The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri, celebrated six of their members for milestone monastic jubilees with a special mass on Sunday, Sept. 12, in Our Lady of Rickenbach chapel.
70 years
Sister Marietta Crahan, OSB
Sister Marietta entered the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1948, made her first monastic profession on Sept. 8, 1950, and her final monastic profession on Sept. 8, 1955. She earned a degree in liturgical studies from St. John’s University. Her early years were formed by the Ursulines, the Franciscans and the Dominicans as the family moved from Michigan to Ohio to Illinois. She later attended the Academy of Our Lady, receiving instruction from the Sisters of St. Joseph. She entered the Benedictines just four months following graduation after discerning her religious calling was one of contemplation instead of teaching or nursing. Her years of service include work in the correspondence department, as portress, writing for Spirit&Life magazine, as archivist, was Clyde prioress and served on the general council.
Sister Pascaline Coff, OSB
Sister Pascaline entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1949, made her first profession on May 13, 1951, and her perpetual vows on May 17, 1956. Prior to her entrance, she attended Fontbonne University in St. Louis and earned a bachelor’s of science degree. She later earned a doctoral degree in theology from St. Mary’s Notre Dame and became a leader in interreligious dialogue. Her congregational duties included leadership roles such as prioress general, Kansas City, Missouri, prioress, postulant director in St. Louis and novice director in Clyde. For more than two decades, she and the Benedictine Sisters hosted retreats for people of many faiths at Osage Forest of Peace in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and she was a dedicated spiritual director. Sister Pascaline co-founded the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and was a staff member of the “Contemporary Review.”
Sister Regina Arnold, OSB
Sister Regina realized her religious calling while in high school and entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1948, made her first monastic profession on Sept. 8, 1950, and her final monastic profession on Sept. 8, 1955. She earned her GED and attended St. Teresa College in Winona, Minnesota. She served the communities in Clyde and Mundelein, Illinois, and helped found the San Diego monastery. She was involved with pastoral work in St. Louis, was oblate director, worked in the sewing room, was Clyde prioress, novice director and postulant director. She was one of the congregation’s organists for more than 50 years.
65 years
Sister Joan Therese Anderson, OSB
Sister Joan Therese followed a different path to religious life than her fellow Benedictine Sisters. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and master degrees in maternal health nursing and community health nursing and is a past board member of the New York State Nurses Association. She made her first monastic profession with the Sisters of Mercy on Aug. 26, 1956, and her final monastic profession on Aug. 26, 1959. She enjoyed a career in nursing and as an educator and counselor before transferring to the Benedictine Sisters in 1986 to pursue a more contemplative religious life. During her years of service to the Benedictine Sisters, she has served on the general council and as Tucson subprioress.
Sister Susan Huppe, OSB
Sister Susan left school at the age of 15 to enter the Benedictine Sisters in 1953. “I was so young when I entered, but in my heart of hearts I knew that Christ was calling me to give myself completely to Him in the religious way of life,” she said. “I longed to answer His loving invitation. I grew up with older women who were like mothers and big sisters to me.” She made her first monastic profession on Nov. 9, 1956, and her final monastic profession on Feb. 24, 1962. During her years as a Benedictine Sister, she worked in the altar bread department, in health care, in the correspondence department, as portress, as director of vocations, postulants and novices, and as subprioress.
60 years
Sister Cecilia Rose Sprekelmeyer, OSB
Sister Cecilia Rose entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1958. She made her first monastic profession on Sept. 12, 1961, and her final monastic profession on Sept. 17, 1966. Prior to her entrance, Sister Cecilia Rose worked a variety of jobs including as a secretary and a professional model. She has lived in many of the congregation’s communities over the years such as Clyde, St. Louis, Tucson, Arizona, Mundelein and San Diego. She attended College of Lake County (Illinois) and took classes in accounting, business law and business management. She worked in the art department, in altar bread production, as a bookkeeper and spent many years working in the library. |
