DIOCESAN NEWS
07/09/10
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Women religious celebrate jubilees
JACKSON — Twenty-three women religious who either served or who now serve in the Diocese of Jackson are celebrating 50, 60, and 70th jubilees this year.
Sister Jacquelyn Cramer, a Sister of Charity, BVM, has been an educator, counselor and volunteer during h er 50 years of ministry. In the Diocese of Jackson, she was a teacher/counselor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarksdale; an executive secretary at Sacred Heart Southern Mission (SHSM) and a counselor at Sacred Heart School, both in Walls. She was also a counselor at Sacred Heart School in Southhaven.
She has also served as a teacher, counselor and congregational employee in Iowa, Ohio and Memphis, Tenn.
She has also been a volunteer and campaign writer in Kumasi, Ghana, and Walls, Miss.
“My favorite ministries were in Clarksdale, Memphis and Kumasi,” Sister Cramer said. “I have loved each of the 50 years and all of the experiences I’ve had as a BVM. Being a Sister of Charity means . . . my home, my family, and my way to God.”
Sister Kathleen (Kate) Regan, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ), is also celebrating her 50th jubilee. She began her ministry in Mississippi in the 1980s as a pastoral assistant at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New Albany and then in the late 1980s to early 1990s at Sacred Heart Parish in Louisville and at St. Therese Parish is Kosciusko, serving in parish administration.
In 2000 Sister Regan became pastoral coordinator for Tippah County Catholic Community in Ripley. In June of 2005 she began her present ministry as pastoral coordinator at Glenmary Home Missions, St. Matthew in Ripley.
A special Mass honoring the Sisters of the Living Word (SLW) jubilarians was celebrated on Saturday, June 19, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Mt. Prospect, Ill.
Among the honorees was Sister Mary Joel Curcio, who is celebrating her 50th jubilee. She was director of development at Madison St. Joseph School and at Jackson  St. Richard School. Since 2002 she has worked at Sacred Heart Southern Missions (SHSM) in Holly Springs serving as program manager. Sister Curcio has been a member of the SLW leadership team since 2008.
She has taught in Detroit, Mich., and Normandy, Mo., and served in financial services in Chicago and River Grove, Ill.
Several School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) jubilarians were recently recognized and honored by their community, family members, and friends with a Mass and reception at Chatawa St. Mary of the Pines.
Celebrating 60th jubilees were Sisters Jane Desaulniers, Joyce desJardins, Theresa Marie Dietz, Marie Christine Hippler, Mary Murphy, Mary Serniak and Eymard Marie Singletary.
Celebrating their 50th jubilees were Sisters Rosarine Gonzales, Agnes Maureen Hornsby, Carol Nishke, Helene Marie Robin, Helen Roper and Jo hnette Marie Waguespack.
Sister Jane Desaulniers served in Gluckstadt St. Joseph Parish in the 1990s. Retiring from full-time ministry in 2005, Sister Desaulniers ministered to the church community as spiritual advisor and now as a volunteer at Progressive Education Program Inc., in New Iberia, La.
Sister Joyce desJardins joined the retirement community of St. Mary of the Pines in 2005 and continues serving her community through prayer and presence.
For 42 years Sister Theresa Marie Dietz taught middle school and high school students at schools in Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona.
In 1992, Sister Dietz was asked to join the staff at St. Mary of the Pines where she served as a bookkeeper in the finance office. From 1999 through 2007, she assisted the community with their computer needs and helped establish the computer lab and was instrumental in bringing the internet to the sisters in residence at Chatawa. Since 1999, Sister Dietz has served the SSND community as a resident artist.
Sister Marie Christine Hippler taught elementary, intermediate and high school students in Missouri, Louisiana and in Brookhaven, Miss.
In 1982, Sister Hippler left classroom ministry to join the clerical staff at Redeemer High School in New Orleans, a ministry she enjoyed for 24 years. She remains in the New Orleans area where she continues to serve the community through volunteer ministry.
Sister Mary Murphy taught in schools in Missouri and was a high school teacher and guidance counselor in schools in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. In 1993, she was asked to serve the SSND community as director of food services at St. Mary of the Pines, a position she held for eight years.
From 2001 through 2006 she did community service. Presently she serves the community through prayer and presence.
Sister Mary Serniak taught in schools in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas. In Pine Bluff, Ark., she taught at St. Peter Elementary School and worked in the school library. Later on she continued to serve in the school as a secretary and teacher’s aid.
Sister Serniak joined the retirement community of St. Mary of the Pines in 2006. She continues to serve the SSND community through community service, prayer and hospitality.
Sister Eymard Marie Singletary taught in schools in Louisiana, Missouri and Texas. In the Jackson diocese she taught at St. Joseph High School in Jackson.
In 2005, she was asked to put her financial skills to use as director of the Finance Office at St. Mary of the Pines. Today, she continues to serve the SSND community through community service, prayer and hospitality.
