Editors note: The staff of The Catholic Telegraph wishes to express our gratitude to the following women religious celebrating jubilees in 2013 for their steadfast faith and dedicated service to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Additional photos and bios were published in the November 2013 edition. 

Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati 

80 Years

Sister Miriam Thomas Busch taught elementary and junior high students for more than 40 years, 17 of those years in the archdiocese at: St. Aloysius (Fayetteville), Holy Angels (Sydney), St. Albert (Kettering), St. Boniface, St. Martin De Porres, St. Patrick, St. William and Resurrection (Cincinnati). She also served as secretary for the St. Vincent de Paul Society before volunteering part-time in the public relations department at Good Samaritan Hospital. Today Sister Miriam Thomas is retired and living in Mother Margaret Hall serving the ministry of prayer.

Sister Annina Morgan returned to Cincinnati in 1974 after serving as campus minister at Michigan State University and St. Mary’s University Parish (both in Michigan) to minister successively as personnel director for the congregation, as director of the College of Mount St. Joseph’s Women’s Center, and as retreat director for her community. She retired in 1992, and currently volunteers her time in miscellaneous services.

 70 Years

Sister Joseph Maria Bensman devoted 40 years to the ministry of nutrition and housekeeping services, serving at Seton High School, St. Joseph Infant and Maternity Home. St. Rose. She later held a variety of positions at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse, including mail clerk, food service and laundry coordinator. She retired in 1985 and is currently serving the ministry of prayer.

Sister Martha Ann Conley taught high school students for more than 20 years before becoming director of admissions at the College of Mount St. Joseph. In 1971, she began working as the director of financial aid at the college until 1987 when she became assistant director of financial aid part-time. She is currently retired and living in Mother Margaret Hall, serving the ministry of prayer.

Sister Imelda Cooper spent many of her 30 years as an educator at Cincinnati’s St. Boniface, St. Bernadette, St. Saviour, and St. Mary Hyde Park. Today she is retired and living in Mother Margaret Hall, serving in the ministry of prayer.

Sister Patricia Dempsey taught intermediate and junior high grades for more than 20 years. From 1993 until 1996, Sister Patricia worked as a part-time receptionist for the SC Executive Offices and then as a pastoral minister at St. Vincent De Paul  Parish, Since her retirement to the motherhouse, she has volunteered at DePaul Cristo Rey High School as a receptionist.

Sister Maureen Donovan ministered as a primary school teacher at the following archdiocesan schools: St. Patrick, St. Aloysius, Resurrection, and St. Bernadette. She spent her last 35 years in full-time ministry as elementary principal at St. James in Bay City, Mich. She is now a retired volunteer residing at the St. James convent.

Sister John Miriam Jones served as academic dean at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati from 1997 until 2001. While in this position she was instrumental in launching the college’s liberal arts and sciences curriculum. Prior to this she worked at the University of Notre Dame as associate provost, playing a principle role in the university’s transition from an all-male to coeducational institution. She has since retired to the motherhouse where she is currently a volunteer.

Sister Ann Koebel (formerly Sister Marianna) has ministered in a variety of locations and positions throughout Cincinnati, including Seton High School as a teacher and counselor and Marian High School as a counselor and assistant principal. In addition, Sister Ann was the assistant principal at St. Joseph Infant and Maternity Home and her community’s personnel director. She is currently a retired volunteer, residing in Mother Margaret Hall.

Sister Benedicta Mahoney spent more than 50 years in elementary and secondary education. She ministered as a junior high school teacher at St. William, St. Lawrence, and St. Gabriel For 29 years, Sister Benedicta taught at Seton High School. She is currently retired and volunteers her time in the Archives at the Motherhouse.

Sister Marie Alice Moran was an educator in grade schools in Florida, Colorado, Michigan and Ohio, ministering as an intermediate teacher at St. Teresa from 1959 to 1964. In 1989 she left the formal classroom to minister in the reading lab at the College of Mount St. Joseph. She remained in this position until 1995. She is currently a retired volunteer in congregational services.

Sister Bernadette Marie Shumate ministered at St. Rita School for the Deaf for 50 years as an elementary teacher, resident advisor and teacher of the hearing impaired. She is retired and living in Mother Margaret Hall. She volunteers her time to pastoral care.

