside of Stevens Point. For more than 12 graced and happy years, I saw even more of the marvels God wrought, and to my surprise, often using me as the instrument. The parishioners and I became tuned in to God’s maternal solicitude, constantly lifting us all and protecting us on eagle’s wings. The soaring eagle image became our strong symbol of shared life and faith in God.

September 2000 found me happily responding to an SSJ-TOSF invitation to join our sisters in community, missioned in Tahuantinsuyo, Peru, where the people could identify with the poor Christ. What a gift!

Recalling the experience of visiting the Holy Land years ago and sensing the sacredness where the Gospels tell us Jesus walked, I can’t help feeling a similar sensation—that I am walking on Holy Ground here in Peru. Indeed, the dusty mountainous terrain, the customs of the people, and their deep faith in spite of poverty help me to be aware that this, too, is Holy Ground. I reverence the “tierra” and the “gente.”

I am amazed to witness a 43-year-old “prophecy” unfold before me. Father Joe´s words back then were, “If God wants you to go to the missions, He will make the way.” How true! I am now in my 16th year in South America, doing what I can to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the people, while I learn from them how to be a patient presence.

At age 79 I will continue to wait on the Lord, trusting His timetable for the rest of my aging life. GOD IS FAITHFUL!

With praise and thanks, this year of my 60th Jubilee and always, I lift up all companions... YOU, whom God has placed on the way. May we all do our part to better human life, the Church, and the world.

Sister Catherine Kieliszewski (Ignatius)60th Jubilee

“I am now in my 16th year in South America, doing what I can to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the people….”

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St. Peter Parish in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the congregation, was my spiritual birthplace. I come from a wonderful family! My brothers and sisters have supported and nurtured me throughout the years. My sister, Jean, had a special place in my heart. She took the place of my mom who died when I was an infant. I attended St. Peter Grade School and St. Joseph Academy where the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis provided a thorough education, and an example of love and dedication that I and two of my classmates were drawn to share. I entered the congregation in September 1955 and was invested the following August.

The majority of my years in ministry were spent as a teacher. I taught grades 2, 3, and 4 primarily. I enjoyed teaching very much and found my experiences at two multicultural inner city schools, a Montessori school and St. Rose Academy, the most challenging.

I am proud to be a Franciscan and happy that our Pope chose Francis as his spiritual guide. What a great opportunity it was to visit Assisi, the holy space shared by Francis, Clare, and the brothers and sisters. Assisi made me feel very much at home in my Franciscan vocation and I would have loved to remain there. However, I do realize that Assisi would be very overpopulated if everyone who loved being there would decide to stay.

I spent five years as coordinator of Maria Center at St. Joseph Motherhouse. I found it so special to be with and serve our elderly and sick sisters. They were a gift to me. I especially treasured being with them during their final sacred moments. This experience was a good preparation for my ministry at Community Care for the Elderly in Milwaukee, an agency that serves the poor, sick, and elderly in a warm, compassionate, and caring way.

I have been touched in a special way by all the sisters who accompanied me throughout my 60 years in the congregation and who continue to support me during my present ministry at St. Joseph Motherhouse.

Sister Gerri Kryshak (Clarisse)60th Jubilee

“I have been touched in a special way by all the sisters who accompanied me throughout my 60

years in the congregation.”

17

Celebrating 60 years of religious life is a milestone in my life. I have overcome a big obstacle in my life in the last six years. God has granted me new life through prayers and the support of many people.

My dad Joseph (deceased), my mom Helen (deceased), my brother Joseph and his family, my sister Valerie and her family, my sister Pat and her family, and my brother Peter have always been there for me.

Life has brought me many blessings, joys, celebrations and support from the sisters at Bartlett, the staff and the children at the Bartlett Learning Center, the people of St. John Bosco Parish, clients and members of Arc Northwest Indiana, and the staff and children at Gary Methodist Hospital Psychiatric Unit.

There have been many prayer services, celebrations, and daily events—deep and great memories that have made me the person I was and am today. I have touched the lives of many people and they have touched mine, also.

I have many lasting relationships that date back to 1957 when I began teaching. I taught first grade for 18 years but the love of my life was teaching children with special needs. My years at Bartlett and Gary Methodist Hospital were fascinating and enriching. Being a part of Arc Northwest Indiana, a facility for “my” handicapped people, has enriched my life very much, as has making a Cursillo, ministering to the homebound, and being on a parish life team—a team that does whatever needs to be done.

Meeting each day and all that God gives me is a blessing and a reason to celebrate life, God’s blessings, and His people. These are gifts from God that I treasure each day.

Sister Joan Marie Romaniak (Timothy)60th Jubilee

“Meeting each day and all that God gives me is a blessing and a reason to celebrate life, God’s blessings, and His people.”

18

As I reflect on my life as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, I begin with a quote from Irving Berlin’s classic song: “If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep.”

The blessings in my life I’m thankful for:

• 60 years as a Sister of St. Joseph, TOSF.

• All I have learned from life experiences as a teacher, principal, director of religious education, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults team leader, missionary and NOW as “Grandma Joanne.”

• All who have touched my life, especially family, SSJ-TOSF sisters, friends, students and their parents, teachers, colleagues, and others too many to enumerate.

• ALL those angels of mercy who have come to my rescue when I was in need.

• The opportunities of traveling around the U.S. in 60 days; as a missionary in Tennessee, Jamaica, and Kenya; and pilgrimages to Assisi, Rome, and Poland.

• All the freedoms and privileges I have experienced living in America.

I am grateful for the person I am today and that I am able to do all that I can still do. I celebrate all the blessings in my life and am thankful to God. I close with this quote: “Practice gratitude daily and your life will change in ways you can hardly imagine.” (author unknown)

My prayer for these 60 years is: “Praise God from whom all blessings, all wonders, all moments, all breaths, all surprises, all glories, all friendships, and all good gifts flow.”

Sister Joanne Wachowiak (Thomasine)60th Jubilee

“I celebrate all the blessings in my life and am thankful to God.”

19

As my celebration of 60 years of religious life as a Sister of St. Joseph, TOSF approaches, I am reminded of the transforming spirit of the Lord that has led me to this point in time.

I think of the shy, quiet person whose early years of religious life led me to the teaching apostolate in the Chicago area.

After 15 years, opportunity took me homeward to my native Nebraska to care for my ill father. During this time, the spirit of the Lord led me to work at Sacred Heart Hospital. Later, I worked in pastoral ministry at St. Josaphat Church in Loup City, NE. There I was able to minister to the sick and shut-ins, the grieving, and the lonely.

My ministry in rural Nebraska has been varied as the past 27 years I have returned to teaching at St. Mary School. This ministry has been very dear to my heart.

As a Sister of St. Joseph, TOSF, I believe that, down through the years, the transforming spirit has guided me in and through my religious community and the church.

Although I may compare myself to St. Paul, I may be bold to say “I have become all things to all people, that I win all to Christ.” May the Lord continue to mold me. Jubilate Deo!

Sister Lee Anne Danczak (Leandra)60th Jubilee

“I believe that, down through the years, the transforming spirit has guided me in and through

my religious community and the church.”

20

I pulled the congregation’s Jubilee periodicals for 1981 and 2006 from my treasure box. I needed to read again what I wrote in answer to questions regarding those past Jubilees. My responses to my 25th and 50th were very similar. I reflected on my early yearnings to be a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, because the SSJ-TOSF history in my family goes back to 1901. I was inspired by two of my Dad’s cousins who were among the founders of our congregation. Later two aunts, my Mom’s sisters, entered and eventually me! I find this amazing!

Looking back over these years, I am awed by how quickly they have slipped away. Along with the years, some of my early hopes and dreams have disappeared. But they were replaced by blessings and surprises, hopes and dreams fulfilled, and unexpected joys and sorrows. Here I am again in 2016 giving thanks for it all!

I believe the one word that expresses my deepest emotion for all these years is gratitude. When I was young, I simply lived each busy day, doing what was asked or expected of me, never giving a second thought to what I really wanted. As the years have passed, I realize that life in the congregation has taught me how to love myself as well as others. I give thanks for this lifetime of growth.

I have become more aware that what is given to me each and every day comes from the abundance of my Creator’s heart and love and generosity. I would not have ever imagined in 1954, when I entered the congregation at 14, that my life would be so rich, so rewarding, so full of experiences, and so blessed!

So in 2016, I give thanks and my being is full of gratitude for:• The gift of God’s faithfulness in my life and my response to this awesome blessing;• The women with whom I lived, cried, and laughed for 60 years;• The children whom I taught for 18 years;• The opportunity to serve the congregation for 9 years as the central secretary and the ways this experience

transformed my life;• The 29 years as secretary in the Passionist Provincial Office and the beautiful people and places that came into

my life because of this ministry;• The grace to be alive and wake to a new day each morning;• The knowledge that my God calls me Beloved Loretta;• The friendships that have shaped me into the woman I am today;• The list goes on and on …

Is it any wonder that with gratitude beyond measure I celebrate Jubilee?

Sister Loretta Ciesielski (Agnese)60th Jubilee

“I have become more aware that what is given to me each and everyday comes from the abundance of my Creator’s heart….”

21

I chose this passage because I feel it reflects my journey throughout my life as it continues to unfold:

You have made me known to friends that I did not know. You have me sit in homes that are not mine. The one who was remote, you brought very close

and you made the stranger as a brother or sister. For those who know you, nothing is any longer strange or hostile. There are no more locked doors.”

Oh, allow me this favor; that I may never lose the happiness of meeting the unique in the possibility of the diverse Rabindranath Tagore.

Slowly with God’s help, I realized the need to risk and beg to open another door for my next stretch of ministry. I thank my community for the support and confidence to pursue alternative ways to help others; to tap into their potential to live more fully. My certification in Complimentary Health Care evolved gradually and learning to be in relationships with self and other seekers, not for our own gain or advantage, but rather wisdom, meaning and truth–an advantage for all.

I continue to deepen my calling for our Creator, who is a God who gives me the power to stay open to the surprises that lead to something entirely new. My journey with discernment moved me to take risks to various beginnings. Each has unearthed gifts, which gave me purpose and great hope for our community to thrive.

First, I am eternally grateful to my ancestors–sisters and parents who pointed toward the Sisters of St. Joseph–as well as to Sister Germaine (Skarzynski) who was my guiding star in earlier times.

The Native American/Children Center taught me many lessons, especially how they led us. They were our leaders in many beautiful ways.

The next risk I found very rewarding was ministering to special-needs adults at Cooperating Community Program. I stayed at this ministry for 12 years.

Thank you seems not enough to express my deep gratitude for all who have touched me by their presence and letting what is greater than all of us work through us with gratitude. Celebrate!

The seed of wisdom I’d like to pass on to future generations: Come join the Franciscan way if you are called within your heart. Don’t underestimate the power you have to make a difference in this world by utilizing the gifts you have within yourself.

Sister Lucy Bruskiewicz (Jacinta)60th Jubilee

“Thank you seems not enough to express my deep gratitude for all who have touched me by their presence….”

22

Jubilee is a time to remember all the great things God has given and put into my life the past 60 years. I recall my 25th Jubilee and felt, “What a great occasion.” While on retreat that year, I reflected on our vow renewal and since that time, it has been a part of my daily morning prayer. Some striking phrases that still impact me are:

• Search for personal meaning• A vision of the Sacred• Authentic community witness and effective

apostolic service

The most powerful phrase is, “I trust that together with these sisters I can achieve my life goal response.”

