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Vowed religious celebrate jubilees
The Michigan Catholic
Published May 21, 2010
On Wednesday, May 26, Archbishop Allen Vigneron will celebrate Mass at St. John Center, Plymouth Township, in honor of the men and women marking their religious jubilees as members of their respective congregations or their ordination.
All of these religious brothers and sisters, and religious order priests, have given of their lives to God by ministering in special ways – whether through education, health care, missions, parish and retreat guidance work or in the cloistered life of prayer.
We thank them for their many years of service, as well as having touched so many lives along their journey.
Members of religious communities serving in the Archdiocese of Detroit were asked to share their thoughts about their religious life. Please note, some sisters have changed from their religious name to their given name over the years, The Michigan Catholic is publishing both names, when provided, with their given name or a previously used name in (parentheses).
Here are their answers to the question "Religious life has been …"
80 years
Sr. Mary Carmen Brown, RSM (Agatha Ann Brown)
"... made pleasant by many friends, family, God's blessings, and serving God's people."
Sr. Mary Michael Malek, CSSF
"... an enormous heavenly gift. The grace of my 80 years of religious life is so great that there is nothing comparable greater. I cannot thank God adequately for it. I journeyed with Him in different ministries through good and rough days but always very happy and content. The power of God's blessings and graces continue to strengthen me at each day's Eucharistic sacrifice of Mass."
75 years
Sr. Mary Carmeline Bielawski, CSSF
Sr. Catherine Florita Crittenden, IHM
Sr. Caroline Marie Goik, CSSF
"... a great grace for which I am deeply grateful to the Lord. I am most grateful to Jesus who has chosen to be my spouse, my partner in all of my works with His people, the youngest to the oldest. He has been with me when I was a teacher, a sacristan, a musician and a minister to the sick sisters. In the spirit of the Magnificat I continue to journey, I wouldn't have it any way, but as a religious."
Sr. Mary Alexis Jachimowicz, CSSF
"... a wonderful blessing and a gift. I've been privileged to serve in various ministries and to utilize the gifts given me. May God be praised for all the goodness shown to me."
Sr. Mary Laubacher, IHM (Sr. Coronata)
"... a long life of praise, love, thanksgiving to God for my call to religious life, beginning with my parents and early education. I see God's plan and blessing in each of my teaching and administrative ministries, and for all my many co-workers through the years."
Sr. Helen Ursulina Mekeal, IHM
Sr. Evangeline Carmeline Nester, IHM
Sr. Helen Christella Peatee, IHM
Sr. Margaret Ethel Wiedling, IHM
Sr. Mary Lorenzo Wolak, CSSF
"... a privilege for me. I have shared many places of work, many ministries and lived in many places with the sisters in my community. I have enjoyed all my ministries and now God is asking me to share my last ministry of suffering and pain for others. I thank God every day for choosing me to live and love as a Felician Sister."
70 years
Sr. Edith Marie Agdanowski, CSSF
Sr. Mary Cecilia Begin, RSM
"... a time of wonderful years of ministry and spiritual growth, especially the 25 years at Madonna Parish in the City of Detroit."
Sr. Mary Charlene Curl, RSM
"God has blessed me with a good life and has given me the privilege of serving many people."
Sr. Mary Harold Lopata, CSSF
Sr. Mary Elaine Machlik, CSSF (Beatrice Machlik)
"... a great blessing. I have found peace, happiness and fulfillment in the various ministries in which I have served. I am profoundly grateful to God for the gift of my Felician vocation. I appreciate and cherish the support my Felician community has given me throughout these years. God be praised for His goodness!"
Sr. Mary Audrey Pawlak, CSSF
Sr. Bernadine Stachowicz, CSFN
Sr. Clement Stine, CSJ
Sr. Mary Danatha Suchyta, CSSF
Sr. Alice Wolski, OP
"... a journey filled with blessings beyond any expectations I may have had when it began. The Dominican spirit of truth and joy has been God's way of guiding me even in my weakest moments. Now in my aging, I treasure each day as God's gift as I endeavor to seek truth, make peace and reverence life."