Sister Rosarine Gonzalez, an elementary teacher, reading specialist and school administrator for 22 years, served in schools in Nebraska, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico.
In 1982 she left the classroom to serve as pastoral associate at St. Patrick Church in San Antonio, Texas. Two years later she was asked to move to Dallas to serve as the province’s first development director.
In 1991 Sister Gonzalez returned to classroom ministry, this time teaching adult students working to earn their GED. In 2001, she left to serve the SSND community in the finance office at St. Mary of the Pines. Presently she serves as human resources manager.
Sister Agnes Maureen Hornsby’s 50 years as a religious have been spent in community service — as a driver, homemaker and health care provider — for SSND – sponsored ministries and communities in Missouri, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and at the Generalate in Rome, Italy.
Currently living at St. Mary of the Pines, she continues to serve the SSND and local community through community service, prayer, hospitality and as sacristan at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Chatawa.
An elementary and junior high school teacher and administrator for 24 years, Sister Carol Nishke taught in schools in Illinois and Missouri. In 1984, Sister Nishke shifted her focus to parish ministry, moving from Illinois to North Little Rock, Ark., where she ministered at St. Augustine Parish for the next 25 years.
In 2009, she moved to St. Mary of the Pines. Her current ministry is as the archivist for the Dallas Province.
Sister Helene Marie Robin was introduced to the School Sisters of Notre Dame by their presence in her hometown of Brookhaven.
She was an elementary school teacher in Mississippi and Louisiana for 40 years. Since 2003, Sister Robin has served as a pastoral care minister at the Wynhoven Healthcare Center for the Elderly in Marrero, La.
Sister Helen Roper taught junior high and high school music in Illinois, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. She also served her community as the province secretary at the Motherhouse in Irving, Texas. From 1980-1987 she worked in pastoral ministry at casa Parroquial San Francisco in Rio Bravo, Guatemala.
In 2009 Sister Roper joined the administrative team at St. Mary of the Pines to serve as director of the province’s retreat center.
Sister Johnette Marie Waguespack taught at Jackson St. Theresa School from 1966-1970. In 1998 she was asked to join the staff at St. Mary of the Pines where in addition to her ministries of community service, prayer and hospitality, she serves as the coordinator of transportation.
Sister Sue Scharfenberger, an Ursuline Sister of Louisville, is celebrating 50 years in religious life. Sister Scharfenberger served at Sacred Heart Southern Mission (SHSM) in Hernando, from 1973-1977.
She later continued her ministries in Hernando by serving as the parish minister at Holy Spirit Parish from 1978 until 1979. She currently lives among and ministers to the people of Muquiyauyo, Peru, by sharing the charism of St. Angela Merici, the foundress of the Ursuline Sisters, and working with the poor.
On June 19, 63 U.S. School Sisters of St. Francis celebrated milestone anniversaries of service as women religious in Milwaukee, Wis. The following School Sisters of St. Francis served or live in the Diocese of Jackson:
Sister Catherine Mauge (Jorita), celebrating 50 years, has lived her religious ministry as musician and religious education coordinator in Illinois, Mississippi and California. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Mauge served as musician at CADET School in Holly Springs (1969-1982; 1983-1990) and was religious education coordinator there (1975-1982). She resides in Oak Park, Ill.
Sister Myriam Hegeman is celebrating 60 years in religious ministry. She taught in Mississippi, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa. In the Diocese of Jackson, Sister Hegeman taught at St. Mary School in Holly Springs (1954-1958) and St. Francis School in Yazoo City (1958-1959).
She lives in Milwaukee, Wis., and has been teaching in the Instructional Services Center at Alverno College since 1981.
Sister Antonienne Thoma is celebrating 60 years in religious ministry in education, pastoral care and administration in Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the Diocese of Jackson, she has been office assistant at Sacred Heart Southern Missions since 2006. She resides in Hernando.
Sister Marianelle Lies, celebrateing 70 years, has lived her religious ministry by teaching music in Illinois, Mississippi, Wisconsin and Nevada. In the Diocese of Jackson, she taught music at St. Francis School in Yazoo (1946-1953), St. Mary/St. Joseph School in Holly Springs (1955-1969); Sacred Heart School in Walls (1969-1975); and CADET School in Holly Springs (1978-1981). She presently resides in Campbellsport, Wis.
- Holy Spirit Missionary (SSpS) Sister Maria Elisabeth Klodt recently celebrated her 60th jubilee. She taught school in Greenville. She is now in New York where she has been missioned to serve the community and is in pastoral and social ministries.
Sister Mary Pardy, SSpS, celebrated her 60 years of missionary service. Through the years she has taught schools in many places in Pennsylvania, Mississippi and Illinois. Currently, she is semi-retired but teaches ESL students..
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