Six Oldenburg Franciscan sisters celebrate milestone jubilees

Criterion staff report

Six members of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg celebrated significant anniversaries of their time in religious life in 2023.

The anniversaries are marked by the year in which the sisters entered religious life with the Franciscans. Some who entered in February celebrated their jubilees this year in anticipation of the actual anniversary of their entering religious life.

75-year jubilarians

Sister Jean Michel Suntry is a native of Newton, Iowa. She entered the community on Sept. 5, 1948, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1954. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University in Indianapolis.

In the archdiocese, she taught at the former Holy Trinity School in Indianapolis in 1951, at St. Gabriel School in Connersville from 1954-59, at the former Holy Family School in Oldenburg from 1965-73, and at St. Vincent de Paul School in Bedford from 1982-84.

Sister Jean Michel also served as a teacher in Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio, and as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. She is now retired and ministers by prayer and presence at the motherhouse.

Sister Marie Cecile DiTullio is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She entered the community on Sept. 12, 1948, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1954. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Mount St. Mary Seminary and School of Theology in Cincinnati.

In the archdiocese, Sister Marie Cecile taught in Indianapolis at Our Lady of Lourdes School from 1951-52 and St. Lawrence School from 1954-56, at the former St. Anthony of Padua School in Morris from 1958-59 and at the former Sacred Heart School in Clinton from 1959-60.

Sister Marie Cecile also served in the Diocese of Evansville, Ind., and in Kentucky, Florida, Missouri and Ohio. She now resides in St. Clare Health Facility at the motherhouse and ministers by prayer and presence.

60-year jubilarians

Sister Jan Kroeger is a native of Cincinnati. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1963, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1966. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

In the archdiocese, Sister Jan taught at St. Andrew School (now Seton Catholic School) in Richmond from 1965-67 and served as guidance counselor at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception from 1983-91 and 1996-2002.

She has also ministered in the Diocese of Evansville and in Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri.

Sister Jan now resides in Oldenburg and does ministry at the motherhouse.

Sister Jackie McCracken (formerly Sister Ancilla) is a native of Indianapolis and grew up as a member of the former Holy Trinity Parish.

She joined the community on Sept. 8, 1963, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1971. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.

In the archdiocese, Sister Jan taught at St. Louis School in Batesville from 1968-72 and at Cardinal Ritter Jr/Sr. High School in Indianapolis from 1972-79. She ministered at St. Christopher Parish in Indianapolis as youth minister from 1985-87, at Cathedral High School as director of service learning from 2008-10, and at the motherhouse in Oldenburg as communication director for the community from 1979-85. Sister Jackie also taught in schools in the Diocese of Evansville and in Ohio.

For more than 30 years, Sister Jan has worked with non-profits and service organizations in the fields of domestic violence prevention, encouraging youth service/leadership and empowering adults with disabilities. She is now a behavioral consultant for Supportive Behavior Services and resides in Indianapolis.

Sister Diane Mersch (formerly Sister Mercita) is a native of Cincinnati. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1964, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1971. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill.

In the archdiocese, Sister Diane taught at St. Lawrence School in Lawrenceburg from 1965-66, at Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School in Indianapolis from 1968-75 and at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception from 1975-76.

She also taught in schools in Ohio and did social work there.

Sister Diane now is a resident of St. Clare Healthcare Facility at the motherhouse and ministers by prayer and presence.

Sister Elaine Merkel (formerly Sister Jolene) is a native of Cincinnati. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1964, and professed final vows on Jan. 1, 1972. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Loyola University Chicago.

In the archdiocese, Sister Elaine taught at Holy Name of Jesus School in Beech Grove from 1967-68, at Holy Family School in Richmond (now Seton Catholic School) from 1968-73 and at the former St. Mary School in Aurora from 1973-84.

She also served at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Aurora as director of religious education from 1982-88, as pastoral associate and director of religious education at St. John the Baptist Parish in Osgood from 1988-96 and at the former St. John the Baptist Parish in Dover (now a campus of All Saints Parish in Dearborn County) from 1996-2022.

Sister Elaine also served as a teacher in Illinois and served as a chaplain in Ohio. She retired to Oldenburg in 2022, where she does motherhouse ministry. †