60 years
Sr. Margaret Therese Baranek, OP
Sr. Mary Annrita Bauer, RSM (Frances Helen Bauer)
"Reflecting on jubilee and celebration, I realized what an awesome and privileged life I have been called to live as a Sister of Mercy, these past 60 years! A life of total giving of myself to Jesus, my loving crucified spouse, through the hands of Mary, my mother! All for the honor and glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the freeing of the Holy Souls in purgatory!
Loving gratitude to my family, friends, Sisters of Mercy, who encouraged and supported me through these 60 precious and awesome years in Mercy. God's blessings to all!
Sr. Virginia Beattie, OP
Sr. Mary Alicia Bomya, SC
Sr. Mary Kathleen Botsford, RSM
"... an honor and a privilege to serve God and His people all of these years. I am grateful to God for the many graces and blessings He has given me to reach this year of jubilee."
Sr. Mary Rene Bourque, RSM
Sr. Sylvia Dimeck, CSJ
Sr. Mary of the Immaculate Conception DiPaolo, OP
"... and is a source of great joy and happiness in living the cloistered contemplative life. I thank and praise God and our Blessed Mother for this tremendous grace of a religious vocation, and humbly ask God's grace for final perseverance."
Sr. Kathleen (Joseph Rita) DeSmedt, IHM
Sr. Bernardine Dominick, SSJ-TOSF
"... an adventure into the heart of all that truly matters. I have encountered God in all the persons with whom and for whom I had been missioned...as an educator, a mentor, a minister to the sisters of my congregation, a missionary, an advocate for homeless pregnant women, a team creator of a spiritual center, and now a spiritual companion to the sick and homebound. God's grace is boundless and I am deeply grateful. The one sadness that creeps into this joyous occasion is knowing that had my brother, Fr. Bernard J. Dominick, not gone home to God so early in life, he would be celebrating with me the 60th anniversary of his ordination."
Sr. Marion (Mary Mel) Duggan, IHM
Sr. Regina (Regina Irene) Fanning, IHM
Sr. Alice (Mary Kyran) Flanagan, IHM
Sr. Ann Therese Foley, CSJ
Sr. Marie Trinité Glisky, IHM (Joan M. Glisky)
"... an undeserved gift of faith, ministries, friendships offering an ever-expanding awareness of the scope of God's desires for all people and all creatures and our role in realizing that sacred kin-dom."
Sr. Irene Therese Gumbleton, IHM
Sr. Frances Gabrielle Hess, IHM
Sr. Margaret Joseph Hornyak, CSJ
Sr. Mary of Mercy Houle, OP (Irene Houle)
"... has been a gift of praising God in song, of adoring Him in sacrament, of being a mercy-seeker for Detroit and the world. It has been all joy — but with moments of difficulty and sorrow. But these too, in Christ, are joy."
Sr. Janet Michael Hudspeth, OP
Sr. Joan Marie Jereb, OP
Fr. Randal Joyce, CP
Sr. Frances Mary Kernasovich, OP
Sr. Helen (John Vianney) Kohler, IHM
Sr. Mary Joanette Kudla, CSSF (Stella Kudla)
"... one of great challenge and a blessing. I am grateful to God for my health and that I am able to be here to celebrate with my fellow sisters, family and friends. To all who share my joys and sorrows, my successes and failures and especially for their prayers ... Deo Gratias!"
Sr. Therese LeBlanc, IHM
"... a lifetime of giving and receiving from all those I have been blessed to work with: St. Raymond, Detroit (three years); St. Thomas, Ann Arbor (nine years); St. Joseph, Monroe (nine years), as first-grade teacher and four years as principal. Then I went to overseas mission in Puerto Rico for three years working with female drug addicts to help them get high school diplomas and to help them raise their children. I was in Vietnam for five weeks, until the fall of Saigon, bringing approximately 1,200 babies out to their adoptive parents. Then working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta to establish Adoptive Centers. Finally, I spent 20 years as chaplain at the Rehab. Institute of the Detroit Medical Center. Each of these missions was a very special call to give myself to God's call. My response has been and always will be: 'Here I am, Lord.' I have loved every minute of my years walking with my Lord and Savior."
