Volume 23 Number 2 • Fall 2012

www.PreciousBloodSistersDayton.org

Margie’sountaininistry

Established in 1989, Sharing & Caring is published quarterly by the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, Ohio, to

communicate news of the congregation, Precious Blood Spirituality, and to promote

the sisters’ mission.

CPPS Mission StatementUrged by the redeeming love

of Jesus the Christand rooted in Eucharistic prayer, we Sisters of the Precious Blood

proclaim God’s love by being a life-giving, reconciling presence in our fractured world.

EditorDave Eck, Director of Communications

Layout and DesignMichelle Bodine, Communications

Technician

Address communications to:Office of Communications

Sisters of the Precious Blood4000 Denlinger Road

Dayton, OH 45426

Phone: (937) 274-2707E-mail: Communications@

PreciousBloodSistersDayton.org

PrintingThomas Graphics, Dayton, Ohio

All editorial content and photographs in Sharing & Caring are copyrighted. For reprint permission, please contact the editor at address above.

THE SISTERS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD ■ DAYTON, OHIO

&Sharing Caring

PRINTED WITH SOY INK ON RECYCLED PAPER

We all know people who have made a positive dif-ference in our life or in the lives of others. Some we call heroes, others we call angels or saints. While we tend to put

these people on pedestals and too often assume that we could never do the things they do, the truth of the matter is that each one of us carries within ourselves not only the possi-bility of making a difference but the responsibility to do so. William James wrote that we should “act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” Blessed Teresa of Calcutta reminds us that “We can

do no great things - only small things with great love.” And Will Rogers, ever the humorist, wrote, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Rarely do we get to make a differ-ence in a big way: saving a drown-ing child, helping an elderly stranger or giving life and limb for faith or country. It happens more often in small, daily ways. Although we can be easily over-whelmed by the need in the world, making a difference starts at home. When we are generous, loving, forgiving, peaceful and reconciling in the one hundred feet around us, things can’t stay the same. What is

When I was a boy visit-ing my grandparents in Portsmouth, Ohio, I always enjoyed riding with my grandfather to take donated bread to the cloistered Sisters at

St. Joseph’s Adoration Monastery. He’d drive his old Chevrolet up the brick-lined street to the monastery, which sat at the top of a hill over-looking the city. It was a volunteer trip he’d make a couple of times a week and he did it for years. To a kid, it was just cool that grandpa helped the nuns. Likewise, my grandmother volun-teered at a consignment store that ben-efitted the local hospital. She bustled about the shop, enjoying her work im-mensely because she wanted to help. These memories recently came alive again one Sunday as our lo-cal pastor reflected on a reading from Mark in which Jesus sent the apostles out to “proclaim repen-tance” and anoint the sick and cure them. In essence, the pastor said, the apostles were urged to build the kingdom of God and make a differ-ence. That story reminds me of our re-sponsibility to not only spread God’s word, but to serve others and in some small way help them improve their lives. Regardless of resources, time constraints and ability, we can

all make that positive impact on those most in need. That’s what my grandparents did. He helped build God’s king-dom simply by taking bread to the Sisters, while she touched the needy by helping raise money for the local hospital. There isn’t a more fulfilling experience than offering your hand to someone going through a chal-lenging time. What a blessing! In this issue of Sharing and Car-ing we see how the Sisters of the Precious Blood today are living out God’s call and changing the way people live. Deep in the hills of southeastern Kentucky Sister Margie Zureick has been reaching out to those in need – day by day – for more than 30 years. We also have an article on the Maria Anna Brunner Fund and how grants from the fund support Sisters in their various ministries. Finally, Our Lady of Kilimanjaro Sister M. Daria Mushi recently completed her medical training and returned to her native Tanzania to begin her minis-try treating the poor. In all they do, Sisters of the Precious Blood carry out God’s call to make a difference one person at a time.

