Twenty-eight Dominican Associates make Commitment

Associates and Prioress General Express Gratitude to
Program Director Sister Paul Mary Janssens, OP

 

Springfield, Ill.—The Dominican Sisters of Springfield welcomed 28 new associates—and expressed gratitude to Sister Paul Mary Janssens, OP, who is leaving leadership of the program after 11 years of service—during Mass at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel on May 7. Sixteen of the new associates are residents of the diocese.

The associate class included residents of Springfield, Bluffs, Auburn, Flossmoor, Jacksonville, Illiopolis, Galesburg, Pana, Steger, Lansing, Normal, Park Forest, Chicago Heights, South Holland, Orland Park, and Bloomington, Ill., Indiana residents of Munster and Hammond, and Mississippi residents of the Jackson area. They made their commitment after completing a 9-month course in the history, spirituality, and mission of the Dominicans.

During Mass Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, prioress general of the congregation, thanked Sister Paul Mary for eleven years of service in the associate program, calling her a “superb animator” of the associates and an enthusiastic supporter of lay leadership in the church.

Baptized Christians from any tradition may be candidates for the Dominican Associate Program. Women seeking vowed membership as sisters are required to be single and Catholic. For more information about becoming a Dominican sister or a Dominican associate call 217-787-0481 or email. DominicanSisters@spdom.org.

Known formally as the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans were founded in 1216 by St. Dominic Guzman, a Spaniard whose genius was to gather around him a family of women and men dedicated to prayer, study, community life, and preaching the Gospel. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill., whose congregation was established in 1873 in Jacksonville, Ill., are committed to those same foundations and serve in solidarity with people who are forgotten or ignored in society.

Welcome to all our new associates!

From Auburn, Ill.

Dan Horn, (Sponsor: Jill Horn, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Judith Pfile)

From Bluffs, Ill.

Michelle Hoots, Our Saviour’s Church (Sponsor: Carolyn White, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Helen Wolf)

From Buffalo, Ill.

Sandy Barnett, Resurrection (Sponsor: Sr. Phyllis Schenk, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Michaela Collins)

From Flossmoor, Ill.

Shirley Morris, St. Agnes (Sponsor: Sr. Agnes Ann Pisel, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Gael Daley)

From Galesburg, Ill.

Catherine A Seper, Corpus christi (Sponsor: Sr. Rose Marie Rile, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Elizabeth Wrenn)

From Illiopolis, Ill.

Mary Hawkins, Resurrection (Sponsor: Sr. Concepta Joerger, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Alice Mannix)

From Jacksonville, Ill. Our Savior’s Church

Judy Cisne, (Sponsor: Gail Eck, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Anton Uthe)

Tom Cisne, (Sponsor: Gail Eck, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Stephanie Kapusta)

Linda Curtis, (Sponsor: Jan Fellhauer, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Philli Neri Crawford)

Charlotte Denight, (Sponsor: Jan Felhauer, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Martha Carmody)

Hannah Hamilton, (Sponsor: Becky DeVore, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Gabriella Lubbers)

Marilyn Murphy, (Sponsor: Rosella Spreen, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Jeanine McGinley)

Chris Pennell, (Sponsor: Sue Brosmith, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Connie Klamroth)

From Lansing, Ill.

Donna Lamoureux, Holy Ghost (Sponsor: Sr. Phyllis Schenk, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Corde Lenn)

From Normal, Ill.

Mary Ellen Larson, Holy Trinity (Sponsor: Sr. Marilyn Jean Runkel, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Ancilla Caulfield)

From Orland Park, Ill.

Vince Krydynski, St. Michael (Sponsor: Sr. Judine Hibin, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Blaise Galloway)

From Pana, Ill.

Peggy Begole, St. Patricks (Sponsor: Sr. M. Emmeric Emerick, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Alice Mannix)

From Park Forest, Ill.

Alexis Williams, St. Irenaeus (Sponsor: Sr. Agnes Ann Pisel, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Margaret Ann Cox)

Ricke Williams, St. Mary’s (Sponsor: Sr. Agnes Ann Pisel, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Margaret Ann Cox)

From Springfield, Ill.

Barbara Kern, St. Agnes (Sponsor: Sr. Joan Sorge, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Janet Guretz)

Kathy Vost, St. Agnes (Sponsor: Sr. Joan Sorge, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Anita Tapocik)

Kevin Vost, St. Agnes (Sponsor: Sr. Joan Sorge, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Regina Marie Bernet)

Kris Wellman, Little Flower (Sponsor: Janine Des Marteau-Morris, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Bernice Juip)

From Hammond, Ind.

Elizabeth Carlsson, St. Liborius Church (Sponsor: Nan Rita Kaz, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Marion Sitkiewitz)

From Munster, Ind.

Steve Tortorello, (Sponsor: Sr. Agnes Ann Pisel, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Bernice Juip)

From Brandon, Miss.

*Donna Lee Reiss, St. Paul (Sponsor: Sr. Susan Karina Dicky, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Dominic Joerger)

From Flowood, Miss.

*Cynthia Downer, St. Paul (Sponsor: Sr. Celestine Rondelli, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Mananne Nolan)

From Jackson, Miss.

Jill Gray, St. Richards (Sponsor: Sr. Thecla Kuhnline, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Francene Harbauer)

From Ridgeland, Miss.

*Lydia Jo McKeathen, Cathedreal of St. Peter’s (Sponsor: Sr. Celestine Rondelli, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Melanie Roetker)

From Madison, Miss.

*John Malanchak, St. Peter’s (Sponsor: Sr. Kristin Rever, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Francella Vyverman)

*Lee Gleason, St. Francis (Sponsor: Sr. Susan Karina Dickey, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Magret McCormick)

Rebecca Butler, St. Richards (Sponsor: Sr. Celestine Rondelli, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. Pauletta Overbeck)

Sheila Lawler Evans, St. Richards (Sponsor: Sr. June Volpe, Prayer Sponsor: Sr. M. Rose Schleeper)

*Unable to attend the commitment ceremony in Springfield, these associates are scheduled to make commitment in the chapel at St. Dominic Hospital, Jackson, Miss., on June 10, 2017.

 

Visit our Facebook photo album for more memories from this wonderful day.