Ferdinand Benedictine Sisters

Twelve Benedictine sisters celebrated special anniversaries of their religious profession on Oct. 25, at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand.

Celebrating 75 years were Sisters Wilma Davis, Mary George Kissel and Theresita Schenk. They entered the monastery in 1938 and professed their vows in 1940.

Sister Mary Victor Kercher celebrated 70 years, entering the monastery in 1943 and making vows in 1945.

Celebrating 60 years were Sisters Mary Leon Kiesel, Mary André Gettelfinger, Barbara Catherine Schmitz, Jacqueline Kissel, Carlita Koch, Jolinda Naas, Mary Beth Maier and Michelle Mohr. They entered the monastery in 1953 and made vows in 1955.

These sisters have served a total of 775 years in ministries in Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Minnesota, California, Columbia, and Guatemala.

• Sister Wilma, a native of Columbus, Ind., taught in Indianapolis, Vincennes and Ferdinand before going to St. Ann Mission in Belcourt, N.D., in 1957. She was a founding member of Queen of Peace Monastery in Belcourt. During her 47 years in Belcourt, she taught school and served as director of religious education for the Diocese of Fargo and for St. Ann Mission.

She also served as prioress of the monastery for eight years and as subprioress for six years. In 2004 she transferred back to the Ferdinand monastery where she did support services and wrote a history of the Ferdinand sisters’ ministry in North Dakota. She has served on the Benedictine Oblate Team and currently serves in the ministry of prayer.

• Sister Mary George, a native of Evansville, taught at St. Benedict in Evansville and at Celestine. She served as principal and taught at Holy Spirit, St. Joseph and Resurrection in Evansville, and Christ the King in Indianapolis. She worked as a reading therapist at the Evansville Rehabilitation Center. She was a missionary and teacher in Bogota, Colombia, for three years.

In 1975, she established The Reading Carrel in Evansville and served for 38 years as director and teacher. She currently works in monastery support services and does tutoring for Family Scholar House.

• Sister Theresita, a native of St. Philip in Posey County, taught music for almost 60 years at schools in Haubstadt, Evansville (St. Benedict, Christ the King and St. Joseph), at the academy in Ferdinand, where she also served as alumnae director, St. Benedict College in Ferdinand, College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota, Saint Meinrad College and Seminary, and Vincennes University Jasper Center.

She also served as an organist in the academy and in the parishes where she taught. At the monastery, she has been a liturgist, organist, music teacher and composer of liturgical music. She continues her music ministry as organist and composer and serves in prayer ministry.

• Sister Mary Victor, a native of Evansville, has taught in Washington, Indianapolis, Columbus and at Evansville Mater Dei, and was principal at St. Ferdinand High School. In 1965, she was among the first Ferdinand Benedictines to serve in Guatemala. During her 13 years there, she helped establish a Benedictine monastery. Upon her return, she was director of Hope Community in Little Falls, Minnesota. She served as parish minister at St. Agnes in Evansville and pastoral associate in Milford, Ind. She worked for the Midwest Hispanic Regional Office and in Hispanic ministry for the Diocese of Evansville. She currently serves in prayer ministry.

• Sister Mary Leon, from Fort Branch, has taught at St. Theresa in Evansville, Rockport, Huntingburg, Celestine and Holy Family in Jasper. She also worked in the Stephen Ministry program at Holy Family Parish. She did support services at the monastery, including assisting in activities for senior sisters. Currently she serves in prayer ministry.

• Sister Mary André, a native of Palmyra, Ind., taught at St. Theresa and Holy Redeemer in Evansville, Clarksville, Haubstadt, Fort Branch, Ireland and Apple Valley, California. She served in hospitality and as facility coordinator at Kordes Center. She currently does tours, hospitality ministry, hair care and other supportive services at the monastery.

• Sister Barbara Catherine, from Marywood, Ill., has taught at Huntingburg, Haubstadt and Evansville Marian Day School. She served as director of Special Religious Education for the Evansville Diocese and was associate academic dean and director of the summer graduate program and continuing education at St. Meinrad School of Theology. She was also director of Kordes Center. Currently, she is outreach advocate for Family Scholar House in Southern Indiana and works in Mission Advancement Office at the monastery.

• Sister Jacqueline, from Evansville, served as a teacher at Boonville, St. Joseph in Evansville, Fort Branch and Evansville Marian Day School. She worked at the Evansville Diocesan Office of Education, at Catholic Charities in Evansville and at the Christian Social Services Center in Rockport. She served as director of initial formation at the monastery in Ferdinand and as pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish in Jasper and St. Anthony Parish in Evansville. Currently, she directs the sisters’ House of Discernment in Evansville and cares for a family member.

• Sister Carlita, a native of Evansville, taught in Indianapolis, Huntingburg, St. Benedict and Mater Dei in Evansville, and St. Ferdinand High School and Academy Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. She worked at St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove, Ind. She served as monastery treasurer, business manager, and as prioress of the Sisters of St. Benedict. She was director of Kordes Center, administrative assistant at St Joseph Hospital in Huntingburg, and chaplain at hospitals in Fort Wayne. She was pastoral associate at St. Anthony Parish in Evansville and at Mitchell. Currently she serves in prayer ministry.

• Sister Jolinda, from Haubstadt, taught at St. Benedict, St. Joseph, St. Theresa and Christ the King in Evansville, at Fort Branch, Boonville, and Norco, Calif. She served as principal at Evansville Christ the King, Holy Family in Jasper, Flaget Elementary in Vincennes, Huntington Beach, Calif., and Hardinsburg, Ky. She was pastoral associate and director of religious education at St. Agnes in Uniontown, Ky., and Resurrection Parish in Evansville. She currently serves in supportive services at the monastery.

• Sister Mary Beth, from Haubstadt, taught at St. Joseph, St. Benedict, Holy Spirit, Mater Dei and Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville, St. Ferdinand High School, and Holy Family in Jasper. She worked in mission advancement, communications and as librarian at the monastery and Marian Heights Academy, where she also did tutoring. She is currently in supportive services at the monastery.

• Sister Michelle, from Evansville, was a music teacher at Holy Rosary and St. Joseph in Evansville, Huntingburg and Academy Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. She served as director of sisters in initial formation and in retreat ministry at Kordes Center. She was liturgist and minister of music at St. Joseph Parish in Jasper and at the monastery. She currently serves in music ministry and does liturgical projects at the monastery.

Founded in 1867, the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand currently number 149 and serve in areas of education, parish work, health care, retreat and spirituality work, social services, counseling, and mission work in Indiana, Kentucky and Peru.