Dave EckDirector of Communications

selfish, wasteful, violent and divisive on this planet is diminished. When we act as though love and goodness really are stronger than hate and evil, we change and so does the world around us. Jesus lived each day fully in the moment, right to the moment He shed his Precious Blood for us. It is the power of the love that His Blood demonstrates which enables us to be the difference we want to see.

Sister Joyce LehmanPresident, Sisters of thePrecious Blood

‘He shed his Precious Blood for us’

Little things can have big impact

Sharing & Caring2

“Spirit Days” — continued on page 4

By Dave Eck

DAYTON – The annual Spirit/Jubilee Days were busy for Precious Blood Sisters as they handled several busi-ness issues, heard a presentation on new membership and celebrated the Jubilees of Sisters marking 75 and 50 years of religious life. Sisters from across the country, Chile and Gua-temala returned to Dayton for the June 28-July 1 gathering, which was themed “Called to Faithful Love.” The main topic for Spirit Days was new membership. In her opening remarks, Sister Joyce Lehman spoke of a series of workshops by the Religious Forma-tion Conference in which partici-pants are seriously looking at a deep desire for change in religious life in North America. Sister Joyce encour-aged Sisters to consider letting go of the old paradigm and be open to God’s desire. “We can do this,” Sister Joyce said. “We have the wisdom, insight, expe-rience and the promise of a Faithful Lover who declared to be with us always. Are we willing? Willing to be contemplative, to wait, to be faith-ful to a future yet to come, a future for others, a future we will not see fulfilled, a future from which God will arrive to meet us? I believe we are. The next two days will give us the chance to continue our practice of contemplative waiting together, of letting go, of being with and for.

Great things await those who know how to wait.” During the June 29 day-long presen-tation on mem-bership, Adorer of the Blood of Christ Sister Maria Hughes presented data from the National Religious Vocation Confer-ence CARA 2009 study that dispelled misconceptions about religious life. Among the find-ings she shared were: more than 70 percent of all religious communities report having new members in formation and 20 percent have five or more people in formation; the average age women who entered religious life since 1992 was 32 and 71 percent of those in ini-tial formation are under age 40; men and women are drawn to various types of religious life; 70 percent of new members have at least a bach-elor’s degree and 90 percent were employed prior to entering their institutes. Sister Maria urged Precious Blood Sisters to identify opportunities within their community that could be

embraced to invite new membership. “There will always be a place for consecrated life in the church. It’s not about us changing so people want to be with us. It’s that we have a life that people really do feel called to, but how do they come to know us?” she asked. “The message for the Sisters here is we are not invit-ing people to be younger versions of ourselves but they are going to build a religious life that is yet to be.” Congregational business reports and committee updates were on the agenda for June 30. Topics included vocations, the Vocations Ministry

Spirit Days focused on new membership, fun

Left, Sisters Nancy Kinross, Carolyn Hoying and Mary Garascia sing during the Saturday Jubilee celebration. Right, Sisters Carmen Vois-ard, Rosalie Kastner, Marie Kopin, Nancy Kinross, Carolyn Hoying and Mary Garascia open their gifts after Saturday prayer. Sister Mary Lou Schmersal and Dave Eck photos

Sister Ceil Taphorn opens the Jubilee celebration during Spirit Days. Sister Mary Lou Schmersal photo

Fall 2012 3

Congratulations to the 2012 Jubilarians75 Years

Sister Rosalie Kastner

Sister Carmen Voisard

(M. Carmencita)

50 Years

Sister MaryGarascia

(Thomas Miriam)

Sister Carolyn Hoying

(M. Agnese)

Sister Nancy Kinross(M. Rose Catherine)

Sister Marie Kopin(M. David Irene)

— continued from page 3

Committee and initial formation. Updates on the Salem Heights repurposing project, Maria Stein Shrine, stewardship planning, communications and Leadership

Sisters Nancy McMullen, Tish Rawles and Donna Liette sing and carry roses to the Jubilarians. Sister Mary Lou Schmersal photo

Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) were presented. After the business por-tion and dinner, it was time to recognize six Sis-ters of the Precious Blood celebrating milestone Jubilees this year. Both Sisters Carmen Voisard and Rosalie Kastner are celebrating 75 years of religious life while Sisters Nancy Kinross, Marie Ko-pin, Carolyn Hoying and

Mary Garascia are each marking 50 years. The Jubilarians received gifts and roses from the congrega-tion as they were recognized. As in the past, each Sister was honored

with a personal slide show. Pho-tos of the Sisters from childhood through their religious life were shown on a large screen in the Sa-lem Heights chapel. Unique quips jotted onto the slides had Sisters chuckling. “We thank you, Sisters, for your fidelity,” Sister Joyce said to the Jubilarians. “We thank you for the way that you have shown the rest of us how God can work in some-one’s life and how in the times of trial and times of stress and in the times of joy that fidelity, both from you to God and God to you, can be so strong.” Spirit Days ended July 1 with Eucharist and a banquet honoring the Jubilarians.

In each issue of Sharing & Caring we recognize the birthdays of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Congratulations to the Sisters celebrating fall birthdays.

Happy Birthday

SEPTEMBER3 Cleophas Schumacher6 Cecilia Ann Goldschmidt Mary Louise Hoelscher8 Nadine Kaschalk Ruth Ann Meyer11 Mary Ann Mozser Florence Seifert12 Noemí Flores16 Della Mae Meyer22 Rita Rogier 25 Canice Werner29 Rosemary Laux

OCTOBER1 Marie Kopin2 Helen Therese Fleischman3 Beverly Ann Bodnar 7 Nancy McMullen13 Terry Maher 14 Dianne Skubby16 Marie Bax17 Patricia Kremer18 Mary Rose McCrate 20 Luella Huelskamp29 Rosalie Kastner

NOVEMBER4 Carolyn Henkenius5 Rae Marie Rattermann9 Rita Yahl12 Angeline Hoffman Maria Luisa Miller14 Charmaine Grilliot 22 Ann Catherine Merkle23 Anna Maria Sanders

DECEMBER1 Barbara Brown Margaret Mary Rigdon 2 Berenice Janszen Eleanor McNally 8 Mary Garke Patricia Will25 Dolorosa Oen27 Gerri McGeorge31 Ritamary Bulach Donna Liette

4 Sharing & Caring

Sisters’ experiences in ministry. Also, our Facebook page continues to grow. If you haven’t ‘liked’ the page, do so today.

Statues of our Lady of Fatima with the three children were moved from the grounds of the former Fatima Hall, Pre-cious Blood High School to Salem Heights on June 22. The statue of Mary and the boulder, weigh-ing 28,000 pounds, was moved by Miller-Valen-tine Construction Com-pany while the statues of the three children were moved by Salem Heights staff. The statues, made possible through Our Lady of Fatima League, were originally dedicated in 1951. Fatima Hall was dedicated as Precious Blood High School on July 2, 1950 and the first class arrived in Sep-tember. The last class graduated in 1966. After Fatima Hall closed as a high school the building was renovated and used as a House of Formation from 1968-72. Pro-fessed Sisters who ministered in the area then lived in Fatima Hall for a number of years. Congregational offices were also housed in Fatima Hall. An Early Child-hood Center was in the basement of Fatima Hall from 1973 until 1995. The Sisters sold Fatima Hall and the Maria Joseph Center in 1985. Demolition of Fatima Hall began last November.

Deacon Omar Bertke, brother of Precious Blood Sister Martha Bertke, celebrated his 25th year in the diaconate June 10 with a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein, followed by a reception and open house. Missionary of the Precious Blood Father Eugene Schnipke celebrated the Mass.Deacon Bertke has been assigned to St. John since ordination. The parish is part of the Marian Catholic Community. As a deacon, he particularly enjoyed baptisms and has baptized two generations of families over the years. Deacon Bertke said he also enjoyed work-ing with parishioners, assisting at Masses, preparing Eucharistic ministers and RCIA. Deacon Bertke spent five years visiting patients in Hospice or their families. He retired from Minister Farmer’s Cooperative (now Tru-pointe Cooperative) in 1994. He has been a groundskeeper at Maria Stein Shrine since 1994 and was also the grounds-keeper at Maria Stein Retreat Center from 1994-96.