It is a time to remember the many persons with whom I shared in various ministerial roles and the people that I ministered to. I recall the many years of teaching, and the joy that the students and parents had. The years as principal were challenging and rewarding. Then I pursued my master’s degree and had wonderful years as a director of religious education and pastoral minister.

My greatest reward came when I worked with the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for 24 years. It was a special time to journey with people who desired to inquire about their faith or to further their inquiry of looking in depth at their commitment. Together with their sponsors they searched and grew in their understanding of a deeper and meaningful faith.

At present, my role as coordinator of the sisters at the Motherhouse has led me, once again, to widen my perspective on the real meaning of life. Each day has its own challenges and occurrences. I continue to search for meaning and rely on God, the lay staff, and the sisters with whom I live and work, that together we make our Motherhouse a loving, welcoming, and caring home.

Sister Mary Ann Stoltz (Pius)60th Jubilee

“Jubilee is a time to remember all the great things God has given and put into my life.”

23

It is hard to believe that 60 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis has come to be. It has been an amazing time in my life as I have been gifted with so many blessings, too many to even mention, but ever so grateful.

So many sisters throughout these years have been an inspiration to me. Sisters whom I would never have met had I chosen another path in life, but I knew back then as a sophomore in high school that my vocation in life was to dedicate my life as a religious. I cherish today for “Yesterday is but a dream; tomorrow a vision of hope.”

And I look to this day, my 60th Jubilee, as life-giving only to continue my service both as a religious and an educator.

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I have spent my teaching career with children in grades one and two. I was twice nominated and received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Diocese of La Crosse. My own education began at St. Barbara School in Milwaukee, which was served by the SSJ-TOSF sisters. This provided a solid academic foundation and an

excitement for what would become my lifetime commitment to the community. After attending freshman year at Mercy High School in Milwaukee, I entered the congregation on September 5, 1954.

My teaching career began in 1958 at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Pulaski, Wisconsin. After serving in several Wisconsin schools, I joined Sacred Heart School in Polonia in 2003. Of teaching… “It’s just such a joy. I wouldn’t trade my job for anything!”

Sister Michele Nemojeski60th Jubilee

“It has been an amazing time in my life as I have been gifted with so many blessings….”

24

My home and my garden are places of solitude and remembrance; for me, a sacred space. In preparing for this Jubilee reflection, I walked for days with a heart filled with gratitude; how could one person be so blessed? I share with you some of these blessings.

I begin with my family in my parent’s home after my mom’s death in 1987. As we walked and sat in each room, we told stories of our time with mom and dad. On the day of her funeral, we sang “We hold a Treasure” as we walked into our family-of-origin church, touching mom’s coffin. The “treasure” is Faith and Love. My parents nurtured us to see blessings in moments of challenge. LOVE and FAITH are always there. “Mom and Dad, thank you for those early days of being with me, ‘living the unfolding mystery of God’.”

My 50-year journey in religious life began after Vatican II. It was a time when community, ministry, and our way of being in the church and world were evolving. New ways of ministry were opening for women religious. Daily we asked, “How will we make God known?” Quite a challenge for a newbie to religious life. I am grateful for the sisters in the congregation who were and continue to be my spiritual companions for this ongoing journey.

Early in religious life, I knew I was called to birth a vision of a ministry that integrates the spiritual and psychological dimensions of life. A famous mystic said, “We are all meant to be mothers of God. God is always needing to be born.” So my journey as a junior high and high school teacher, program director in a heroin residential facility as I worked on my Masters in Ministry, my appointment to a pastoral team by the local bishop, and my doctoral work in pastoral care and counseling all formed me for the moment of opening my pastoral counseling practice in 1994.

Those who know me know I have a passion for the journey of being with individuals and couples during significant passages in their lives. For me, this is a humbling ministry. For the past 22 years, I have been privileged to be a companion as the client shares an intimate struggle and trusts me to hold the sharing of the story as Sacred. Often I am asked, “How can you continue in this work each day?” It is the way I engage in this ministry that enables me to continue; it is my knowing that God’s breath is with my client and me. The comfort for a client in the moments of anguish, depression, or anxiety comes to them via the book of Lamentations 3: God is in their “waiting and seeking” for inner peace. What I ask of myself and my clients is to embrace the words of Micah: “Act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.”

With a smile on my face and sparkle in eye, my simple joys come with a hike, time in my garden, a good book, and time with sisters, family, and friends (and, of course, a glass of good wine as well!).

Jubilate Deo!

Sister Carol Ann Killoran50th Jubilee

“I walk with a heart filled with gratitude.”

25

As I reflect in preparation for my Jubilee, the memories that are most special are those that have come from my career as a nurse. Nursing allowed me to share with others at very vulnerable points in their lives. As a public health nurse, I even cared for people in their homes. The years were rich and allowed me to learn from many individuals in a variety of situations.

As I celebrate, I am most grateful for the support over the years of family and friends. I also am grateful for the ongoing grace of God in my life.

Although I have retired from nursing, I continue to enjoy using my nursing skills for those in need as I am able. I also enjoy the added time retirement gives me to reflect on the ongoing grace of God in my

life. It is giving me the time to regain the balance active ministry did not always allow. It also is providing the time for prayer and creativity.

Wisdom has always been a personal goal of mine. The advice that I would offer to the next generation is to humbly listen to the wisdom of previous generations. I have been blessed to have been mentored by some wonderful people over the years. Often the best wisdom came from the individuals that I was called to serve. And always one should listen to and tend the wisdom God has written into each of our hearts.

Sister Jennifer Ladowski50th Jubilee

“One should always listen to and tend the wisdom Godhas written into each of our hearts.”