65 Years

Sister Grace Ann Gratsch was missioned to Rome, Italy, in 1959, to teach English to Italian boys at Villa Nazareth for six years. Locally, Sister Grace served as pastoral minister at Nativity, St. Bonaventure, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga. In addition,  she was the assistant director of ministry at the motherhouse for two years, and director of religious education at Holy Name in Trenton. She is now retired and volunteering her time to social services.

Sister Dolores Johnson’s first mission as a Sister of Charity was in 1950 as a music teacher at Seton High School. She continued in the same capacity at St. Teresa and at St. William. In 1957,  she was missioned to teach English to second grade boys at Villa Nazareth in Rome, Italy. She returned to Cincinnati in 1969 to teach at Marian High School. She then served as housekeeper and driver at the motherhouse and is currently the sacristan at the motherhouse chapel.

Sister Marie Patrice Joyce ministered in the archdiocese as a primary teacher at St. Saviour and St. Boniface. In 1968, she became the principal at St. Andrew in Milford. She remained in the role for three years before becoming the parish religious education coordinator, and then served as principal again. She is now retired to the motherhouse and volunteers in miscellaneous services.

Sister Ann Lehman (formerly Sister Ann Josetta) enjoyed 38 years teaching in Ohio, Colorado, Maryland and Michigan. Sister served at Holy Cross, Holy Angels, and St. Albert. She was then a house manager at St. Leonard Center in Dayton and Marianist Mission in Dayton in the 1990s. Sister Ann is retired and volunteering in miscellaneous services.

Sister Barbara Muth (formerly Sister Richard) has held a variety of positions in Ohio. In the archdiocese, she served as primary and intermediate teacher at St. Martin De Porres and St. Dominic. She was also principal at St. Bernadette in Amelia. In addition, she served two years at St. Anthony of Padua in Dayton as a pastoral minister. In 2001, Sister Barbara became the director of the Seton Enablement Fund, resigning in 2005. She is currently retired and serves as a volunteer at Mother Margaret Hall.

Sister Edward Rielage has spent her entire career in the field of education. In the archdiocese, she ministered at St. Boniface, first as an elementary teacher, then as principal. After serving as an elementary teacher at St. William, Sister Edward became the elementary school librarian at St. Lawrence until 2000. She currently resides in Mother Margaret Hall and volunteers in miscellaneous services.

Sister Mary Pauline Tsai: After entering the Sisters of Charity from Wuchang, China, Sister Mary Pauline became a student nurse at Cincinnati Good Samaritan Hospital. After a decade in the West, she returned to Cincinnati and the hospital in 1970 where she continued as an RN. She later ministered at St. Joseph Infant and Maternity Home as an RN. She is currently retired and living in Mother Margaret Hall, serving in the ministry of prayer.

60 Years

Sister Paula Gonzalez taught biology at Seton High School and the College of Mount St. Joseph. She then became a freelance consultant doing workshops, talks and retreats on various aspects of global futures: Eco-spirituality, renewable energy, sustainability, “green building,” and more. She has built two solar buildings: La Casa del Sol and EarthConnection. Sister Paula is a board member of Green Energy Ohio and was recently awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award. She also serves on the archdiocesan Climate Change Task Force and is on the board of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light.

Sister Jane Bernadette Leo began ministering as a primary teacher for St. Rita School for the Deaf in 1955. She only left St. Rita for three years, during which she taught at St. Charles School in Lima. She felt the call to return to St. Rita and ministered in various capacities as elementary teacher, resident advisor and religion teacher until 2006. Sister Jane Bernadette is currently retired and living on the property of St. Rita, volunteering her services at the school and Glendale Healthcare Facility.

Sister Joan Carole Schaffner began her ministry in education as a teacher in Cincinnati at St. Mary Hyde Park, Cure of Ars, and St. Lawrence. In 1969, she began a new career as a social worker at Cincinnati Good Samaritan Hospital in the Newborn/Infant Intensive Care Unit. She remained at the hospital until 2004. She is currently a retired volunteer, offering her time to miscellaneous services.