Precious Blood Sister Joan De-Christopher (M. Christine), who recently retired from the spiritual care team at St. Margaret Hall in Cincinnati, received the Flos Carrmeli Sanctity of Life Award from the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Avila Institute of Gerontology. She was rec-ognized during a dinner Oct. 10. The award is presented to a person who exemplifies characteristics of Mother M. Angeline Teresa O. Carm., the foundress of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. Since 2005, Sister Joan offered Healing Touch therapy to residents at St. Margaret Hall, particularly to patients at the end of their lifespan. She also worked with pa-tients and their families. She retired in May. In an essay nominating Sister Joan for the award, St. Margaret Hall administrator Janet Murphy wrote that she is dedicated, caring and thoughtful. “In addition to the wonderful work that she does for our residents, she is also there for the staff,” Murphy wrote. “Last winter a number of longtime residents passed away, and she was conscientious about checking in with the staff to see how they were coping with the stresses that come along with such a loss.” Though Sister Joan retired, she continues to serve as a volunteer. “I was really stunned,” Sister Joan said of receiving the award. “I never expected this.”

Feast Days involving Mary are also feast days at Salem Heights. Sister Carolyn Henkeius (M. Fabian) prepares more than five dozen pecan rolls to celebrate. A few days before the Feast Day, Sister Carolyn is busy in a Salem Heights kitchen preparing the tasty treats, which feature a top-ping of pecans, brown sugar and butter. Sometimes she will place a roll outside each bedroom door at Salem Heights. Sweet!

The Sisters of the Precious Blood website continues to evolve. Planned upgrades include changes to the home page that will make it more readable and provide links to popular features. Under the News and Events page, a digital copy of Sharing & Caring offers indi-vidual stories in an easy-to-read format. Another new feature, Sister Quips, will be found under the Life as a Sister page. These amusing stories are compiled from

Sister Carolyn Henke-nius. Courtesy photo

Sister Joan DeChristopher. Courtesy photo

Our Lady of Fatima statues. Sr. Noreen Jutte photo

Deacon Omar Bertke. Cour-tesy photo

Fall 2012 5

Story and photos by Dave Eck

The smiling nun who often wears University of Kentucky blue reaches out to anyone in need, regardless of denomination. From a small financial gift that enables a young mother to make her rent to creating a business that employs several local residents and provides a needed community service, Sister Margie’s handprints can be found all over town. For her it’s simply about serving the people and helping them meet their needs. “The people are great here,” Sister Margie said. “It’s a good relation-ship. People usually accept me being Catholic. It’s not a Catholic area. I really like them and they really like me. On the whole people are friend-ly and I like it because I can walk with them.” Nestled on the southeastern edge of Kentucky at the Virginia border, Elkhorn City is surrounded by natural beauty. Hills rise from all directions and two-lane country roads wind through the woods. The Breaks, a 5-mile gorge that drops 1,650 feet and draws thousands of visitors a year, is located less than five miles from the mission. Elkhorn City is a breath-taking place that Sister Margie calls her mountain

paradise. Still, beauty can’t mask the challenges facing the commu-nity. Most of the residents work in coal mines or for businesses that support the coal industry. Workers are regu-larly laid off or injured and unable to work. Future job growth lags the national average by nearly five percent and household income is less than 60 percent of the average, according to some recent statistics.

