Oldenburg Franciscan sisters celebrate jubilees

Criterion staff report

Sixteen Sisters of the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg are celebrating significant anniversaries of their entrance into religious life.
 

70-year jubilarians

Sister Gloria (formerly Sister Francis Cecile) Kellerman served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: Holy Name of Jesus in Beech Grove, St. Lawrence in Indianapolis, St. Mary in Greensburg, and St. Michael (now St. Michael Early Childhood School) in Charlestown. She also taught in schools in the Diocese of Evansville, Ind., and in Illinois, Missouri, Montana and Ohio, and served for many years preparing adults for their general education degree certification.

In 2004, Sister Gloria moved to the Oldenburg motherhouse, where she resides in St. Clare Hall and offers prayer and presence.
 

Sister Mary (formerly Sister Mary Anthony) Kuhl served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: the former Holy Family in Oldenburg, Holy Family (now part of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School) in Richmond, Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Lawrence in Indianapolis, St. Mary in Aurora, and

St. Mary in Greensburg. She also taught in schools in Ohio.

In 2009, Sister Mary moved to the Oldenburg motherhouse, where she remains active assisting in the human resource area and tending flower gardens.
 

60-year jubilarians

Sister Janet (formerly Sister Mary Joy) Born served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg, the former St. Bernadette in Indianapolis, and

St. Mary in Rushville. She also taught in Ohio, and has served in parish ministry, full-time prayer ministry, at an orphanage and at a women’s shelter.

At the motherhouse, Sister Janet has served as a formation minister and retreat center director.

She now serves at the motherhouse as a spiritual director and grief minister, while also helping in the phone room and maintaining flower gardens.
 

Sister Mary Lynne (formerly Sister Mary Magdalen) Calkins served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: in Indianapolis at St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School and the former St. Bernadette, in New Albany at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and in Oldenburg at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception. She also taught in Michigan.

Sister Mary Lynne served as director of communications for her community for six years.

Since 1992, she has served in the mental health field in Ohio and Arkansas.
 

Sister Jean Marie (formerly Sister Joseph Marie) Cleveland (a native of the archdiocese from Indianapolis) served in the archdiocese as a teacher and/or administrator at the following schools: in Indianapolis at St. Monica, Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School and the former Holy Trinity, and in Oldenburg at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception. She also taught in Ohio.

Sister Jean Marie served as a pastoral associate, pastoral administrator or parish life coordinator in the archdiocese at the following parishes: St. Peter in Franklin County, St. John the Baptist in Osgood, and in Indianapolis at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, St. Patrick and St. Mary.

She served as congregational minister of the Sisters of St. Francis for six years, and in mission effectiveness at Marian University in Indianapolis for 13 years.

Sister Jean Marie moved to the motherhouse in July, where she serves as the coordinator of mission effectiveness.
 

Sister Ruth (formerly Sister Monica) Eggering served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: Holy Name of Jesus in Beech Grove, the former St. Francis de Sales in Indianapolis, and St. Mary in Rushville. She also served in schools in the Evansville Diocese and in Missouri and Ohio.

She served at the motherhouse in Oldenburg as a nurse’s aide and as a registered nurse, and served in health care since 1984 in Missouri, New Mexico and Ohio.

Sister Ruth now lives at the motherhouse, where she assists at St. Clare Hall, gives tours of the convent and maintains the gardens.
 

Sister Rose Lima Frerick served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following Indianapolis schools: St. Mark the Evangelist, Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School and the former St. Bernadette. She also taught at schools in the Evansville Diocese and in Ohio.

Sister Rose Lima served as communications director for the Sisters of St. Francis for 11 years. She is currently serving at the Franciscan Media Center in Cincinnati.
 

Sister Dianne (formerly Sister Marie Vincent) Kaimann, served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: St. Michael in Brookville, and St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) and the former St. Bernadette, both in Indianapolis. She has also taught in Missouri and Ohio, and served as pastoral minister, secretary, bookkeeper and office manager in various locations.

Sister Dianne served for four years as executive director of the Franciscan Federation in Washington.

In 2016, she returned to the motherhouse where she ministers as administrative assistant to the leadership team and assists in the development office, phone room and flower gardens.
 

Sister Barbara (formerly Sister Mary Linus) Piller served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) in Indianapolis, Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg, and St. Mary in Rushville. She also taught at schools in Ohio and served as pastoral associate at St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis.

Sister Barbara served for five years as director of Shalom Community, an intercommunity program of growth for women religious based in Indianapolis.

She has been involved in leadership for her community as co-director of associates, council member, director of life development and congregational minister.

She currently serves as a spiritual director and coordinator of liturgy and worship at the motherhouse.
 

Sister Donna (formerly Sister Mary Demaris) Rohman served in the archdiocese as a teacher at St. Mark the Evangelist School in Indianapolis and as a tutor and secretary at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg. She also taught in schools in the Evansville Diocese and in Ohio.

Sister Donna ministered for 35 years as secretary to the leadership team at the motherhouse, and currently serves there in the pastoral care office and library.
 

Sister Rita (formerly Sister Esther Marie) Thomas served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the following schools: Holy Name of Jesus in Beech Grove,

St. Mark the Evangelist in Indianapolis, and St. Lawrence in Lawrenceburg. She also taught and directed religious education in Illinois, Missouri and Ohio.

Sister Rita has worked in Missouri since 2004 as a caregiver for children and seniors.
 

50-year jubilarians

Sister Therese Gillman (a native of the archdiocese from Brookville) served in the archdiocese as a teacher at St. Mary School in Aurora and as president at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg. She also taught, and served as an acting principal and pastoral associate in Missouri.

Sister Therese currently serves as executive director of the Jesuit Spiritual Center in Ohio.
 

Sister Carolyn Hoff served in the archdiocese as a secretary at St. Michael-St. Gabriel Archangels School and as a bookkeeper at Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School, both in Indianapolis. She also served in schools in Missouri and Ohio.

She has served at the motherhouse as project manager and later as co-director of Michaela Farm, and as head of Olivia Hall.

Sister Carolyn currently serves at the motherhouse as housekeeping supervisor and volunteers at Michaela Farm.
 

Sister Patricia Murray (a native of the archdiocese from Shelbyville) served as a teacher in the Evansville Diocese and in Missouri. She served for 37 years as a director of religious education, parish minister, liturgy coordinator and pastoral associate in Missouri.

She has served at the motherhouse in the community development and finance offices.

Sister Patricia currently resides in St. Clare Hall and ministers by presence and prayer.
 

Sister Marjorie Niemer served in the archdiocese as a teacher at the former St. Mary Academy in Indianapolis and at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg. She also taught in Ohio. She also served as parish life coordinator at St. Peter Parish in Franklin County and at the former St. Mary-of-the-Rock Parish in Franklin County.

Sister Marjorie ministered at the motherhouse in community leadership as vocation director and as a councilor.

She is currently serving as parish administrator at Mother of Christ and St. Bernard parishes, both in Cincinnati.
 

Sister Monica Zore (a native of the archdiocese from Indianapolis) has served as a teacher in Ohio.

Since 1983, Sister Monica has served on the faculty of Marian University in Indianapolis, where she continues to minister as assistant professor of mathematics.
 

(For more information on the Sisters of the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg, go to oldenburgfranciscans.org.) †