Sister Frances Maureen Trampiets served as high school English teacher at Marian High School in Cincinnati before serving in pastoral ministry at St. Stephen. She then served as the communications director at the motherhouse for five years. In 1985, she was offered a position at the University of Dayton’s Center for Religious Telecommunications, which she accepted and kept for 16 years. Today Sister Fran is a retired volunteer in the area of social services.

25 Years 

Sister Margarita María Brewer became the director of Su Casa in Cincinnati in 2001, and the following year, she was named Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan. From 2003 until 2012, Sister Margarita ministered with Cincinnati Public Schools as an educational services coordinator, helping English language learners succeed. She also founded the nonprofit English Language Learning Foundation Inc., the mission of which is to help English language learners to succeed without losing their cultural identity. She is now a retired volunteer in educational services.

Sister Mary Kay Bush ministered six years in Cincinnati as principal of St. Mark School. She was her community’s director of initial formation from 2002 until 2007, when she began teaching religion at Seton High School.

Sisters of Mercy 

60 Years 

Sister Marilyn Rose Dietz was a teacher and principal in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. In addition, she served as a teacher at Edgecliff College for four years. She traveled to California, Texas and New Mexico in the work of evangelization for 23 years. Currently, she volunteers at Hospice of Cincinnati and at St. Leo’s food pantry.

Sister Virginia Ann Froehle focuses on spirituality in her writing, speaking and retreat ministries. She is the author of three books, including the best-seller Loving Yourself More: 101 Meditations for Women. She is a spiritual director and retreat director.

Sister Doris Gottemoeller is now president of the newly formed Mercy Education Collaborative of Cincinnati. She recently retired from Catholic Health Partners, where she was senior vice president for mission integration for 13 years. She is the former president of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the former provincial of the Province of Cincinnati of the Sisters of Mercy. She has written and lectured extensively to religious communities and church groups throughout the United States and abroad.

50 Years

Sister Cheryl Erb taught social studies and religion at McAuley and Mother of Mercy high schools in her early years of service.. She served as companion to newer members assisting them in their incorporation to the Sisters of Mercy. For 12 years she worked with RENEW International, assisting dioceses throughout the world in renewing parishes through the creation of small Christian communities. Since completion of a sabbatical in Bolivia and an internship in the mission role of healthcare, she has served as mission director for Mercy Franciscan Terrace and as a mission leader for Senior Health, a division of Catholic Health Partners.

 Sister Judy Gradel moved to Cincinnati in 1982 to participate in active spirituality for the global community. For two years, she served the economically poor and homeless at Welcome House in Covington, Ky., and devoted 20 years to teaching math at McAuley High School. For the past eight years she has served as the administrator of McAuley Convent, a retirement home for the Sisters of Mercy in Cincinnati.

Sister Frances Ann Repka founded and directed Cincinnati’s Archdiocesan Consultation Services for Clergy and Religious in 1976 as well as Mercy Professional Services — a counseling center for the economically poor and underserved — in 1994. For 16 years, she served as a part-time faculty member at the Athenaeum of Ohio. She also was a member of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati task force that researched and authored the original Decree on Child Protection. In addition, she served on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council for six years and several other local and congregational boards and committees. Sister Fran has authored a number of articles and a book.

Sister Patricia Rice ministered as a grade school teacher at Nativity in Cincinnati and a high school teacher Mother of Mercy High School in Cincinnati. With a master’s degree in math, Sister Patricia also taught at Edgecliff College where she was assistant registrar. After a few years working for the Sisters of Mercy in vocation ministry, Sister Patricia earned her master’s degree in social work and served in community mental health for 15 years, as well as in home care. As a clinical social worker, Sister Patricia developed a program for counseling and psychotherapy in physician’s offices at Mercy Health Physicians where she still works.

Sister Victoria Vondenberger taught high school religion and English and served as an assistant principal and principal for more than 20 years. After that, she earned a Juris Canonici Licentiate (JCL) degree in canon law. She has served the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as defender of the bond and promoter of justice at the tribunal since 1990 and as tribunal director since 1991. Sister Vicki also assists in the Office of Mediation and teaches at the archdiocesan seminary and in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program. Active in the Canon Law Society of America, Sister Victoria has given many presentations about canon law throughout the country and in Rome. The author of Catholics Marriage and Divorce, she is editor of several books and many articles on canon law. She is also board president for the Over-the-Rhine and Walnut Hills Soup Kitchens and Pantry.