26

“Sometimes we look so intently toward the top of our mountain that we stumble over the steps leading to it. The journey begins just

where you are with blessings in every step.”(Anonymous)

Being the organizer that I am, I admit that I have the tendency to look toward the top of the mountain. However, the practice of daily gratitude journaling, one that I began in early 1999, has helped me to appreciate the blessings in the steps along the way… steps that are not necessarily chronological, but more like “segments” of life. Jubilee is a time to look back and give thanks for those steps as well.

Before all else, family is my first-step blessing along the way, beginning with devoted parents who had unconditional love for their children; believed my brothers and I could achieve whatever we focused upon; and instilled in us many sustaining values… faith, education, self-confidence, and a strong work ethic. Today that blessing continues in being physically close to my most dedicated family members, living in our family home, and being inspired by the next generation which has opened my eyes to what is new and wonderful.

Community life is another step blessing along the way. The loyal

friendship of many sisters has shaped my inner life… the sharing of their stories giving me the “push” to enter the community; the witness of their lives of service that always encouraged me to do more; their “wisdom epithets” that continue to guide me (always work for your God, know when to let go and move on, all of our input matters). Then, there is community beyond the SSJ-TOSF… enduring relationships with former students, families, and colleagues; newer involvements in parish life; and memories of singular friendship… all reminding me that no one is ever alone.

Ministry is a third-step blessing along the way. All I really ever wanted to be was a teacher, and through the opportunities I have had to serve in this way… a 17-year commitment at St. Hyacinth School in Cleveland, OH; shorter commitments in South Bend, IN; and currently teaching religion at St. Mary School in Akron, OH… I know that I have learned more than I have taught. Learning has continued through other ministries as well… internal community ministry has given me the gift of coming to know and value the lives of our sisters throughout the entire congregation, and other job opportunities have offered me the blessing of relating to many high quality professionals.

Obviously, I could identify more steps along the way, but I will stop with these three which continue to unfold in my journey of life. Though I may stumble at times by “looking toward the mountain,” it is my prayer that recording these blessings in my daily gratitude journal (35th one now) will keep me aware of the “steps”… with thanksgiving.

Sister Katherine Wyszynski (Colleen)50th Jubilee

“I know that I have learned more than I have taught.”

27

My ministries over the past 50 years include being a practitioner and administrator in the fields of education and social service. After teaching fifth grade at St. Simeon Elementary School in Bellwood, Illinois, I began teaching religion and sociology at Lourdes High School in Chicago for six years. Upon the completion of a Master’s Degree in Education, I served as an assistant principal in 1977 for one year.

Then in 1978 I became a member of a three-member administrative leadership team at Lourdes High School, serving in the capacity of principal for seven years. These were exciting years of ministry for me and for our team. Our accomplishments were significant due to the collaborative nature of our leadership style, along with the commitment of dedicated faculty and staff members. The students were highly motivated, eager to learn, and appreciative of being a part of a dynamic and energetic

educational community. Lourdes High School was one of the sponsored institutions of the SSJ-TOSF congregation and as such was a shining example of an excellent, all-girl secondary school.

In 1985, I began working at Catholic Charities as the director of the St. Susanna Family Shelter located in Harvey, Illinois. I have studied and always cherished the writings of St. Francis and St. Clare, along with the direction and guidance of our Franciscan roots and primary documents. This opportunity to serve the needs of homeless families in this transitional shelter program provided a more direct and intentional focus on persons among us who were materially poor and alienated–most of whom were children. I worked with homeless families for 18 years and found this ministry to be such an important component of my life as a Catholic believer and follower of the Gospel.

In 2003, I began my present ministry as the vice-principal at Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago. Mother McAuley High School is a single-gender, Catholic, college-preparatory and liberal arts high school with a diverse student body of more than 1,000 students located on the far south-side of Chicago. It is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. My primary daily responsibilities are the oversight for curricular programs, and the supervision of the department chairpersons and the 80-member faculty.

Mother McAuley High School is an outstanding secondary, college-preparatory, liberal arts Catholic school for young women. The school has a compelling history of accomplishments as well as a strong tradition of excellence claiming more than 26,000 alumnae. I view my current ministry as a synthesis and culmination of previous roles and responsibilities. As a teacher, moderator, and administrator at Lourdes, I was led to assume a ministerial position of more direct service to persons among us who were impoverished. Realizing that social ills and material poverty are best addressed through education, I returned to a school environment to continue my commitment to Franciscan ideals and Gospel values.

Sister Lois Bromark (Dismas)50th Jubilee

“I view my current ministry as a synthesis and culmination of

previous roles and responsibilities.”

28

Reflecting on my 50 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, I am very grateful to God for the gifts of my vocation and teaching ministry. On the Monday of Holy Week, March 31, 1947, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, I was born to my loving parents, August and Audrey Levandowski. Throughout the next 14 years, I was blessed to have three brothers and a sister become part of the family. Our Catholic faith was very important to us. We learned early on to love God, be of service to others, and work hard.

Throughout my elementary years of school at St. Peter and St. Stanislaus, and my high school years at Maria, I had the Sisters of St. Joseph as teachers. I knew already from first and second grade that I desired to be like these sisters. My dream came true when I entered the community of the Sisters of St. Joseph, TOSF on August 15, 1965.

After completing one year of education at Immaculate College in Bartlett, IL, a year of novitiate in South Bend, IN, and a second year in Bartlett, another dream came true. My teaching ministry began at St. Bridget School in River Falls, Wisconsin. What a challenge! But I knew God was with me throughout these three years. After I completed the rest of my education at UW-River Falls, my teaching ministry continued at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ABVM) in Pulaski, Wisconsin. What a great 15 years! Being a younger member of the community, I will always be grateful for the love and encouragement of the sisters at ABVM. My lasting friendships with the parents and former students were formed and remain to this day.

