Sisters offer words of joy and gratitue reflecting on life as a Franciscan Sister

Following are the personal reflections of sisters celebrating 75, 70, 60, 50 and 25 years with FSPA.

Seventy-five Years (Diamond)

Sister Clare Teeling
As a FSPA my life has been dedicated to a value system based on the intrinsic worth and dignity of every human being. Throughout my professional life I asked myself “Does the concept of equality of all human beings pervade the health care system in which I function? If not, what can I do about it? How can I as a religious and a nurse view social ills as someone else’s problem?” My ministry as a nurse and religious was and is a call and a commitment to share the gifts God has given me. My special thanks to all FSPA, friends, co-workers and travelers on life’s journey who have touched my life in so many ways. May we continue to spend our days in love and gratitude for the God who has loved us unconditionally, the Jesus who shares his life with us and the Spirit who continues to guide us.

 

Sister Mary Phillip Zerwas
I am thankful for all the many graces and blessings of the past 75 years as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. In my ministry I was an R.N. as well as an anesthetist. It was hard work, but I hope I was a source of comfort for the patients I cared for in La Crosse, Wis., Carroll, Iowa, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and later as a Franciscan presence to the people of Sun Prairie, Wis. I am grateful for the contemplative time I have had throughout my years as a FSPA, with the Carmelite Sisters by-the-Sea in California and now in my retirement home at Villa St. Joseph. For all of this, for family and friends and so much more, I thank my God.

 

 

 

Seventy Years (Diamond)

Sister Theodora Feulner
Seventy years is a long time to look back! It is with joy and gratitude that I offer my appreciation to the wise and prudent leadership that guides our mission and for the companionship and love of all the sisters I have lived and worked with. May God continue to bless and guide us as we continue the journey.

Sister Rose Therese McMullin
As I glance back over my 70 years as a Franciscan Sister, I’m filled with gratitude for the community administrators and all the sisters I shared my years with. My joy was teaching the little folks who were so eager to learn. Even now I cherish the friendship of the children, parents and lay co-workers on my many missions.

 

 

Sister Louise Rahe
I am grateful to God for having called me to serve in this Franciscan eucharistic community which is committed to the promotion of life-giving Gospel values in every aspect of creation. My gratitude goes also to all who have journeyed with me the past 70 years.

 

 

Sister Grace Marie Wilgenbusch
Being accepted as an FSPA candidate was something I had in mind a long time before I was allowed to join the community. I was taught by the Franciscan Sisters and decided to join them. I taught students for many years and lived with many different sisters during my 40 years of teaching. I still consider it a blessing to be retired where there are so many sisters at Villa St. Joseph. May God continue to bless us as we live together at the Franciscan Villa.

 

 

Sister Mary Avila Wittig
My God, I am forever grateful for the myriads of ways you have enriched my life and arranged it with its gifts of body, mind and spirit through faith-filled parents in beautiful surroundings in Wisconsin in the good old USA. Then too, I’m grateful for your overwhelming goodness, a Catholic education from the beginning to the present in schools staffed by FSPA. Also, in your unlimited generosity, you added a religious vocation with its innumerable, spiritual advantages of vows, perpetual adoration, joy, companionship and good example of so many of my sisters with whom I have shared our ministry, friendship and support. To all of you I give my heartfelt deepest thanks, prayers and blessings.

 

Sixty Years (Diamond)

Sister Clare Billmyer
As I look back over these past 60 years as a FSPA I realize they went very
quickly. I’m thankful the community let me do home care. I loved to go into so many homes and give people the help they needed. I now enjoy the oppor-tunity to take it easy, to pray and help where I can here at Villa St. Joseph.

 

 

 

Sister Marydel Bissen
I am very grateful for all the past 60 years of being a Franciscan. I have really enjoyed working as a volunteer in pastoral care at our Villa. I am a person who enjoys nature and animals, especially dogs. Over the years I have written poetry about God’s creation and have many of them in booklets.

 

 

Sister Patricia Gordon
In deep gratitude to my family, my community and all I have come in contact with in my ministries of teaching, administration and spirituality over these 60 years, by God’s constant and loving presence, “I have done what is mine to do.” Being privileged to be a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration strengthens me to be a daily witness to the true meaning of Eucharist, thanksgiving and giving to all God’s people who are in need in any way. In the spirit of St. Clare I go forth “with swift pace, light step . . . joyfully . . .” continuing my FSPA journey with hope and love into the unknown future.

