Achievements

Read the personal reflections of the 2007 jubilarians here.

 

Congratulations to the 2007 Jubilarians
Diamond - 75 years Dolorice Schier Diamond - 70 years Mary Walter Heires Virginia McCarville Grace McDonald Riccarda Moseley Raith Ruetten Drusilla Trussoni Marie Weller Theresa Wernimont	Diamond - 60 years Leclare Beres Marguerite Bruening Joselda Hageman Rita Heires Helen Keating Bernice Newton Mary James Ramaekers Pat Sheridan Mary Stadelman Marian Wieland	Golden - 50 years Marianna Ableidinger Joyce Blum Cecilia Corcoran Delores Claire DuCharme Maria Friedman Arlene Melder Mary Louise Mutch Eudora Navarre Nina Shephard Charlene Smith Laurette Sprosty Jeanne Storms Donna Mae Venteicher Joan Weisenbeck Therese Wolf Silver - 25 years Kathleen Mitchell

Viterbo University scholarship named after Sister Rita Rathburn

Rita Rathburn. FSPA

The Viterbo Connections newsletter of Dec. 11 ran an article about the establishment of a scholarship in honor of Sister Rita Rathburn, a longtime English department faculty member at the university. The Sister Rita Rathburn Women's Literature Scholarship is designed for English majors, with preference given to students with a minor in women's studies, a program which was founded by Sister Rita. The scholarship was established by alumnae in recognition of Sister Rita's dedication to the interdisciplinary study of English, and for introducing women's literature into the English curriculum. Upon receiving the honor, Sister Rita was most appreciative because it is aligned with one of the direction statements of the FSPA, as a program which supports the efforts of women.

Endowment named in honor of Sister Blanche Klein

Blanche Klein. FSPA

An endowment intended to offer scholarships for spiritual direction-related programs has been named in honor of Sister Blanche Klein. As a spiritual director at the Franciscan Spirituality Center for hundreds of individuals and supervisor in the Spiritual Direction Preparation Program (SDPP) for many, Sister Blanche has played an integral role in the center's 21-year history. Because of her thoughtfulness, an anonymous gift of $4,000 has been donated and matched by another anonymous donor to begin the Sister Blanche Klein Endowment Fund. To honor Sister Blanche's example, interest from the fund will be used for scholarships for spiritual direction and SDPP for those with limited financial resources.

Antona Schedlo. FSPA

Sister Antona Schedlo received the Viterbo University Community Service Award in June, for her years of teaching and service in Central America. Sister Antona currently ministers as pastoral minister in El Salvador where she maintains all parish services and supports community-wide improvement initiatives.

Sister DeSales Curti retires from FSH after 51 years

DeSales Curti, FSPA

Sister DeSales Curti recently retired from the pharmacy department at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in La Crosse, after 51 years of service. A reception was held in her honor at the hospital in September.

Sister DeSales professed her first vows with the FSPA in 1955, and in the same year, joined the staff at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare as a pharmacy aid. After earning a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., she returned to Franciscan Skemp and eventually became chief pharmacist, a role she held for twelve years. She returned to a staff pharmacist position in 1972 and maintained that role until August of this year.

Sister DeSales has also served as a volunteer in the pharmacy at St. Clare Health Mission since the clinic opened in 1993. She says she will continue in the role of volunteer supervisor at the mission.

Franciscan Federation Peacemaker Award

Mary Kathryn Fogarty. FSPA

Sister Mary Kathryn Fogarty has received the Franciscan Federation’s annual Peacemaker Award, which was presented to her at a meeting held in Rochester, N.Y., in July. Sister Mary Kathryn received the award for her dedication to peace through spirituality.

The Peacemaker banquet program reads, Sister Mary Kathryn Fogarty, “Has has made a life time goal of being a spiritual friend and mentor in all her encounters. Whether as an educator in the U.S., the principal of an elementary school in Santa Ana, El Salvador, and director of the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, her guiding spirit became a beacon for others on their spiritual journeys. As FSPA vice president, she was the council’s liaison to three congregation’s spirituality centers.”



Women’s Fund Award

Leclare Beres. FSPA

The Women's Fund of the La Crosse Community Foundation awarded Sister Leclare Beres the Roberta Zern Women in Leadership Award on Oct. 17. Sister Leclare was selected because of her leadership in developing and directing the Indochinese Screening Clinic and the St. Clare Health Mission. She is the second person to receive the award. The Women's Fund exists to enrich the lives of women and girls so that they can do the same for others. The fund encourages the advancement and full participation of women and girls by providing grants for projects which foster an impact on attitudes and actions that benefit women and girls, promote opportunity, health and self-sufficiency for women and encourage women and girls to develop as philanthropists. Roberta Zern was a La Crosse area philanthropist who supported the work of
the Women's Fund.

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