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur 

70 Years

Sister Marie Andary (formerly Sister Agnes Gertrude) was a classroom teacher for 36 years. She taught in Dayton at Our Lady of the Rosary School, Ascension, St. Helen and Immaculate Conception. She also taught at St George School in Cincinnati. Sister Marie also served as a religious education consultant in the archdiocesan Religious Education Office, as the director of religious education at St. Charles Borromeo School in Kettering, and as assistant project manager of the Alliance for Work-Based Education at the University of Dayton.

Sister Maureen Brogan (formerly Sister Ann Josephine) taught first and second grades in Cincinnati, first at Cardinal Pacelli School and then at St. James of the Valley School in Wyoming.  She served in both schools for two years each.

Sister Mary Buckley (formerly Sister Mary Ellen) was a classroom teacher in Cincinnati and Hamilton for 12 years.  She taught at Mount Notre Dame Academy, Cardinal Pacelli, Notre Dame High School and Summit Country Day School.

Sister Ruth Ellen Evers (formerly Sister Ann Timothy) was a principal or teacher over the course of 32 years in a number of schools in the archdiocese. The schools in Cincinnati were Cardinal Pacelli, St. Augustine, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Corryville Catholic. She also taught at St. Agnes School in Dayton and St. Veronica School in Hamilton.

Sister Patricia Kinser (formerly Helen Patricia) was a classroom teacher for 47 years, 39 of which were in schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  They included Holy Angels and St. Helen in Dayton, St. Veronica and Catholic Central Community School in Hamilton, and St. Peter and Paul, St. Paul and St. Xavier.  She was also a tutor at the Alliance for Work-Based Education at the University of Dayton and a staff member of Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati.

Sister Mary Elaine Tarpy (formerly Sister Amelia) spent 10 years teaching in Cincinnati Catholic schools including St. George and St. James of the Valley.  She also served on the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur international congregational team in Rome for nine years, and on the Ohio Province leadership team as Director of the Office of Life Development. In addition, for nine years Sister Mary Elaine headed a region of the Sisters of Notre Dame Associates program.

60 Years

Sister Mary Lou Stoffel (formerly Sister Robert Michael) has been an educator for 57 years, serving as a classroom teacher and principal.  Of those, she was in Dayton at Immaculate Conception School for 15 years, at St. Francis de Sales School in Lebanon for three and two years at St. Michael School in Sharonville.

Sister Jeanne Marie Suerth (formerly Sister Jeanne Patricia) has given 17 years of service in the archdiocese including nine years in the classroom at Holy Angels School in Dayton and Notre Dame Education Center in Hamilton.  She was also a chaplain at Cincinnati Works.  Sister Jeanne Marie also taught in Catholic schools in Columbus and Chicago.

Sisters of the Precious Blood 

60 Years

Sister Mary Rose McCrate spent 42 years in education, including teaching music in the primary grades. She later spent 12 years in pastoral ministry and five years as activity director at Twin Towers Place in Dayton.

50 Years 

Sister Pat Gist spent the first 11 years of her ministry as a teacher in Ohio. She ministered in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Religious Education Department as assistant director from 1985-87. She was also administrator of the Maria Stein Center in Maria Stein from 1992-97.

Sister Joyce Langhals has been active in education, law practice and congregational leadership during her years of ministry. She began as a teacher at Immaculate Conception High School in Celina from 1967-70. She was vice-principal at Regina High School in Norwood, Ohio, from 1975-77, and served her community as vocation/candidate director in Dayton from 1977-82. She attended the University of Dayton School of Law from 1982-85 and worked as an associate attorney in Troy from 1985-87, when she entered community leadership. She was vice president of the Sisters of the Precious Blood from 1987-91 and then served as president from 1991-99. She worked in senior housing in Dayton from 2000-07. She is currently director of initial formation for her community.

Sister Nancy Wolf retired at the close of the 2012-13 school year after 46 years as a primary teacher. She spent the last 30 years at Immaculate Conception School in Celina, including the last 27 as a kindergarten teacher. She previously taught first grade at Immaculate Conception and at schools in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

This listing originally appeared in the October 2013 print edition of The Catholic Telegraph.