That’s where Sister Margie comes in. Going about town, she quietly helps people pay their bills, gives them rides in her van, buys them food staples and provides them gasoline. She oversees operation of a thrift store and operates a food pantry. Still, sometimes it’s just about making people feel good about themselves and happy. She tells of a couple renewing their wedding vows. The wife wants a wedding dress, something she didn’t have when she married. “It’s a happy time and we’ll find her a wedding dress,” Sister Margie said, adding she will probably have to have it dry cleaned. A native of Cincinnati, Sister Margie’s interest in the poor formed while she was still in high school working at a small grocery store. She remembers seeing the poorer resi-dents struggle financially. “That’s when I really developed an appreciation for the poor and mission,” she said. “I just felt like I wanted to be with the people who

It’s easier to see God’s presencein places like thisELKHORN CITY, Ky. — When you ask Precious Blood Sister Margie Zureick what exactly she does as pastoral associate at St. Joseph the Worker Mission in Elkhorn City, Ky., she rattles off a list of titles. She’s a counselor, fundraiser, administrator and employer. But most of all she’s a friend to this tiny rural community tucked deep in the hills of Appalachia.

6 Sharing & Caring

On the cover, Precious Blood Sister Margie Zureick at St. Joseph the Worker Mission in Elkhorn City, Ky. The mission serves a rural community nestled in the heart of Appalachia in southeastern Kentucky. Left, Sister Margie smiles during a visit with a resident of Elkhorn City, Ky. Sister Margie has ministered in southeastern Kentucky for more than 30 years. Right, storefronts in Elkhorn City.

just didn’t have a whole lot. There’s just a difference with the poor.” That experience helped her discern a call to religious life. She contacted various communities and learned the Sisters of the Precious Blood had missions in Missouri and on the In-dian reservations. She also knew the Precious Blood Sisters from being a student at then-Regina High School in Norwood, Ohio. She entered the community in 1956, when she became Sister Loretta Rose, later returning to Sister Margie. She taught for 14 years, but her ministry changed when she took an eighth-grade class on a mission trip to Kentucky. She got to know the people and the area. Something stirred within her. “I really felt a call to the Appala-chian people of southeastern Ken-tucky,” she said. “We brought the class to Lancaster, Ky., and that’s when I became acquainted with the mission work here. I just saw the needs.” In 1971, she and two other Pre-cious Blood Sisters, now former members, began ministering at St. Paul Parish in McKee, Ky. They did pastoral work, outreach and opened a kindergarten.

“That was the first thing we did because that was the need there,” she said of starting the kindergarten. After four years at St. Paul Par-ish she returned to Dayton to serve on the Sisters of the Precious Blood formation team. After her term was up, she was invited by Father Wil-fred Fraenzle to minister at St. Clare Parish in Berea, Ky. A year later she and Father Wil moved to a parish in Beattyville, Ky. Four years later, Father Wil asked her to open a new parish in Campton, Ky., the first par-ish in Wolfe County. She stayed at the new parish, Church of the Good Shepherd, for 14 years doing com-munity outreach and pastoral work.In 2001, she again left Kentucky for Dayton, this time to work at

Left, Ronnie and Barb Johnson work at the Praise Friendship Laundry in Elkhorn City, Ky. Barb works at the laundromat and Ronnie volun-teers there. Precious Blood Sister Margie Zureick helped start the laundromat in response to a community need. Right, The Praise Friendship Laundry in Elkhorn City, Ky.

St. Mary’s Development and with Precious Blood Sister Donna Liette at Mercy Manor. She enjoyed the ministry and figured Kentucky was in her past. “I had made my break,” she said. “It was hard both times I left.” About five years later, however, during a visit to Campton, she ran into Father Wil. He told her he was trying to find someone to reopen the mission in Elkhorn City, which had been closed and was going to be sold. She turned him down. Several months later she was on a trip with Tiffin Franciscan Sister Marge Eilerman, who mentioned that Father Wil was still trying to get someone to reopen St. Joseph. Sister Eilerman knew Sister Margie’s his-