Now, in my Jubilee year, and for the past 26 years, I have been teaching at St. Thomas More School (in the Green Bay Area Catholic Education system) in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Although full time has turned into part time in the past four years, I am living out another dream–teaching only religion to middle school students (grades 6-8). Yes, challenges are still present. Most of my students are Hispanic and come from poor families. I try very hard to help each student see that Jesus loves them and is very much alive in their lives. With a good education, their dreams can come true. Perhaps one of my students will someday choose a religious vocation.

Sister Lois Levandowski (Paul Marie)50th Jubilee

“I am very grateful to God for the gifts of my vocation and teaching ministry.”

29

As I look back over my 50 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, I can still remember a Monday in early August of 1961 when I was ready to send my admission papers to the Felician Order, to enter their community. I was taught by this order all through grade school and this was the only religious order I knew. I wanted to be a teacher and I thought I had to be a sister to be able to teach. My mother, not wanting me to go to Chicago, remembered a visit the ladies of the parish made to a grotto in Stevens Point. She knew that there was a religious community there. So I wrote for more information and 50 years later I am celebrating my Golden Jubilee in this community. My dad was sure I would only last two weeks, because that is how long he stayed in the seminary when he had entered the seminary. I know that I have had my parents’ support all these years, and it continues today, even though they are no longer here.

My years in religious life have been very rewarding and for this I am grateful. I have taught in many different parts of Wisconsin, at different grade levels. I am grateful for the experience and chance to touch all these children and their families along the way. After teaching for 28 years, I went back to school myself to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting and then spent several years in this field. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve others in these ways.

I am grateful for all the life experiences I have had on my journey in religious life, a life that will continue with joy and appreciation of all that went before. I am also grateful for all the support and blessings I have received from my community and my family. Both are a very important part of my life.

Sister Paulette Bergs (LaVern)50th Jubilee

“I am grateful for all the life experiences I have had on my journey in religious life….”

30

We have been grateful for our association with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. We have benefited spiritually and in friendship and, of course, in the gift of our daughter, Sister Sharon Dillon.

Sister Dian Majsterek and Sister Marianne Wiora were especially close to us and Sister Dian still keeps in touch. We see her about twice a year.

When all the sisters left South Bend and we all aged, having physical contact became problematical, but we carried on with our associate group here. We still have Mass with soup and bread every month. Father Ed Ruetz is our chaplain and a great blessing to us.

We pray for all of you, especially those who were so welcoming to us. Many are now gone.Many blessings and thanks for your prayers and thoughts.

Associates Carol and William Dillon35 Years

“We have benefitted spiritually, in friendships, and of course, in the gift of our daughter, Sister Sharon Dillon.”

31

The relationship I have with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis began when I was a member of the congregation. Now as an associate, this relationship has been an inspiration to me as well as a source of spiritual support in my daily life. Through contact with the sisters and especially the members of my local community that consists of four sisters and four associates, my knowledge of religious and social issues in the world today has increased. The charism of the congregation continues to make me aware of the need for an involved concern for the poor and needy of the world.

Being aware of the charism of the congregation and having knowledge of the life of St. Francis has encouraged me to volunteer my time and energy, both in my parish church and in my neighborhood community. The knowledge I possess of the life of St. Francis and the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis encourage me to continually strive to see Jesus Christ in those I meet and with whom I work.

I greatly appreciate the information I receive from the congregation concerning modern and present-day issues in our church and world. Being an associate has helped me to understand through reading, discussions, and meetings with my local community and other sisters how important being a part of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis is for me. In the past, I served on the Associate Board for several years.

I am also happy to share this relationship with my husband, Charles Wells. Together we have benefited from our relationship with the congregation and the blessings we feel it imparts in our lives. For me, it is like being back with my family of many years.

Associate Laura Wells34 Years

“Being aware of the charism of the congregation and having

knowledge of the life of St. Francis has encouraged me….”

32

“I love the sisters—being with them and working with them. I have been so blessed to be an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.”

Phyllis met the SSJ-TOSF sisters while attending nursing school in Ohio more than 30 years ago. She returned to school after a divorce while raising her three children. After graduation, one of the sisters, who was her teacher, invited her to work at Clare Hall in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She worked as a nurse there for many years and enjoyed participating in activities with the congregation. “They made me feel like I was one of them. They love me and I love them.”

Today, Phyllis is retired and living with her daughter in Virginia. She keeps in touch with the SSJ-TOSF community through cards and letters.

“I thank God I had the opportunity to be with them.”

Associate Phyllis Cashin34 Years

“I love the sisters—being with them and working with them.I have been so blessed ….”

33

Jennifer is the daughter of Associates Bill and Carol Dillon. She joined the SSJ-TOSF family when she left for Lima, Peru to accompany Sister Monica Lachcik for a year and has remained an associate since she returned home. Searching for community living, Jennifer completed her nursing degree at Goshen College before joining a community in Washington, DC. There she spent several years ministering to homeless men and a number of years working with the movement to close the School of the Americas. Her next venture was to be part of Christian Peacekeeper Teams, living in Columbia, South America for a period of time; first for a month, then for three months, and then for six years. Jennifer is currently in South Bend, Indiana doing hospice work.

Associate Jennifer Dillon33 Years

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

34

As I look back to the beginning of my years as an associate, it just doesn’t seem that it could have been 33 years ago. The day I was asked, I really didn’t know what to expect. The joy, love, shared prayers, and friendships of all the sisters present, and the ones in heaven, have blessed me and deepened my faith in God.

The Franciscan spirit we share started at St. Jude Church in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. The church was started and staffed by the Sacred Heart Friars. Our convent and our grade school were staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. I first met the sisters at this time. They taught my three children for 12 years in grade school as well as their high school years at Trinity.