 

 

Sister Louise Marie Guralski
My deepest gratitude is to my loving God who called me to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. I am grateful to my FSPA community for encouraging and affirming each FSPA to freely follow the path where God is leading us as individuals and community members. I appreciate all the spiritual and educational, ministry and leisure opportunities (and the gift of music) enabling me to love and serve God and God’s people. I rejoice in the love of my family and many special friends in community and those whom I met (including my students) during my years of service. I respect our new members who come with joy and enthusiasm. I am in awe for the sisters at our Villa St. Joseph who have lived and are living in gentle eucharistic love and great holiness. Thank you, FSPA! Thank you, good and gracious and loving God!

 

Sister Mary Boniface Kriener
As I look back over these past 60 years my heart is filled with thanksgiving and joy for the multitude of blessings I have received as a FSPA. In my deepest imaginings I could not have foreseen the support and love of my fellow sisters or the ongoing wisdom of our leadership, the opportunities I’ve had to meet all the people who have touched my life or the awesome beauties of God’s creation that I have experienced as a member of FSPA. The years have passed so fast! I thank each of you for having traveled and supported me in my journey. May Francis and Clare bless us together as we continue our vision quest.

 

 

Sister Eileen Neumann
As I look back on 60 years as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration I marvel at the opportunities and companions that have formed and shaped my life. I am sincerely grateful for these and realize that my life has only utilized a fraction of those. With sincere gratitude I can truly say “thanks for the memories.” I pray that I might continue in this process and that the world will be a better place for my having been here.

 

 

Sister Catherine O’Neill
With heartfelt gratitude and joy I reflect back on the blessings of these past 60 years. I am grateful to the community and for the support of my loving family. The challenges life presented over these years have been bittersweet but at the same time very growth filled. I have always believed that service is the price we pay for our space on Earth. I hope to be of service for a long time. My prayers and thanks to the community and all who have supported me in any way.

 

Sister Mary Schoemann
I appreciate all that the Franciscan community has done over the past 60 years. We have had great leaders to guide and encourage us. Another great blessing was the companionship of the sisters I have lived and worked with. I trust in the goodness of God to finish out my years in peace, happiness and hopefulness.

 

Sister Donna Storms
How do I sum up in a few words the blessings God has given me? The blessings begin with a mother and father who encouraged religious vocations in their children. Then I was blessed with a religious community that guided me during these 60 years, through the good times and the difficult ones, which provided an education that prepared me well for ministry and also provided opportunities to grow in faith and to pass that faith on to others. I give thanks for all the people who have walked this journey with me. May we together praise God and give him thanks!

 

 

Sister Margaret Wagner
That I have reached this milestone in religious life is unbelievable for me since my family’s aging record is not that remarkable. Therefore it is with deep gratitude that I celebrate with my Franciscan Sisters, my family, friends and all whom I have touched in my ministries as a FSPA. My ministries have been a challenge and a blessing. The memories of these times in ministry and life with my FSPA sisters are cherished. It is with joy that I celebrate.

Sister Margaret Wenzel
As I reflect on my 60 years as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration I am in awe of the way my awesome God showed presence in the various movements of my journey. I cannot be but grateful to God and to all who have walked with me and continue to do so—my family, friends, FSPA and those who ministered to me, all of whom taught and nurtured me on the way. Thanks be to you, God, our way, truth and life.

 

 

Sister Mary Ann Wiesman
As I look back over the past 60 years it is with a heart full of gratitude—gratitude for the love and support of my FSPA community and my family. What a blessing to be able to minister to the needs of children and elderly for so many years. God is good.

 

 

Sister Frances Yanisch
It is with much gratitude that I reflect on my 60 years as a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. I believe that I was led to this congregation to live out the life God envisioned for me. I so much appreciate the assistance of others who have helped me on the way. I am grateful for the opportunities of prayer, community and service I have been given.