Sr. Michaeline Lewandowski, RSM
Sr. Mary Mackert, OP
Sr. Michael Clare Mauntel, SC
Sr. Loretta May, OP
"These 60 years have been filled with many amazing experiences and opportunities that I never could have anticipated in 1950! The grace of God, the support of family, my Adrian Dominican Sisters, friends and colleagues have helped to make this possible. For all of this I am most grateful."
Sr. Margaret (James Agnes) McGinley, IHM
Fr. John Joseph Mikula, OFM Conv. (Eugene Francis Mikula)
"... a great honor to be called to be of service in the Lord's vineyard. When a person realizes the goodness and mercy of the Lord, all the suffering, especially the agony of the cross that Jesus bore for us, how can we fail Him when He calls us to be of service for Him? I believe Christ takes care of His Church. More have to respond to His call, and make the sacrifice."
Sr. Marie Therese (Raphael Marie) O'Donnell, IHM
Sr. Karen Shirilla, SJ
"... a daily blessing – a gift that keeps giving. What a joy to wake each morning to the realization that I have been called to make it known that God loves us all. And to close the day in gratitude to God for having been able to spread God's love in small ways. Pain was muted, relationships mended, hungry fed, weak strengthened, a child encouraged."
Sr. Mary Jo Sieg, OP
Sr. Virginia Skurski, SJ
Sr. Marie Ann Stamm, CSSF (Teresa Rose Stamm)
"... a kaleidoscope of divine surprises. Each day – no, each heartbeat – has been a new awakening to the wonder of God's infinite love."
Sr. Martina Stegman, OP
"... one of joy, fulfillment and gratitude for my years in consecrated life and in the service of education in the Church."
Sr. M. Loretta Sullivan, RSM
Sr. Ann Isabelle Tefend, IHM
Sr. Marie Vianney Williams, IHM (Helen Theresa WIlliams)
"... is a joyous and happy occasion. I feel very blessed to have so many years to serve God's people as teacher, principal, Christian formation director and pastoral associate. My years of service have been in Michigan and New Mexico. I thank God every day for these opportunities. Now, I'm retired in Monroe at our IHM Motherhouse serving our sisters."
Sr. Cecilia Marie Zondlo, OSF
"It has been the most fascinating and rewarding journey of my life, experiencing God's love in me and with the people I have and continue to minister to."
50 years
Sr. Barbara Beesley, IHM (Ann Barbara Beesley)
"... is an opportunity to revitalize my congregational commitments to foster communion among all of God's people and to work collaboratively for a more loving, just Church and society despite their denial of the feminine."
Sr. Marianne Bennett, RSM
Sr. Patricia Noreen Benson, OP
Sr. Marie Benzing, CSJ
Sr. Ellen Maria Burke, OSF
Sr. Marcella Clancy, CSJ
Sr. Diann (Bernard Therese) Cousino, IHM
Sr. Mary Ann Dalton, CSJ
Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart Decuir, OP (Rose Evelyn Decuir)
"I want to assure those who think they may have a calling to the religious or to the priesthood that serving the Lord and His people is a wonderful way of life if you are truly called to this. A lifetime commitment is possible. I am a witness."
Sr. Margaret (Peggy) Devaney, IHM
"... has been and continues to be a life-long journey of seeking God alone. A quote from Evely (and a bright orange picture of a footprint) that has been with me all these years is: 'The sign of God is that we will be led where we did not plan to go.' For me, the quest or movement into God's heart is at the core of my experience of religious life. Throughout my religious life, I have been sustained and supported by IHM and communities to live a call to ministry that walks with the poor, especially the most abandoned and marginalized."
