Eighty Years

Sister Bernadette Kambeitz
Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, Sister Bernadette began her years of ministry teaching chemistry, physics, and math at schools in Ohio, Michigan, and New Mexico. Schools she taught at in the Cincinnati Archdiocese are Holy Cross School, Cincinnati (1942-1946), Holy Trinity High School, Middletown (1948-1952), Catholic Central High School, Springfield (1952-1953), and Seton High School, Cincinnati (1953-1961). Sister Bernadette spent the next 30-plus years at St. Joseph Hospital in Mount Clemens, Michigan, first in clinical lab work and then as coordinator of major donors. She currently lives at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Seventy-five Years

Sister Rose Virginia Brown
Born in Sidney, Ohio, and raised in Marion, Ohio, Sister Rose Virginia began her years of ministry teaching high school science, those in the Cincinnati Archdiocese being St. Raphael High School, Springfield (1944-1945) and Seton High School, Cincinnati (1945-1948). She transitioned into the hospital and ministered as a clinical lab supervisor, serving at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati from 1960-1966. Sister spent more than 40 years at Penrose Hospital in Colorado. She is now retired and lives at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Miriam Clare Glandorf
Born and raised in Norwood, Ohio, Sister Miriam Clare spent her education ministry at schools in Ohio, Michigan, and New Mexico. She taught elementary grades in Cincinnati at St. Patrick School (1947-1954), St. Dominic School (1954-1957), and St. Saviour School (1970-1971). She served as principal at several schools, including St. Dominic, Cincinnati (1957-1959), St. Albert the Great School, Dayton (1966-1968), St. Jude School, Cincinnati (1968-1970), Holy Cross School, Cincinnati (1971-1976), and St. Vincent de Paul School, Cincinnati (1976-1999). Sister Miriam Clare retired in 1999, and now lives at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Emily Anne Phelan
Sister Emily has spent her years as a Sister of Charity in a variety of ministries in Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, California, and Maryland. She began her teaching ministry in the Archdiocese at St. Elizabeth School in Norwood (1945-1949) and Holy Family School in Cincinnati (1949-1951). After serving as principal at schools in Michigan and northern Ohio, she became director of formation at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse in Cincinnati (1963-1968). From 1970 to 1974, she ministered in the religion department at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. Sister Emily served as a chaplain at hospitals in California and Colorado for 17 years before retiring in 1994. She currently lives at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Kathleen Stang
Born and raised in Ft. Laramie, Ohio, Sister Kathleen served in a variety of ministries in Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, and Brazil. She began teaching in the Archdiocese at St. Boniface School, Cincinnati (1945-1948), St. Rose School, Cincinnati (1948-1953), St. John the Baptist School, Harrison (1953-1954), and Seton High School, Cincinnati (1957-1959). Sister then served as a counselor at several schools, including Archbishop Alter High School, Dayton (1962-1966), Marian High School, Cincinnati (1975-1978), and Catholic Central High School, Springfield (1978-1979). From 1971 to 1973, she served as the principal of St. Joseph Commercial High School in Dayton, then from 1973 to 1975, she was the assistant principal of Marian High School. From 1992-1998, Sister Kathleen served at Bayley, first as assistant of Assisted Living resident services, then as director and later associate of pastoral care. She retired in 1998, and currently resides at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Seventy Years

Sister Linda Chavez
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sister Linda taught in Ohio, Michigan, and New Mexico. After teaching at Corpus Christi School in Dayton, Ohio (1949-1951) and Holy Trinity High School in Middletown, Ohio (1951-1952), she taught home economics at several schools, those in the Cincinnati Archdiocese being Catholic Central High School in Springfield (1952-1956), Seton High School in Cincinnati (1956-1960), and Bishop Fenwick High School in Middletown (1960-1967). In 1969, she returned to Albuquerque to minister in a variety of capacities for the next 40-plus years. Sister Linda currently resides at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Julia Mary Deiters
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Julia Mary began her education ministry teaching high school and junior high math and science. Schools she served at in the Cincinnati Archdiocese include St. Brigid grade and junior high school, Xenia (1950-1952), Archbishop Alter High School, Dayton (1962-1963), and Seton High School, Cincinnati (1969-1975). In 1974, Sister Julia Mary was asked to tutor a small group of adults who wanted to improve their reading and math skills for better employment opportunities. She became the director of a Mennonite inner city program for adult education from 1975 to 1980. In 1980, she was asked to initiate an adult education program for Terrace Guild, an organization serving low-income individuals and families in Winton Terrace community in Cincinnati. While serving as the director of adult education there from 1979 to 2003, she also created an adult education program at St. Leo the Great Parish in Cincinnati. Her efforts led to her being named one of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Women of the Year in March 2002. She is now fully retired, residing in Assisted Living in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Victoria Marie Forde
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Sister Victoria Marie spent her varied education ministry at schools in Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico, Indiana, and Kentucky. Schools that she taught at in the Cincinnati Archdiocese include St. Mary School, Cincinnati (1951-1954), St. Saviour School, Cincinnati (1961-1962), and Carroll High School, Dayton, the second time as chairperson of the English department (1962-1965, 1967-1969). Sister Victoria Marie served for 19 years as an English professor at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati (1973-1992), where she developed Cincinnati’s only women’s studies major. In 1993, she began a full-time Hispanic ministry in Ohio migrant camps north of Dayton, teaching adult education, tutoring children, and arranging for bookmobiles to visit the camps (1993-1994). Sister currently volunteers in the Sisters of Charity Archives.

