2020 Jubilarians
Although we cannot physically gather now, we want to take this time to honor our 2020 Sister and Covenant Companion jubilarians. Over the next few weeks, we will celebrate the lives and contributions of our 7 Sister jubilarians and our 3 Covenant Companion jubilarians. Please join us in recognition of their commitment to living Gospel values.
Message from Provincial Directress Sr. Melanie Paradis:
70 Years
Sr. Mary Pat
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“After high school I worked in the main office at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Wisconsin until I entered. I enjoyed my work which included admitting, switchboard, billing, and whatever had to be done, including wet-mopping and cleaning the offices on Saturdays. I lived in the girls’ dorm and therefore had the privilege of attending daily Mass and Communion with the Sisters. I truly believe this inspired me to discover my vocation and attraction to the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters by their work and way of life.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“September 1979, Sr. Ursula called me at St. Elizabeth Hospital, while I was at work in the Outpatient Admitting Office asking me if I would like to work as a Nurse’s Assistant at Marian Health Center with our Sisters. I was delighted because since my Mom passed away, I felt as if I was being called to serve the sick. That evening I went to the Chapel and prayed over it. I opened my Bible and the passage from Romans 12, 12-16 confirmed my assignment. To me this was a beautiful and meaningful happening in my life.”
65 Years
Sr. Alice Reckamp
What attracted you to the Wheaton Franciscan way of life?
“I got to know the sisters because of my aunt, Sister Marcella. Mom would talk about the sisters when she and dad returned from visiting Sr. Marcella. After the 8th grade, I told mom I wanted to be a sister there. Since we did not have an aspirancy at that time, I waited until after my sophomore year of high school.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“When I was first told that I’d be going to Marquette University to study medical technology, I didn’t even know what a medical technologist was.”
How would you like to be remembered?
“As a prayerful sister.”
Sr. Julie Walsh
Sr. Julie was born in Mayo, Ireland and came to the United States in 1950. She entered the Franciscan Sisters on May 19, 1955 and made her final vows in 1960. Sr. Julie entered the nursing program at Marillac College, St. Louis and graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1963. She received her Masters in Religious Education and Ministry from Mundeline College in Chicago (later merged with Loyola). Sr. Julie spent several months in Rome in a Religious Formation Program with the Apolostic Religious Community called The Tour to the Holy Land 1980 Spirituality of the Holy places Land of Jesus and Land of the Bible. She was also one of the first sisters to reside in a small community of Sisters at St. Michael Hospital. The community was called Hope Community and Sr. Julie was the directress there.
Sr. Julie had held various leadership roles in nursing at St. Michael Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She became the director of the Cardiac ICU after taking advanced courses in cardiac nursing. Sr. Julie became interested in Addictions Counseling and took courses in counseling and then worked in this specialty in Oak Park from 1992-1996. Sr. Julie also worked with the elderly Sisters at the motherhouse in Wheaton as Director of Marian Health Center and later as Animator with the senior Sisters.
When asked how she would like to be remembered, Sr. Julie responded, “Understood human nature and was compassionate especially to the downtrodden.”
60 Years
Sr. Mary Beth Glueckstein
What attracted her to the Franciscan community?
“My great aunt, Sr. Kostka, was the person who asked me to think about joining the Community. I always admired her joyfulness, spontaneity and creativity in stretching rules so she could be available to others. She died a month after I entered the community and told me she could ‘let go now because she had someone to replace her.’ I was excited about joining a community that meant a lot to Sister Kostka.”
In an article for New Membership, Sr. Mary Beth wrote the following in 2006;
“The majority of my life in community has been one of service to the sick, initially as a bedside nurse and then in administration within the Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare System. My service within the health field has helped me to develop a compassionate heart. I feel that my call is to serve others, and ultimately God, with a compassionate heart.
I have been blessed over the years to have many people within and without the community call me to expand my boundaries and to imagine with new eyes. My journey through life has been one of coming back to God and of becoming more deeply one with God. I believe that in staying faithful to my desire for oneness with God is how my heart has grown tender and how my capacity for loving has expanded.”
Sr. Margaret Grempka
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“The humanity of the sisters attracted me. Originally, I joined a Franciscan community that taught at the high school I attended. After the renewal of Vatican II, when they began to regress toward pre-Vatican II lifestyles and practices, I transferred here. I was attracted to this community by the openness, spirituality, and commitment to personal and communal growth. Mother Clara has become a deep and abiding inspiration for me—as have my sisters who incarnate her values now.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“…The opportunity to visit Assisi and the places of Mother Clara changed my life as have the opportunities for ‘inner work’. Leading the Sponsorship Discernment allowed me to integrate and use for the Province all my life experiences, work and education. Being in service to the Province has touched my heart and changed me profoundly through intimate contact with the lives and individuals of the Province…I am grateful for the many ways I have been blessed and gifted.”
