On June 24, 2023, we will be celebrating 8 Jubilarians! We are grateful to rejoice with the Sisters and Covenant Companions, honoring their lives and commitment to living Gospel values.
Event Information:
Date: Sat, June 24, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
Where: We welcome you to attend our livestream of the 2023 Jubilee Celebration.
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A bit about Jubilee:
In the tradition of the Catholic Church, the word “Jubilee” is used to designate an anniversary year. Jubilee is a historical term for a time of celebration or rejoicing. Each year we honor our Jubilarians celebrating 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 65th, 70th or 75th anniversaries. The Wheaton Franciscan community commemorates the anniversary of the Sisters’ religious vows, as well as the anniversary of a Covenant Companion’s initial covenant.
Meet our 2023 Jubilarians
75 Years
Sr. Audrey Marie Rothweil
Congratulations to Sister Audrey Marie Rothweil on her 75th year as a woman religious!
Sister Audrey was drawn to the Franciscan community at a young age because of her aunt, Sister M. Concepta. However, she “did not always want to go to the convent,” and her journey to religious life is, in her words, “a story she may one day write.”
Throughout her 75 years of religious life, Sister Audrey served in various ministries, including teaching at several schools, as well as working as a private secretary and general councilor in Rome. She has also served as the executive secretary general for the International Franciscan Conference of TOR and has written the history of the congregation in Rome, Wheaton, and St. Louis.
Despite working in a wide variety of ministries, Sister Audrey could hardly choose a favorite as she found it difficult to leave each one, indicating her passion and dedication to serving others. She wishes to be remembered as a Franciscan and a daughter of Mother Clara, reflecting her deep connection to the Wheaton Franciscan community. Sister Audrey Marie’s 75 years of service in religious life are inspiring, and we wish her joyous felicitations on her Jubilee!
70 Years
Sr. Martha Friedman
We wish Sister Martha Friedman a blessed 70th Jubilee!
Sister Martha’s journey to religious life began when she was drawn to the Wheaton Franciscans via the Franciscans from Glennonville, Missouri. Throughout her life, she found her calling in nursing, a ministry that allowed her to serve people of all ages in need.
Sister Martha’s dedication to nursing led her to work at St. Michael Hospital from 1961 to 1962 before embarking on a long-term mission to Brazil in 1963. Before leaving for Brazil, she spent eight months in New Mexico learning midwifery and gained valuable experience working with patients in a TB sanitarium and leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana. Once in Brazil, Sister Martha and her team first learned Portuguese in Manaus, Brazil, then headed to Santarem, where they built the mission and began their ministry to the poor in the areas of healthcare and education.
Sister Martha’s devotion to serving others extended beyond healthcare as she was appointed novice directress of the Brazil Mission in 1988 when they started the formation program. She returned to the United States in 2016, having spent over 50 years in Brazil. Sister Martha hopes to be remembered as a Franciscan and a nurse, reflecting her deep connection to her faith and her passion for nursing. Sister Martha’s 70 years of service as a Wheaton Franciscan has left a lasting impact on those she has served and will continue to inspire others for years to come.
65 Years
Sr. Shirley Krull
This year, Sister Shirley Krull is celebrating her 65th Jubilee as a Wheaton Franciscan!
Born and raised in a Franciscan parish of St. Louis, she was attracted to the joyfulness of the Franciscan way of life at an early age. She had the opportunity to interact with Franciscan friars during her school days and even worked in the Franciscan Provincialate office, which further strengthened Sister Shirley’s interest in religious life. In 1958, she joined the Wheaton Franciscans after communicating with Sister Wilma and meeting Sister Hyacinth at St. Anthony Hospital, and in 1966 took her final vows.
Sister Shirley’s favorite ministry was “working with the poor and the black people,” and she had the chance to serve in several places, such as the Inner City in St. Louis, Marian Park in Wheaton, Hope Fair Housing Center, and Zimbabwe, Africa. Reflecting on her ministry work, she is grateful that the community leadership supported her desire to work with the poor.
Sister Shirley’s life is marked by her compassionate nature and her desire to live a loving life.
Throughout her 65 years as a Wheaton Franciscan, Sister Shirley has dedicated herself to serving others and living out the Franciscan values of compassion, humility, and simplicity. Her life is a testament to the importance of following one’s calling and living a life of service to others. Sister Shirley’s story is an inspiration to all those who aspire to live a life of meaning and purpose. Congratulations!
65 Years
Sr. Clare Nyderek
Congratulations to Sister Clare Nyderek on her 65th Jubilee!
Her journey into religious life started when she was a freshman at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. It was there that she had her first close experience with Catholics and women religious. Wheaton Franciscan Sisters Marian Cronk, fellow Jubilarian Audrey Marie Rothweil, and Francine were also studying at the college and lived next door to Sister Clare in the dormitories. She became friends with them and had the opportunity to visit the Motherhouse. The “kindness, happiness, hospitality, and humanness of the Wheaton Franciscans” drew her in, and she entered the order in 1958.
Sister Clare’s favorite ministry was her time at the mission in Santarem, Brazil. She was touched by the simplicity of life, the closeness of God to the people, and their faith, despite poverty and subsistence living. The people there were always hospitable and willing to share their life, despite having nothing of their own. Sister Clare also cherished her experiences with the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters in all the provinces and regions of their congregation during her service on the General Council.