Sister Mary Kathryn McFerrin
Born and raised in Chillicothe, Ohio, Sister Mary Kathryn spent her education ministry at several schools in Ohio, Colorado, and Michigan. In the Cincinnati Archdiocese, she taught at St. Bernadette School in Amelia (1964-1968, 1982), and served as the librarian at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati (1982-1983) and St. Charles School in Kettering. From 1986 to 1992, Sister Mary Kathryn coordinated arts and crafts at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph, and from 1992 to 1994, she served as one of the facility’s receptionists. Sister retired in 1994, and currently lives in Mother Margaret Hall.

Sister Mary Barbara Philippart
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Sister Mary Barbara began her ministry years teaching elementary grades at schools in Ohio and Michigan, those in Cincinnati being St. William School (1951-1953), Cure of Ars School (1954-1956), and Holy Family School (1956-1959). In 1962, she was missioned to Peru, serving there until 1968, and again from 1976 until 1996. When she returned to Cincinnati, Sister Mary Barbara taught Spanish at Seton High School from 1968 to 1971. She served as coordinator of social services in northern Ohio, then at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse at Mount St. Joseph (1973-1976). She currently lives at the SC Motherhouse, and interprets for Spanish speakers at the Good Samaritan Free Health Center and the Health Resource Center of Cincinnati, Inc., as well as deciphering old records for the SC Archives.

Sixty-five Years

Sister Joan Deiters
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sister Joan ministered at schools in Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan. In Cincinnati, she served as assistant principal at St. Dominic School (1960-1962), and taught chemistry at the College of Mount St. Joseph (1968-1975, 1976-1978). After serving for 38 years in New York as a professor, psychotherapist, and spiritual director, Sister Joan has returned to Cincinnati to offer spiritual direction and retreats at the SC Motherhouse.

Sister Janice Ernst
Born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, and raised in Springfield, Ohio, Sister Janice spent 31 years teaching at schools in Ohio and Michigan, those in the Cincinnati Archdiocese being Cure of Ars School, Cincinnati (1955-1957), St. Saviour School, Cincinnati (1958-1961), Resurrection School, Cincinnati (1961-1963), St. Jude School, Cincinnati (1963-1964), and Catholic Central High School, Springfield (1970-1977). She served as an administrator at the Ohio Association of Senior Centers in Westerville, Ohio, from 1977 to 1981 before spending another decade teaching in the Columbus Archdiocese. Sister Janice is retired and has volunteered at DePaul Cristo Rey High School in Cincinnati since its opening in 2011.

Sister Monica Ann Lucas
Born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, Sister Monica began her ministry teaching in Cincinnati at Resurrection School (1956-1957), Cure of Ars School (1957-1960), and St. Saviour School (1960-1964). After ministering in pastoral care in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Spokane, Washington, for 25 years, she returned to Cincinnati to serve as the director of pastoral care at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph (1999-2006). She is currently retired and volunteers in a variety of capacities.

Sister Jean Miller
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Sister Jean began her teaching ministry at St. Boniface (1955-1956) and St. Patrick (1956-1957) grade schools in Cincinnati. She taught in Colorado and Maryland before going to Rome to serve at the Villa Nazareth orphanage (1961-1970). Upon her return, Sister served in the elementary teaching department at St. Charles grade school in Kettering, Ohio (1970-1971), then as principal at St. Albert the Great grade school in Dayton (1971-1975). From 1975 to 1977, she served at the Archdiocesan School Office in Dayton, then she came to the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse to serve as assistant director and later director of ministry (1977-1979, 1979-1981). From 2005 to 2008, after serving in El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Nicaragua, and New Mexico, Sister became co-coordinator of the Office of Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation at the SC Motherhouse. She is now retired and is very active in volunteer service.