Sr. Margaret has served the Province as Treasurer, Vice Treasurer to Indonesia as they prepared to become a Province, Provincial Directress, Provincial Council, and as coordinator for Covenant Membership. She has also served extensively in the sponsorship of Wheaton Franciscan System Inc. as a board member, a board member of the Sponsorship Board, and managed a sponsorship discernment for the community.
Sr. Mary Ellen McAllese
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“Simplicity…earthiness…joy
While I was in high school, we went on a bus trip to St. Joseph Hospital in Milwaukee. The aspirants went along… The sisters’ joy and humanness was attractive to me…So I joined the aspirancy in 1958.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“Chaplain at Marianjoy and being provincial are just about ‘equal’ favorite ministries for me. The ‘why’ or the ‘highlight’ is the acceptable opportunity that they each provided for the use of my gifts for ritual and liturgy and through these gifts to truly touch the lives of others in spiritually enriching ways.”
Sr. Mary Ellen has been a teacher in different settings including being an educational consultant for WFSI. She has served the community as a Formation Directress and Vocational Directress, the Provincial Directress and as a councilor on the Provincial Leadership team. Sr. Mary Ellen has been a long time spiritual director and enjoyed being a chaplain at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.
40 Years
Sr. Gabriele Uhlein
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“I was introduced to the Franciscans while studying in college. I subsequently became a staff member at a Franciscan retreat center. It was there that I was inspired to find ‘women who lived likewise’.
The vocation director of the friars introduced me to Sr. Dawn Capilupo on March 17, 1978. When she brought me out to Wheaton in May of that year, it felt like a homecoming to women who were alive, vibrant, diverse, and deeply spiritual. The community spirit seemed as familiar and natural as that which I had come to appreciate with the friars.
Two women I especially remember were Sister Virginia Mary Barta, who “welcomed me home”, as only she can, and also Sister Florence Roling, who thoroughly disarmed me with her frankness and her smile.
After a discernment period with Sister Marge Zulaski, I was accepted and began my associate year, May 19, 1979.
My decision to come to the Wheaton has been affirmed many times over since then. I came to find women to pray and grow with, women to love and to learn from, and I have been blessed a hundredfold by the sisters that God has given me here.”
Sr. Gabriele served as Vice President of Education in Wheaton Franciscans System, Inc., then served as New Membership Director, and as a council member for two Province Council (2000-2008). Since then, Sr. Gabriele has been engaged in adult spiritual development for individuals and communities. She has a had a leadership role at the Christine Center (a center for spirituality and meditation in Willard, WI) for the last decade, as well as continued to provide workshops and processes for women religious.
Covenant Companions
25 Years
Nancy Behr
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“Sr. Ruth Gauthier invited Joe and myself to a Milwaukee Covenant meeting. Having been a vowed member of the Wheaton Franciscans for 20 years I never lost the Franciscan spirit and my love for the Franciscan way of life. I felt very much at home with the Milwaukee Covenant group. Through our prayer and discussion, I then pursued Covenant Membership. It was like coming home again.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“I have enjoyed all my years as an elementary school educator. Children and young adults are very special people and I cherish my many memories. My husband Joe was a very special person. His presence in my life helped me to grow into a more loving and spiritual person.”
Jeanne Connolly
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“I am most attracted to the sense of peace and respect that Wheaton Franciscans have for all living creatures. This sense of peace and respect is demonstrated in normal daily actions as well as larger corporate actions. I am attracted to the call for action toward injustice and violence in our world—globally and in our own backyard.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“I became connected with the Wheaton Franciscans when I accepted the position at Marian Park. I fell in love with the property immediately and as I began to meet the Wheaton Franciscans I feel in love with the people. Although I had considered Covenant Companionship, it wasn’t until I left Franciscan Ministries that I knew I wanted and needed this formal relationship. Over the years I have continued to grow spiritually because of the love and support of many Wheaton Franciscans.”
Jeanne has served the community as executive director of Marian Park, Vice President of Housing for FMI, Director Human Resources for WFSI, Director of Organization and Leadership Development for WFSI, Director of Covenant Companionship and Outreach, and currently as Director of Mission and Charism for the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters.
Sue Monaco
What attracted you to the Franciscan way of life?
“The community’s spirituality and the priority given to relationships as well as the issues of peace and justice.”
Briefly share a highlight of your story:
“I felt as if I was coming home when I became a Covenant Companion. I was born in Our Lady of the Angels Parish and now I am back to Our Lady of the Angels Motherhouse. I didn’t know anyone in the Wheaton Franciscan Community, but I was on a quest to find permanent spiritual companions. I visited several communities with associates, but none seemed to fit until I found the Wheaton Franciscans.”
Sue and Steve have been dedicated to Upendo Village for many years. Steve, Sue’s husband, was the volunteer treasurer for Upendo Village for many years and both were donors and assisted in running fund raisings for Upendo Village.
Remembering Our Deceased Jubilarians
Social Media Posts:
