POCATELLO, ID (12-20-2016) - The drama of her life now enters its final act, eternal life. Sister Dorothy Prokes, FSE died peacefully the evening of December 19, 2016 as her Sisters prayed around her bed at the Franciscan center in Pocatello. A well known educator, Sister Dorothy founded the CREative ACTing method of teaching, using creative dramatics as a central focus of the curriculum in elementary schools. Sister Dorothy founded the Franciscan CRE-ACT School in Pocatello and administered the program until 2008. In 2009, she and a colleague published A Roadmap to Education: The CRE-ACT Way. Sister Dorothy's flair for drama was well known among her professional colleagues. She was a member of the American Theatre Association Children's Theatre of Creative Education Foundation and the Alliance for Arts in Education, along with other educational groups. In 1975 CRE-ACT School was Idaho's representative to the National Conference for the Alliance for Arts in Education Conference at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Sister Dorothy was named Outstanding Elementary School Principal for 1985 by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Sister Dorothy was born on February 10, 1920 in Jackson, Minnesota where she lived until she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse, Wisconsin. She professed her first vows in 1940 and final vows in 1946. As a religious Sister, she was assigned to teach in parish schools in Wisconsin and Iowa. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1953 from Viterbo College, majoring in both Education and Art. In 1961 she received a Master of Arts in Education and English from University of Detroit. She completed her Ph.D. degree in [...]

MERIDEN, CT (09-04-2016) - Sister Regina Cochran, FSE professed perpetual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience into the hands of Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Mother General, in the presence of a crowded chapel of clergy, lay faithful and her Community of Sisters and Brothers. The festive Mass of Profession of Vows was celebrated by The Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair, S.T.D., Archbishop of Hartford, with six priests as concelebrants and Reverend Ryan Lerner as master of ceremonies. Archbishop Blair presented the formal "Questions by the Church" to Sister Regina who expressed clearly her desire to make perpetual vows and to live a life of consecration as prescribed by the Church and the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Following the profession of vows, the Archbishop placed a blessed ring on Sister's finger as a sign of her spousal commitment to Christ and the Church. Friends and family from her hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and friends from Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and New York as well as Connecticut, rejoiced with Sister Regina on this milestone. For the past two years, Sister has been the vocation outreach ambassador for her Community, traveling to college campuses to share the good news of religious life as a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist.

POCATELLO, ID (08-31-2016) - Sister Anthony Marie Greving, FSE was honored at an open house at the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging for her forty years of service with the agency. Sister is retiring from the agency to focus on developing a retreat program with her Community. In a letter to Sister Anthony Marie, the Regional Administrator of the Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. David A. Ishida, expressed appreciation for her service: "I appreciate you for being fair, far thinking and hardworking. You have been a model of consistency and reasonableness. . . I applaud your leadership and successes." An article from the Idaho State Journal newspaper sums up the story of Sister's forty-year career and the growth of programs for elderly persons under her leadership. Congratulations, Sister Anthony Marie on a job well done! See article by Michael H. O'Donnell.

MERIDEN, CT (07-31-2016) - To help fund their pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Sisters in formation performed a concert at the Chapel of St. John, Meriden, on Sunday, July 31st. Concert-goers generously offered donations in response to the invitation. The performance filled one and a half hours with a variety of musical presentations - choral, solo and instrumental ensembles which delighted the audience. Grouped into four major sections, Community Hymns, International Songs, Broadway Favorites and Sacred Hymns, the program showcased a wealth of musical talent in the youngest members of the Franciscan Sisters. Sister Bernardone Rock, professional choral conductor, directed the music.      