Sister Francis Clare Pavioni
A native of Gallup, New Mexico, Sister Francis Clare worked for an accounting firm and served as a WAVE in World War II before joining the Community. She ministered as bookkeeper at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse from 1954 to 1960 before serving in accounting and business offices in Colorado and New Mexico for several years. She continued this service at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati for one year (1966-1967) before becoming a computer programmer for the hospital (1967-1982). She served as an accountant for Sisters of Charity Health Care Systems from 1982 to 1986, then came to the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse Finance Office as director of computer services until 1994. Since then, she has continued to minister in the Finance Office, posting accounts as a volunteer. Sister Francis Clare currently resides in Assisted Living in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Mary Joyce Richter
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Mary Joyce served as math teacher and assistant principal at schools in Maryland and Michigan from 1955 to 1977 before returning to Cincinnati to serve as director of facilities at the College of Mount St. Joseph from 1978 to 1984. She then began service for the Central Parkway YMCA in Cincinnati, first as executive secretary (1985-1987), and then as administrative assistant (1987-1995). She returned to the College of Mount St. Joseph to teach computer application classes from 1997 to her retirement in 2007. A nature-lover, Sister serves on several boards and committees for this passion, including Cincinnati’s Western Wildlife Corridor.

Sixty Years

Sister Therese Dery
Born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Sister Terry initially joined the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa. She transferred to the SC Community in 1977 and briefly continued her teaching ministry at Chaminade-Julienne High School in Dayton (1973-1974) and Resurrection Catholic grade school in Cincinnati (1974-1975). She was missioned to the Andes Mountains of Peru for seven years, and served upon her return as a mental health therapist at Samaritan Behavioral Health, a counseling center connected to Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton (1987-2015). She retired in 2015, and currently resides in Dayton where she continues to volunteer as a counselor at St. Vincent de Paul Gateway Shelter for Women and Families.

Sister Katherine Hoelscher
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Katie served at schools in northern Ohio before going to Archbishop Alter High School in Dayton, Ohio, which would become her off-and-on home for 20 years, first as math teacher (1974-1976), then as assistant principal (1976-1981), principal (1981-1986), director of alumni relations and recruitment (2000-2005), and finally as interim principal (2005-2007). In between, she taught math at Carroll High School in Dayton (1987-1989) and served in Congregational Leadership as a Network leader and member of the Executive Council (1988-1991). Sister Katie now lives in Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Ruth Kuhn
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Sister Ruth taught high school business at Catholic Central High School in Springfield, Ohio (1963-1971) and St. Joseph Commercial High School in Dayton (1971-1973). She was coordinator of continuing education at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton (1973-1985), then went to the Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning in Dayton, where she served first as specialist for adult continuing education (1985-1986), then as program administrator (1986-1988). She ministered as the program coordinator of mission effectiveness and education for Sisters of Charity Health Care Systems, Inc. (now Catholic Health Initiatives) in Cincinnati (1988-1994). Sister Ruth was residency coordinator and marketing assistant for two years at Bayley (1995-1997) before becoming a team member and secretary for the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center in Cincinnati (1997-2001), then coordinator of the Region VI Coalition for Responsible Investment in Cincinnati (2001-2013). Sister Ruth retired in 2014, and now lives in Assisted Living at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Barbara Padilla
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sister Barbara (formerly Sister Elena) spent much of her ministry in New Mexico, Colorado, and Ecuador serving as a nurse. After attaining her nursing degree, she served for one year at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility in Cincinnati (1959-1960), then three years as nurse supervisor at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio (1960-1963). She also ministered at St. Joseph Infant Home in Cincinnati as a nurse for four years (1971-1975). After returning to Cincinnati in 2009, she taught at St. James White Oak grade school until her retirement. She now lives in Assisted Living at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Carolyn Ann Siebert
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Carolyn Ann (formerly Ann Charles) began her ministry at St. Joseph Orphanage, serving as a group mother and teacher (1960-1966). From 1968 to 1977, Sister ministered as group mother at St. Joseph Infant Home and remained there when they began serving children with significant developmental disabilities and medical fragilities, and then as volunteer coordinator from 1977 to 1989. Sister served as secretary of the religious studies office at St. Gertrude School in Cincinnati (1996-2001), then as a teacher aide at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Cincinnati (2002-2006). She also ministered for 10 years as a teacher aide at St. Margaret of York in Loveland (2006-2016). She is currently retired and lives in Assisted Living at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility at Mount St. Joseph.