When I look back on the years and the sisters I have come to know, they all have enriched my life. They have given me courage and peace in difficult times. All of them, without knowing, have deepened my spiritual life. Many have become part of our extended family.

I have been active with planning meetings and have served on several committees over the years, which led me to meet and work with other sisters outside the Cleveland area. When we meet with the associates and sisters at Marymount Congregational Home, the group prays together as well as laughs, and of course, eats together. They, too, are a part of my extended family.

I still don’t know why I was asked to become an associate but I am glad I answered YES! I’m hoping to continue to be an associate and to give to the sisters and other associates wholeheartedly what is needed at the time, and to do it to the best of my ability.

Thanks to all who have crossed paths with me in my life. I love you all and wish you all God’s blessing.

Associate Suzanne Horvath33 Years

“When I look back on the years and the sisters I have come to know, they all have enriched my life.”

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I am Isabel Requejo Martell, and together with Marisa (Gutierrez de La Coursiere), we became the first associates in Peru, Latin America.

My commitment began many years ago. It originated first with my family, because I come from a Catholic family where the values of love, fear, and respect of our God were inculcated. Later, I learned by example. I viewed the example and commitment of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in the persons of Clement (Colette Suhy), Sister Josephine, and of course Sister Monica, which nurtured the desire in me to become more involved with the plans of our Lord. To know them, and to share with them in their vision and mission of the Franciscan charism, allowed me to also share in this charism.

I was with them many years, helping with all of the sacramental programs of the parish, and working directly with the sisters and the Columban priests.

I am profoundly grateful to the Franciscan sisters for having given me the opportunity to channel my faith, my love of God, and my vocation of service through the different programs that they brought to fruition for many years in Tahuantinsuyo. To have become an associate of the congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis has been a great opportunity to serve God, helping out with a grain of sand in the building of the reign of God, and offering my gifts and talents received from the Lord for this purpose.

With the sisters I learned the importance of daily scripture reading and prayer as a principal means of communication with God, to nurture our spirit, and to later continue our walk of faith and works of action. The sisters enabled me to know a loving God; tender, human, and simple—One who came to cure, to heal the afflicted, to pardon those who asked for pardon, and to rescue the lost.

With their help I changed my idea of a judgmental, punishing God to a God who is “Papa” or “Daddy,” for one who chose us first and who also calls us friends. This manner of seeing God, not in the clouds, makes me feel loved and listened to.

Thanks to all of this, my faith has grown and I give testimony to the real presence of God in my life and in the life of all of those who believe in Him. I feel loved and cared for by Him, and it gives me much pleasure to share this truth with people who suffer or are experiencing difficult moments. With this conviction in the God of love, I can help others to come nearer to the Lord without fear of being judged or criticized; on the contrary, they are restored, renewed, and strengthened.

At the moment I am living for a few months in Miami and because I have the “Franciscan bug” in my veins, along with a group of volunteers from St. Raymond Parish, I am visiting 12 houses of elderly, disabled persons. This is marvelous because I feel that I am an instrument of Jesus and Francis to bring care and affection to these older adults. To observe that on Saturdays they wait for me with joy is for me an honor and great pleasure; I feel blessed and gratified.

Once again I give thanks to God for Sisters Josephine, Jane Frances, Catherine, and Monica for their important presence in the life of the community of Tahuantinsuyo and also in my life. They are my friends and sisters, and a very important part of my life.

Associate Isabel Requejo Martell32 Years

“To have become an associate… has been a great opportunity

to serve God, helping out with a grain of

sand….”

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When I was a very young woman, I received an invitation from Sister Monica Lachcik to become a Franciscan associate. What motivated and influenced me in my decision to accept this invitation is directly linked to the following:

• First, the example of the dedication of the religious sisters with the community of Tahuantinsuyo; I was a witness to the respect and perseverance of the religious to better the conditions of life in the community of Tahuantinsuyo.

• Second, the coherence of these actions with the message of Jesus allowed me to believe that our good actions with our neighbors, as small as they might be, could be the grains of sand to better the life of our community.

• Third, living one’s faith close to the community demonstrated to me that faith is lived every day, accompanying the hopes and sufferings of the people of our community.

All of these profound reasons, along with my faith, caused me to decide to become part of the Franciscan associates. It marked the importance of celebrating our Christian commitment. My experience with the associates has allowed me to share my faith in community. It has also allowed me to nourish my spirituality, to grow as a committed Christian, and to learn to celebrate life in community.

I would like to take this occasion, the celebration of 32 years of life with the associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis of Tahuantinsuyo, for having allowed me to have a one-of-a-kind experience. There I was able to know the Christian community, deepen my Christian values, and bring together my faith and commitment with my community.

I wish to highlight the example of the life of the sisters; the coherence of their faith and actions. They have demonstrated respect for human dignity, compassion with those who suffer, solidarity with the poor, the total surrender of their lives to the community, and faithfulness to the footsteps of Jesus and St. Francis.

Associate Marisa Guttierrez de La Coursiere32 Years

“Living one’s faith close to

the community demonstrated to me that the faith is lived every day…”

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Judy’s relationship with the sisters began before she was born when her father was a driver for the sisters at St. Barbara Parish in Chicago, Illinois. Judy has used the educational foundation she received at St. Barbara’s School to become a Certified Public Accountant and International Technical Adviser on the staff of the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. She retired in 2014 and lives in Chicago.

An associate since 1986, Judy has been a member of numerous committees and boards of the congregation, including co-director of the Associate Relationship Board. She remains committed to the Associate Relationship, and over the years has seen many changes in the congregation and the Associate Program. She would like to see the program grow and to have associates play a larger part in the community.

