The memories we hold of our spiritual upbringing can last a lifetime.
The impact of Dominican Sisters of Springfield was remembered recently at the Mother of Dolors Church in Vandalia when Sisters Maristella Dunlavy and Mary Jo Sobieck visited with those enrolled in public school religion classes.
The sisters who taught there included Sisters M. Thecla Kuhnline, Margaret McCormick (M. Lucia), and Margaret Ann Cox (Sister M. Clyde). Also these sisters, who are now deceased: Sisters M. de Fatima Terwische, Catherine Fitzgerald (Thomas More), Barbara Cox (Thomas Marie) M. Paulita Philippe, and our former Sister Nelda, were remembered with deep affection.
“You can see that our sisters who lived in Hillsboro and taught PSR in Vandalia back in the day are remembered with great fondness,” said Sister Mary Jo.
According to Mother of Dolors Church history, in 1957 a rural Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Center (CCD) was established in Hillsboro. From the 1960’s until 1996, the sisters who lived in Hillsboro came to Vandalia weekly during the school year to teach religious education.
The stories of the past ministries of our sisters resonated with Sid File and Marlys Hayner who came to the reunion.
“Marlys still remembers in great detail the note written to her by Sister Nelda after the death of her two sons and future daughter-in-law in a house fire on the campus of Eastern Illinois University a good many years ago,” said Sister Mary Jo.
The memories shared at the reunion were passed along to the sisters at the motherhouse.
“A big THANK YOU on behalf of the many parents and students, living and deceased, who benefitted from your commitment to their faith formation - not only in Vandalia but in all the other small towns and burbs to which so many of you were sent,” said Sister Mary Jo.