Sr. Joyce Dropps, CSJ
Sr. Mary Epple, RSM
Sr. Rita Epple, RSM
Sr. Rita (Mary Dolors) Fisher, IHM
Sr. Mary Sylvia Grey, SNJM
Sr. Sharon Hagen, DC
"Celebrating 50 years as a sister, a Daughter of Charity, has been rich, joyous, growth and faith-filled. Spanning two centuries I've witnessed the transformational change in our Church along with pervasive cultural upheaval. Anchored in seeing Christ and serving him in those most in need, my spirit has been nourished by the Vincentian Charism. Alleluia!"
Sr. Mary Ellen Howard, RSM
"... I am blessed to be a Sister of Mercy and to have served my 50 years in the health-care ministry with so many good and dedicated persons, including at Cabrini Clinic of Most Holy Trinity Church in Detroit. God is good!"
Sr. Mary Cyrilla Jegla, RSM
Sr. Carol (Eunice) Krolikowski, IHM
Sr. Helen Krzywinska, OSF
Sr. Rose Marie Kujawa, CSSF (Jane Therese Kujawa)
"... an amazing journey of wisdom, work and love for which I am eternally grateful. My family, community and colleagues have all enriched my life; for them I offer words of praise and gratitude."
Sr. Paulette Labbe, OSM
Sr. Nancy Martin, CSJ
Sr. Carol Krolikowski, IHM (Sr. Eunice)
"My religious life is rooted in my baptism bestowed on me by my mother, Theresa, after birthing twins. My journey in the IHM Community has been profound. My faith has deepened and broadened to include the impact of the Universe Story. Family, IHMs, friends, and God's unrelenting goodness help me continue to grow."
Sr. Annice Mordenski, OP
"As I reflect on my life this jubilee year, I look back with gratitude for the many blessings I've received and look ahead to what the future holds. My prayer is simply to do what the Lord asks: 'to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with my God' (Micah 6:8)."
Sr. Gerl Near, RSM
Sr. Joanne Peters, OP
Sr. Margaret Mary Platte, RSM
"Celebrating 50 years of religious life as a Sister of Mercy has been a gift for me. My heart is filled with gratitude for God's abiding presence, for my parents and siblings who fostered my vocation, and for my Mercy community. May all whom I have encountered in my ministry as teacher, principal, and pastoral care minister continue to experience God's tender mercy."
Sr. Marjorie (Katherine Drexel) Polys, IHM
Sr. Marie Roy, CSJ
Sr. Roslyn Skaletski, OP
"Celebrating 50 years of religious life as a Racine Dominican has been a life of dedication to the Gospel values and a deepening of Dominican spirituality as rooted in community, contemplation and in the ministry of education."
Sr. Mary Renetta Rumpz, CSSF (Rita Diane Rumpz)
"... for me:
" – a life of service filled with Christ-like love;
" – the blessings of a loving family;
" – a long life membership in a faith-filled religious community;
" – surrounded by the spirit of our Foundress, Blessed Mary Angela;
" – encircled in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father."
Sr. Mary Helen Smolbrook, OP
Sr. Maria Sonnenfeld, CSSF
Sr. M. Joan Szkutnicki, SSJ-TOSF
Sr. Kathleen Voss, OP
"... has held the challenges and blessings of ministering to an array of individuals ranging from 4 to 80-plus years. One of my fondest joys is living in community with my Adrian Dominican Sisters who've shared their knowledge, experience and faith with me. Forever is my amazement of the workings of the Holy Spirit continuously guiding, uplifting and enticing me with joy and companionship on the journey."
Sr. Linda Werthman, RSM
Sr. Bonnie Woods, RSM
25 years
Sr. Carol Juhasz, IHM
Br. James Miller, CMMM
Sr. Mary Josepha Van Camp, CSSF
"... has been a great privilege. My gratitude to my sisters in community, as well as the priests, religious and people who have been and who are part of my life. With you I say, 'The Lord has done great things for us, we are glad indeed'" (Psalm 126: 3).
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