Sister Martha Walsh
Born and raised in Xenia, Ohio, Sister Martha began her nursing ministry at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility as nurse supervisor (1959-1960). She then served at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati as head nurse (1961-1964) and nurse supervisor (1964-1971). She was inspired to return to school to study midwifery, which took her to Simpson Center in Springfield, Ohio, as a nurse-midwife (1975-1977) and the College of Mount St. Joseph as an assistant professor (1977-1980; 2003-2005). After being missioned twice to Africa for a total of nine years, Sister Martha was elected as councilor to the Sisters of Charity Leadership Team (1995-2003) and also served for several years on the Stewardship Board of Trustees of Catholic Health Initiatives and on its investment committee. In 2005, she became director of the Seton Enablement Fund. She recently retired from this ministry, and lives at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse.

Fifty Years

Sister Mary Fran Davisson
A native of Lima, Ohio, Sister Mary Fran taught at several grade schools in Cincinnati, including St. Boniface (1978-1982), St. William grade school (1982-1985), and Our Lady of Lourdes (1985-1989). She then served from 1989 to 1994 as the math in-service specialist for teachers of kindergarten through grade six in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. She returned to school to study massage therapy, and from 1999 to the present, she has offered a variety of massages through the Spirituality Center at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse in Cincinnati. Sister Mary Fran has dressed as Mrs. Claus for many years, including a number of years at the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Sister Lois Jean Goettke
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Lois Jean taught at several schools in Ohio, including St. Boniface grade and junior high school in Cincinnati (1976-1980) and St. John the Baptist grade school in Harrison (1980-1986), where she also served as co-principal from 1984 to 1986. She ministered as principal at Bishop Leibold grade school in Dayton (1986-1994) and at St. Brigid grade school in Xenia (1995-2005). From 2005 to 2007, Sister Lois Jean served as director of development in the Ministry Office at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse, and was then elected to serve two terms of Congregational Leadership (2007-2015). In 2016, she began her current ministry at Holy Family Parish in Price Hill, Cincinnati, serving as a pastoral associate. She also serves on the board for DePaul Cristo Rey High School in Cincinnati.

Sister Katharine Pinto
A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, Sister Katharine came to Cincinnati during her formation years and served as a teacher at St. Lawrence Elementary School (1972-1976) and St. Dominic Elementary School (1993-2003). Alongside teaching, she spent many years volunteering at St. Joseph Home in Cincinnati for adults and children with developmental disabilities. From 2004 to 2011, Sister Katharine helped adults who wanted to work toward their GED at Lower Price Hill Community School in Cincinnati. She currently tutors and teaches fourth grade religion classes at Resurrection Catholic School in Price Hill.

Sister Donna Steffen
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Donna taught high school math at Seton High School from 1971 to 1979 before being inspired to go into pastoral ministry. She served as pastoral associate at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in West Chester, Ohio (1981-1990). She then began participating in the annual “Beginnings and Beyond” workshop sponsored by the North American Forum on the Catechumenate, giving presentations on the RCIA in the Cincinnati Archdiocese, and contributed to several publications on the subject, including a book entitled Discerning Disciples: Listening for God’s Voice in Christian Initiation (1997). She gives workshops and webinars on this subject. In 2011, Sister Donna became the director of novices for her Community, and also offers spiritual direction and retreats.

Sister Mary Therese Thorman
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Terry has had a long music ministry that has taken her to several schools, including Cincinnati’s Seton High School (1970-1976, 1979-1985) and Holy Family Catholic School (1991-1994, 1995-1998). While at Seton High School, she helped for 12 years with performing arts students in the “Seton-Elder Series at Eight.” She served as a parish music minister in several locations, including St. Brigid parish in Xenia (1985-1987). From 1995 to 2001, she practiced music therapy at Mercy Health Western Hills Hospital in Cincinnati, a ministry she continues at Mother Margaret Hall nursing facility, along with providing liturgical music at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse. Sister Terry also offers piano classes at the Motherhouse and at Peaslee Neighborhood Center in Over-the-Rhine.

Twenty-five Years

Sister Patricia Ann Dittmeier
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Sister Pat served one year as a youth minister at St. Peter Church in New Richmond, Ohio (1993-1994) and 15 years at Guardian Angels Church in Mount Washington, Ohio (1994-2009), first as a youth minister (1994-2001) and then as director of religious education (2001-2009). In 2010, she began her current ministry as a counselor at IKRON Cincinnati, where she helps adults with addiction and/or mental health challenges.

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, an apostolic Catholic women’s religious community, exist to carry out the Gospel of Jesus Christ through prayer and service in the world. Sisters, using their professional talents in the fields of education, health care, social services and environmental justice, live and minister in 23 U.S. dioceses and in Guatemala and Mexico. They also sponsor institutions to address education, health care and social service needs, with particular concern for direct service to the poor. Approximately 289 Sisters are joined in mission by 206 Associates (lay men and women). Visit the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati website at http://www.srcharitycinti.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sistersofcharityofcincinnati.