New card designs from Sister Maristella

By Sister Beth Murphy, OP | July 15, 2025

Springfield Dominican Sister Maristella Dunlavy made her mark on Illinois’ civic life decades ago when she was the official calligrapher for the State of Illinois, hand-lettering resolutions for the House and Senate for $10 per piece. Each resolution took about three hours to letter with no “white out” and no errors allowed. Now she spends part of her day designing cards meant to uplift and inspire. Eleven new cards, in addition to her previous designs, are available now […]

Read More

Join Catholic Sisters nationwide in prayer for a more just and compassionate world

By Website Administrator | July 14, 2025

Springfield, Ill.- The Dominican Sisters of Springfield will participate in a national movement of prayer, fasting, and advocacy for a more just and compassionate world on Wednesday, July 23. Everyone is welcome to join them. The Dominicans are joining Catholic sisters from around the nation. Each congregation has selected a day to participate in this national effort. “By choosing a day to focus our desires for a more just and compassionate world, we heighten our awareness and sense […]

Read More

Daphne Skretvedt honored for work with United Nations

By Website Administrator | July 3, 2025

Daphne Skretvedt , a Dominican Associate since 2002, was recently crowned “queen” at a party of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday June 20, 2025. Alejandro Henning, the Director of Human Resources during Daphne’s tenure, graciously combined the annual retirement party with a reunion of those UN field workers  who served with Daphne and were served by Daphne.  A definite highlight of the evening was Daphne’s remarks to her former co-workers in […]

Read More

Happy 108th Birthday Sister Elise Bocke!

By Sister Beth Murphy, OP | June 19, 2025

Dominican Sisters celebrate longest-lived community member with a sock-hop About the photo: Sister Elise Bocke, second from right, celebrates her birthday with her nephew Joe Bocke, her niece Mary Ann Vahle, and Joe’s wife Janice. Sister Rose Marie Riley, decked out in a ginger wig and sunglasses, emcees the party. Just two months after the U.S. officially declared war on Germany in 1917, baby Elizabeth Christine Bocke was born in Quincy to Bernard and Emma Hacker Bocke in […]

Read More

“Stand for Justice, Stand for Dignity” campaign roots civic engagement in Catholic Social Teaching

By Sister Beth Murphy, OP | June 2, 2025

Sisters will hold weekly vigil on Monroe Street property, 4:30 each Wednesday beginning June 4. Springfield, Ill.-If you’ve driven the 1200 block of West Monroe or Washington Streets in the neighborhood of Sacred Heart Convent lately, then you’ve likely seen red, white, and blue signs sprouting along the perimeter of the Dominican Sisters’ property between Amos and Lincoln Streets. The signs are the sisters’ effort to communicate the roots of social justice in the Gospel of Jesus and […]

Read More

Thank you for supporting our Butterfly Garden Project

By Website Administrator | May 30, 2025

We are Grateful! Thank you for bringing new life to our campus and being a constant support of our sisters! Your gift will truly create an urban jewel for our sisters, neighborhood and city! Your gift will help us: plant a privacy hedge along Washington street; purchase pollinator-attracting shrubs and perennial flowers; create a place for sisters to pray and students to learn. Thank you again for your investment in this project to diversify life on the Siena […]

Read More

“A place of plenty”: Who lived here?

By Website Administrator | May 22, 2025

The first residents of the land that will become our butterfly garden were likely, well-butterflies-and many other winged, and multi-footed species who thrived in the Eastern Deciduous Forest biome that makes up much of Sangamon County.  The first two-legged caretakers were likely the Kickapoo, members of the Illiniwek Confederation, or Potawatomi people. It was the Potawatomi who loaned us their word for the name of the county. According to Athens, Ill., resident George Godfrey, a member of the […]

Read More

Butterfly Garden is sanctuary for humans and all creation

By Website Administrator | May 21, 2025

Donate to the Butterfly Garden Here “In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends.” ― Kakuzō Okakura  The butterfly garden will be a sanctuary for humans and all creation, an unending source of spiritual renewal, and a place that creates a sense of social well-being for all who visit. Last but not least, the garden is a place to find solace and delight.  Whether our sisters and visitors are looking for a place for comfort, contemplation, or […]

Read More
Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois logo
Scroll to Top