KRAKOW, POLAND (07-27-2016) - Two Sisters of Polish descent are representing the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist at World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. Sister Janet Marie Bagniewski of Lowell, Michigan, and Sister Frances Zajac of Meriden, Connecticut, traveled to "St. John Paul II" country for the world-wide gathering started by the Polish pontiff. The week-long event features days of activities focused on enlivening the faith of Catholic youth who come from countries around the world. This year, two million are taking part. Pope Francis will lead a prayer vigil and celebrate a concluding Mass. Mark Mann, director of family, youth and young adult ministries for the Diocese of Grand Rapids found Sister Janet Marie in the crowd of two million and sent this photo back to the folks at home:

"A glorious miracle - a saint meeting her Beloved of 75 years during the Eucharist!" MERIDEN, CT (07-10-2016) - Condolences flooded in to the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist by email, mail, texts and telephone as friends around the world heard the stunning news of the death of Mother Rosemae Pender, FSE, Mother Foundress of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Mother Rosemae entered eternal life suddenly during the celebration Mass for her 75th Jubilee of vows at the Franciscan Sisters’ Chapel of St. John. Mother Rosemae had received the renewal of vows of Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE, Mother General, also a jubilarian, and then renewed her own vows into the hands of Mother Shaun. Following the renewal of vows, Mother Rosemae presented the Constitutions (rule of life) of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist to Archbishop Emeritus Henry J. Mansell, principal celebrant, during the offertory procession. She then suffered a heart attack and died before the end of Mass. Over 260 friends, religious, and priests were present in the chapel for this most profound and historic moment. Several persons in their heartfelt messages exclaimed, "Only saints have such a blessed death!" Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE, Mother General, announced the day of Mother Foundress' death that the Community would wait to hold the funeral until the Sisters from all the centers arrived as already scheduled for the Community retreat and meetings in early July so everyone could be present. "We need to grieve together," Mother Shaun said. Mother Rosemae's body was brought to the Chapel of St. John for a private wake on Saturday, July 9th, after being cared for by the Community funeral directors/embalmers, Sister Patricia Glass and Sister Frances [...]

MERIDEN, CT (05-18-2016) - Robyn Lee's story on CatholicMatch Institute's web site had so many concurrent visitors that the server could not handle the volume and went off-line. Robyn's story, "I Quit CatholicMatch for God" begins, "I’m leaving my job at CatholicMatch because I fell in love. My love story, as well as my CatholicMatch story, both begin with a break-up. Shocking, I know." Robyn is a postulant with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and the managing editor of CatholicMatch Institute's blog Faith, Hope and Love. Her popular blog post explained that she has resigned her position at CatholicMatch and will be entering the novitiate. Over the years, Robyn's blog has provided wise advice to young adult Catholics as they seek the spouse God has prepared for them.

MERIDEN, CT (05-13-2016) Sister Rosario Ongayo, FSE was awarded a Masters degree in Theology with a concentration in Scripture from Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, Connecticut at the graduation ceremonies. Sister Rosario presented her Special Project in April in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters degree. Sister Rosario's Special Project was a book of meditations on the 20 mysteries of the Rosary, illustrated with Scriptural references and poignant examples from her work as a certified nursing assistant. Sister Rosario has a profound devotion to the Rosary as indicated by her name. Congratulations, Sister Rosario!

LOWELL, MI (05-04-2016) - Sister Theophane Wurzer, FSE, entered eternal life on Thursday evening, May 4, 2016 at the Franciscan Life Process Center where she has lived for the past 25 years. An avid worker and dedicated professional, Sister Theophane tirelessly contributed her talents to the Church and the Franciscan Community as a professed religious, maternal-child nurse, gardener, quilt-maker and wholehearted card player. Sister Theophane was born on June 27, 1921, in St. Lucas, Iowa, the fifth of twelve children of Konrad and Barbara Wurzer. She was named Theonilla. After attending St. Luke School in St. Lucas, she finished her junior and senior years at Aquinas High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 1940, she entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, and in 1941, as a novice, was named Sister Theophane. She professed first vows in 1943. In 1973 Sister Theophane became a founding member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Sister Theophane attended Viterbo College in La Crosse and the Catholic University of America from where she received a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 1952 with a focus on pediatrics. She obtained a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Indiana University in 1967. She spent a total of 21 years in La Crosse teaching pediatrics and maternal-child nursing in St. Francis School of Nursing and Viterbo College. Her post-graduate work was at the University of Windsor. From 1959 to 1966 she was the medical and pediatrics supervisor at Sacred Heart Hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Her nursing experience also included four years as an instructor in the St. Luke Nursing School, Duluth, Minnesota, and six months in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. As a motivated, goal-oriented [...]