 

 

 

Fifty Years (Golden)

Sister Mary Arnoldussen
As I reflect on my 50 years in religious life I can say “gratitude.” Gratitude for:
- my parents and family members;
- many friends;
- the many people I met;
- ministering to people of various cultures;
- sharing my life and values within my ministry;
- living within community life;
- the education I received and continue to receive;
- the many opportunities to travel; and, most of all, for
- the openness to receive God’s love and grace daily to become the person God wants me to be today and every day of my life. These are the reasons why I am proud to be a FSPA.

 

Sister Sharon Bongiorno
Golden jubilee: A time to look back in great gratitude and to look ahead with deeper dedication. That is my prayer as I celebrate this milestone. I have much to remember in gratitude—a loving, supportive family, my FSPA community who taught me, challenged me and stood with me in good and hard times, and students and parishioners who encouraged me to live what I profess. In thanksgiving I move on to more years of finding deeper ways to live the Franciscan Spirit.

 

 

Sister Marcella Marie Dreikosen
For all that has been for the past 50 years I owe gratitude to God, the FSPA community and my family. For the unknown future I pray for trust, hope and love as I witness as a FSPA serving all God’s people.

 

Sister Betty Hebert
It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I reached this milestone of 50 years as a FSPA—how numerous are God’s graces and blessings that have been showered on me. It was with great joy that I ministered to others in electro-encephalography (EEG), medical technology and occupational therapy.

 

Sister Dorothy Ann Kundinger
My gratitude to God and my FSPA community goes back to first grade. It’s hard to believe that 50 years of vowed FSPA life and ministry is occurring—50 years! I’m grateful to God, to my parents and family and friends and to my FSPA community for their support and love.

 

Sister Jean Ann Rausch
My joyful heart overflows with deep gratitude to God, my family, my community of Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and all the faith-filled parishes where I have ministered for supporting me in my great desire and passion in being a Franciscan Sister and a teacher. For the past 50 years God has blessed me with this one glorious life. May I continue to pray for many more years, “Here I am Lord,” ready to be a loving presence to those I will encounter each day.

 

Sister Marlou Ricke
Through the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration I have been blessed with opportunities to explore various paths to Christ consciousness. My grateful heart sings praises to God and to my Franciscan community for the blessings of the past 50 years.

 

 

Sister Kathryn Roberg
There is a spark within my soul that just keeps on burning and has been inflamed so mysteriously and wonderfully over the past 50 years. Connectedness through enriching relationships, spirit-filled challenges, beautiful experiences in being missioned as well as the shadows and lights of living have kept this spark alive and burning with energy. All of this and more speaks to me of the goodness and greatness of God. I am eternally grateful for my FSPA community’s accompanying me on my journey and will continue to strive to keep this flame alive and burning.

Sister Evelyn Schlosser
My years as a FSPA have been years with many happy memories, blessings and a deep spiritual closeness to God—not often enough, but the spirit was there. This community seems to have given each of us a certain amount of direction and the freedom we all needed in order to be that person God called us to be. All the missions that were given to me, although I was not sure they were for me, were exactly what I needed. Some were good years and some not so good, but when I look back on the 50 years they were filled with God’s special gifts that I didn’t know I had. May God’s blessing continue to help the FSPA increase in number. I am very happy to be in this community.

 

Sister Dorothy Sweeney
I have been so blessed as a member of our FSPA community. God’s love is so evident and I praise and thank God daily for the many ways of caring, sharing and loving that are evident from the sisters, my family, friends and employees. God’s great love and kindness are among God’s greatest blessings. I thank you, my God.

 

 

 

Sister Marlene Weber
As I reflect on 50 years of vowed life as a FSPA my being is filled with gratitude for the blessings with which God has filled my life. These include:
- the call to live as a FSPA and in community with others, to be the presence of God to many;
- the blessings that come from being a member of a supportive and compassionate community of leaders and members when going through the ups and downs of life; and
- the gift of family and friends who are always there in good times and in difficult ones.
All of this and more fill me with joy and gratitude and give me great hope as we continue the FSPA quest on our journey.

 

Twenty-five Years (Silver)

 

Sister Joanne McGoldrick
My 25 years as a Franciscan Sister have been both meaningful and rewarding. To serve God within the setting of the Franciscan community has been a challenge and an energizing experience. It fulfills a lifelong desire, since childhood, to make this commitment. It is a blessing to me as I endeavor to continue my ministry of availability to others. I renew my vows with a spirit of joy.