She would like to be remembered as a loving, simple sister to all her fellow sisters and everyone she meets. Her life as a Wheaton Franciscan has been filled with service to God’s people, and she has been drawn to the community by their kindness and the desire to serve others. Her time in Brazil and on the General Council has given her many cherished experiences that she will always treasure.
60 Years
Sr. Diane Pryzborowski
Sister Diane Pryzborowski’s 60-year legacy as a Franciscan Sister began in high school.
She was drawn to the Franciscan way of life and the ideal of Francis’ simplicity, single-mindedness, and deep love of God. She spent eleven years in another Franciscan community before joining the Wheaton Franciscans around 1973. Here she found a dynamic community of women dedicated to living religious life in an “open-to-the-Spirit manner.”
Throughout her religious life, Sister Diane served in various ministries, including grade school and high school teaching, retreat direction, spiritual direction, education consulting, formation directress, and counseling for those living with HIV/AIDS. She also served on the Provincial Council and as the Provincial Directress.
One of Sister Diane’s highlights was her experience living in a hermitage in the woods, where she learned to live simply, be still, and be one with God. She fondly recalls watching a beautiful waterfall that was born after a heavy rainstorm, which she saw as a delightful surprise from God.
Sister Diane would like to be remembered as someone “who laughed easily, shared herself enthusiastically, taught well, loved people and God deeply, was faithful to the journey, loved the earth and the heavens, and lived life to the fullest.” We are grateful for her spiritual ministry and wish Sister Diane a wonderful Jubilee!
60 Years
Sr. Francetta Glowinski
A blessed 60th Jubilee to Sister Francetta Glowinski!
When asked what attracted her to the Wheaton Franciscans and religious life, she had this to say:
“In high school, I joined the Third Order of St. Francis. I was very much taken by the life of Francis. I had wanted to be a missionary doctor since second or third grade. While I was not at all drawn by the life of Sisters in my grade school, I was very attracted to the life of… the Sisters who taught me in high school. Being a Franciscan religious was the ‘biggest’ life I could imagine for myself.
After some eleven years in that community, I found myself more and more different from what the Community saw as normative. Some Franciscan priests [I] knew recommended to a number of us that we meet the Wheaton Franciscans since we seemed to be kindred spirits. […] I went and met Sisters Virginia Mary Barta, Mary Alice DeSutter, Mary Beth Glueckstein, and Alice Drewek, among others. In the Motherhouse, I met older Sisters who were still filled with life and not just waiting to die. Almost immediately, I laid down my defenses and asked to transfer.”
Sister Francetta has served in various ministries over the years, but her favorite is her Ministry Fund work with the Women and Children and the Health and Dental Teams. She would like to be remembered, “as one who listened and understood, who was creative, witty, and wise, and who was a good friend.”
40 Years
Sr. Melanie Paradis
Sr. Melanie Paradis is celebrating her 40th Jubilee this year!
Sister Melanie was attracted to the Franciscan way of life “because of its ‘aliveness’ and joy in life, [and] the simplicity of it all.” The invitation from the Sisters in her community to join the Wheaton Franciscans felt like coming home.
She started her journey in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, teaching junior high at St. Charles Borromeo School in Milwaukee, WI, then later becoming a teacher at Mother of Good Counsel School. In addition, Sister Melanie pursued her graduate studies at Stritch University in Milwaukee from 1992-1994.
She has a diverse range of experiences, having served as the Formation Directress of the Wheaton Franciscans and as a spiritual and retreat director. Moreover, she served as Provincial Councilor from 2012-2016, as Provincial Directress from 2016-2020, and is currently serving as the Regional Directress. She believes that each experience prepares her for the next, and the movement of the Spirit is constant.
Sr. Melanie’s life is an example of being present and available. She wants to be remembered as “myself, a daughter, sister, aunt, and friend – a person who lived the best life she could.” Her journey with the Wheaton Franciscans has brought her immense joy and satisfaction, and she continues to serve and inspire others with her commitment to her faith. Congratulations!
40 Years
Covenant Companion
Carol Sedja
Congratulations to Carol Sedja on her 40th Jubilee as a Covenant Companion!
Carol was born in Hammond, IN, in 1944, first encountering the Franciscan Sisters while attending Catholic grade school. Remembering her childhood, she recalls the loving influence of her mom, her dad, and her sister, all examples of faith and strength in the face of adversity. It was also during this time that Carol witnessed variability in the quality of nursing care her father received at several veterans’ hospitals, sparking an interest in nursing as her future career.
After earning her BS in Nursing degree at St. Xavier College in Chicago, Carol joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Brazil and stayed for 3.5 years, learning Portuguese and establishing a health clinic in the town where she worked as a nurse. Upon her return to the States, Carol spent time in California and eventually joined the nursing faculty at Marquette University. It was there she met Sister Rosalie Klein and learned about the Wheaton Franciscan mission in Brazil. She visited and worked in the mission twice, spending a year in total in Santarem, Brazil, and becoming a Covenant Companion along the way.
Reflecting on these last four decades, Carol treasures the feeling of always being welcome in the Wheaton Franciscan community. “My greatest happiness in being a CC is being able to share our stories in deeper ways and being true companions on the journey. When we flounder, we have each other. This jubilee is an important moment to share my joy,” she explains.
This is an excerpt from an article written in honor of Carol’s 40th Jubilee. Read the entire article and discover the whole journey.