Associate Judith Bulat31 Years

“No one shall appear before the Lord empty-handed but each of you with as much as he can give, in proportion to the blessings, which the Lord, your God, has bestowed on you.” (Deuteronomy 16:16-17)

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Marge brings the qualities of concern, compassion, and a sense of justice to the Associate Program. These have seen her through ministry as a nurse as well as wife and mother of eight. As her children have grown, she expanded her service to minister to the dying through hospice. Her quiet but passionate heart has led her to speaking and writing as her work for a just world. She has always focused on her family.

Associate Marjorie Fink31 Years

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3)

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As some of you may remember, I wasn’t a member of the Catholic Church early in the 1970s. But I read an ad in the paper inviting people to a “live-in” at the St. Joseph Congregational Home in Stevens Point sponsored by Sister Carlene Blavat. I thought it would be a neat thing to do. I wrote to the convent: “Could I come?” The answer that came back was, “Yes, come!” And I did, as my one-week vacation. It was great.

In 1976 I was confirmed at Corpus Christi Church in Bakerville, southwest of Marshfield, Wisconsin. Later I was asked by the church council if I would attend lay ministry training sessions. It would be monthly for two years. I said yes. Many of our meetings were at the

convent, and I became friends with some of the sisters. The experience really added a lot to how I felt about myself. Always a reader, I began to explore the convent libraries and was even allowed to borrow books. Deeper and deeper, I learned about subjects I never could have before. I was able to have good conversations with some of the sisters. Fun times were shared helping dry dishes after a meal.

I have much to give the sisters and I will never leave them! Later, when the lay ministry course was over in about 1980, I read in the diocesan paper about an associate program being offered by the Stevens Point SSJ-TOSF community. I inquired about it. In 1983 I became an associate with the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis.

I’m not a very spiritual person, as it is commonly thought of. I find that I’m more deeply reflective and have always been meditative. I have always felt a strong presence of God in my life. I was able to spend time in Israel and Jordan in 1981 and 1999. These events awakened an interest in Biblical scholarship during the last 20 years when I could learn about the years when Jesus lived and taught.

I haven’t been to the Motherhouse for a while, mainly because I no longer drive any distances. Years ago I never missed an associates’ meeting; in fact, I once drove over in a blinding snowstorm, only to find that the meeting had been cancelled. No one in Stevens Point showed up!

Associate Shirley Gray31 Years

“I have much to give the sisters and I will never leave them!”

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I first encountered the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis community when I began a new job in 1981 at St. Mary’s in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sisters Denise Seymour and Roselle Lesinski were already there. During my second year, Sister Angelette Gladysz came to St. Mary’s. My third year, Sisters Denise and Roselle moved on, leaving Sister Angelette alone in the convent, so the pastor offered me housing instead of a raise. This began nine years of our living together, and a 30-year friendship.

At first, I would just take Sister Angelette to South Bend for her local community meetings and drop her off. I really wanted nothing to do with another religious community after having a very bad experience a few years before. Eventually, I began coming back for the dinners and finally stayed for a meeting. Shortly thereafter, I became an associate. My relationship with the community has been a God-given gift to me. Knowing that the sisters are praying for me, as I do for all of them, is very important to me. Over the years I have enjoyed participating in various gatherings as well as even serving as an unofficial secretary for one of the Chapters.

As my life journey took me away from Kalamazoo, eventually landing in Saginaw, I have treasured my contacts with the community even though they have often been from afar. I have continued regular contact with Sister Angelette over the years, still taking her to community meetings. When I moved to Saginaw in 2000, she and I became members of a local community in Detroit.

Due to both distance and problems with driving long distances, I have not been as active in community meetings in recent years, but I really appreciate Maxine Smith, my associate contact, who keeps in contact with me.

Over three years ago, I made the most difficult decision of my life and left the Roman Catholic Church for the Episcopal Church. I remember informing Maxine of that, sure that this would be the end of my associate relationship. Instead, I have received nothing but affirmation from her and all the other sisters. The support has continued as my journey has led me to seek ordination in the Episcopal Church, with so many sisters being excited for me and interested in my progress.

I keep in contact with the community, primarily through the congregational communications, e-mail, and mailings. My contact with the community is a very important part of the relationship and one that I am very thankful to have. Many thanks to all the sisters and associates who have accompanied me on the journey. I look expectantly to our future.

Associate Mary Jo Hudson28 Years

“Knowing that the sisters are praying for me, as I do for all of them,is very important to me.”

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How has the charism and mission of the SSJ-TOSF influenced my life? One word: support. My love for God and His people has always been important to me. In my daily life, finding others with this same vision has been difficult. Finding the sisters, and eventually becoming an associate, has supported and blessed my life. Here is a sampling of my journey:

My first experience with ministry began when I was a child being a priest, saying Mass, and singing in the living room of our farmhouse—pretending, of course. Then in high school, the pastor asked me to teach in our parish religious education program. When in college I got involved with the music ministry, singing, starting a children’s choir, and playing for Masses. Then I became a music teacher and ended up teaching in a Catholic middle school. From there I went back to college, got certified in elementary education, and in 1978 started my first elementary teaching job at St. Joseph School in Oconto. I taught there until 1988 and continued my parish work at night.

In 1987 Sister Sue Dietz became the principal of the school. She invited me to take a ride with her to the congregational home in Stevens Point. I was most impressed with the chapel, the convent gardens, and the sisters who lived there. Then I began to attend the sisters’ gatherings, mostly because I liked the speakers who were presenting at the time and the friendships that were developing.

Sister Cornelia was the leader of the Associate Program when I inquired about it. Through her leadership and the support of Sister Sue, I made a commitment for a three-year term in the Associate Relationship. Since then I have continued to walk the path alongside the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis, following their charism and mission.

In 1988 I started teaching in Lake Church, Wisconsin, a small community north of Port Washington, when I was invited to join a local community

of sisters. The original group included Sisters lrmina and Edmund of Two Rivers, Sally and Betty of Kaukauna, Elaine and Geri of Green Bay, Helen, Sue, and me. Since then some of the members of the local community have changed for a variety of reasons. I am still very blessed to be a part of this local community.

My journey has taken me to many places and into many ministries. For more than 25 years, I followed my dream of being a teacher. Then, with my mother’s illness, I needed to change ministries so I could be free to spend more time caring for her. God answered my prayers when he whispered, “Say, YES!” to the calling from St. Thomas More Parish in Appleton. After 17 years as religious education coordinator, I have moved into the field of pastoral care ministry for the parish. This new adventure is taking me into the world of senior care involving nursing home visits, communion services, and bereavement. I help couples with their liturgical wedding planning, families with sacramental preparation, and so much more.

I believe my life is being fulfilled by working to live the Gospel message alongside the sisters and associates with the same mission. I am grateful for the support and love I receive from these friends. The path we walk together is a gift from God.

Associate Irene Skarban28 Years

“Finding the sisters and eventually becoming an associate has supported

and blessed my life.”

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Margaret has been writing poetry since she was a teenager. She was awarded the Golden Poet Award several times for her poetry and had a sonnet published in the New Anthology of American Poetry. Margaret made her first commitment to the Associate Program in 1989. She developed a friendship with Sister Godwin who taught her Polish, which later enabled her to take a trip to Poland.

Associate Margaret Ochwat26 Years

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

(Colossians 3:16-18)

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Laura and I met in Thailand in the summer of 1988 and were married in England in the summer of 1989, actually on the same date as the anniversary of our meeting. I came to reside with her in the fall of that year.

I was accepted as an associate of the community in the fall of 1990, even though I was not a member of the Roman Catholic faith. I was, and still am, an active Anglican, serving in several ministries in my local church.

My basic reasoning, and initial desire at that time, was to support my wife who had been an associate for about 10 years. I was very happy that the Missionary Region of the community, as it was known at that time, willingly accepted me. As I continued to attend meetings, gatherings, and functions, I came to appreciate the Franciscanism of the community

and the great influence of St. Francis in the world at large. I saw how the sisters lived and worked, both inside and outside of the community, and the influence they had on society, including me!

Probably about 15 years ago–time passes so quickly as one ages–I was honored to be invited and to serve as a part of a special project of the Community Membership Committee, a project that lasted about a year. I sometimes found it challenging, but I enjoyed it and met many sisters with whom I had had no previous contact.

I have witnessed great changes within the community, some of which are still ongoing; I subscribe to the view that change is a necessity if an organization is to thrive and continue purposefully.

Currently, I am part of a vibrant local community group consisting of four sisters and four associates who meet bi-monthly to keep up-to-date on current policies, documents, and situations.

While I claim to be Anglican, I also consider myself a Franciscan, proudly wearing the symbol/emblem of the San Damiano cross, striving to embrace the teachings to the best of my ability.

Associate Charles Wells25 Years

“While I claim to be Anglican, I also consider myself a Franciscan, proudly wearing the symbol/emblem of the Damiano Cross….”

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When I was 7 years old, my father’s business went bankrupt, and, as a result, we lost our home and the furniture he had put up for collateral for his business loan. The Simpson family of six was now homeless. We moved to the east side of Detroit and I attended St. Thomas the Apostle School, where I first met the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. The school was a safe place for me, and how I loved the sisters! It was then that I started to pray earnestly for a religious vocation. My daily prayer went like this:

“O Lord, someday please let me wear a rosary by my side,“O let me wear the dress and veil of one who is thy bride …”

I attended Mass every single day. Mass was the “Greatest Show on Earth” and I would do anything to be there. My soul was thirsting and was often quenched by my daily prayer. My life, as I grew older, took a different direction and religious life was not part of the journey. My brother was killed suddenly in August of 1990. I was now a married woman with two children and my home parish was St. Anthony’s. Once again, I found myself in the company of the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF. Sister Joyce Hollkamp was living in the convent and in formation. We became fast friends, best friends, and she helped me through a dark period when my two-year-old son had leukemia. She invited me to become an associate and in October 1990 I made my first commitment.

The rest is history; a history filled with incredible joy as a result of the prayer life I had longed for my entire life. The friendship and fellowship is an added benefit. I still attend daily Mass and marvel at the mystery of the Eucharist. As the song says, “We are companions on the journey.” There is strength in numbers and the journey is easier with so much support. As St. Paul said, “I give thanks always for each of you.” I can say that about my sisters. They have given me a home to come to. Thank you!

Associate Starr Burke25 Years

“The rest is history, a history filled with incredible joy as a result of the prayer life I

had longed for my entire life.”

Oh God of JubileeI stand in awe under an infinite cascadeof Your bounteous gifts to me.

I thank You in particular for the blessing of my existence,the most precious of all Your gifts to me.

I thank You for the many joys of my life,for family and friends,for a vocation and work that has given me a sense of purposefulness,and invests my life with meaning.

I thank You as well for the pain, distress, annoyances, and hardships of my life,which are also giftsand which together with my mistakesare among my most profound teachers.

Grant that I may never hail a fresh daywithout the active consciousness of some giftfor which to offer You thanks.

And may continuous thanksgiving be my song of everlasting praise to You.

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Peace & All GoodJubilee 2016

Thank You To:Mission AdvancementSr. Sandy Lasecke, Jean Peerenboom, Diane Sayles

Layout and GraphicsPatrick Straffen

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Sisters of St. Josephof the Third Order of St. FrancisPO Box 305Stevens Point, WI 54481-0305