Fall 2012 7

tory in Kentucky and began talking about the work. Ironically, Sister Donna was waiting to pick up Sister Margie at the end of the trip. Sister Margie told Sister Donna that she was discerning a return to Kentucky, but really the decision had already been made. She moved to Elkorn City in spring 2006, reopened the mission and “started in again,” she said. Less than a dozen people attend the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, but the sense of community is strong. People come to the mission seeking prayer, help or just companionship. Sister Margie also started her work in the community. She no-ticed that there was no laundromat in town and that people were seek-ing a place to wash their clothes. So, Sister Margie pulled together officials from other churches and they opened a laundromat in an empty Elkhorn City storefront. It employs a few people, provides a service to the community and fills an empty space. It’s a simple example of filling the needs. Barb and Ronnie Johnson have seen Sister Margie’s impact on the community. Barb works in the laundromat and Ronnie volunteers there. “I think she’s one of the best people who ever came into this town,” Ronnie said. “She helps the

poor. She helps them all she can.” Debbie Ratliff, another laundry employee, said Sister Margie helps wherever she’s able. “I’ve never seen anybody who is as big-hearted as she is,” Ratliff said. “You won’t see many people in Elk-horn who haven’t met her or whose lives haven’t been touched by her in some way.” For Sister Margie, it all goes back to meeting the needs, and she always finds a way. She recalled a time in McKee, Ky. when she had volun-teers visiting and all they had was powdered milk. The milk was run-ning low and the volunteers asked her to save it. Soon, someone came by asking if Sister Margie had any milk. Of course, Sister Margie gave away the last of the milk. A short

Left, Srs. Mary Yarger and Margie Zureick relax in the Praise Friendship Laundry. Sister Margie often wears University of Kentucky blue as she ministers in this rural Appalachian community. Right, Clothes hang from the racks at the thrift store at St. Joseph the Worker Mission in Elkhorn City, Ky. Sister Margie oversees the store as part of her ministry in southeastern Kentucky.

time later a priest drove up with a whole truckload of powdered milk asking if Sister Margie could use it. “I’ve always been blessed,” she said. “Little miracles happen.” Those experiences help form her spirituality. It’s easier to see God’s presence in places like Elkhorn City. It puts things in perspective, she said. It’s not about money and how much a person has. It’s about living simply. It’s also about helping her people. “We don’t have a lot of money for stuff, but for the people we’ve got it,” Sister Margie said. “I have never had to turn away somebody be-cause I don’t think we have enough money. Even if I know we don’t have enough money, I never turn them away.”

Left, Mindy Dotson, a volunteer from Piqua, Ohio, folds clothes at the mission. The Sisters of the Precious Blood sponsor a Ministry Week during which single women are invited to spend a week working on various projects in the community. Right, Elkhorn City, Ky., is surround-ed by natural beauty. The Breaks, a gorge that drops more than 1,600 feet has been called the “Grand Canyon of the South.”

8 Sharing & Caring

By Dave Eck

People don’t always know what God has in store, but His plan for Our Lady of Kilimanjaro

Sister M. Daria Mushi seems to have worked out perfectly. After a decade-long journey that saw her earn a bachelor’s degree and complete medi-cal school, Sister M. Daria this sum-mer returned to her native country to start a year-long medical internship at a hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. It is through Missionary of the Precious Blood Father Bill O’Donnell and the CPPS Sisters, that God made possible Sister M. Daria’s journey from college and medical school in the United States and back to Tanza-nia East Africa. It’s an ending Sister M. Daria never expected for herself. She came to the United States in 2001 at the request of her community to study and become a science teacher in Tanzania. In her heart, however, she wanted to return home a doc-tor to heal and comfort the poor in her region, particularly women and children. Her odyssey began when she and another Our Lady of Kilimanjaro Sister arrived in Steubenville, Ohio, to study, but after one semester they were out of money and didn’t have a scholarship. They were consider-ing going back to Tanzania when they met Precious Blood Sister Eileen Monnin (M. Emerentia) and spent Christmas 2001 with the Precious Blood Sisters in Dayton. Sister Flo-rentine Gregory heard about these two nuns and contacted Father Bill, then-pastor of Precious Blood Parish, to see if he could help them. Father O’Donnell encouraged them to leave Steubenville and took them to study in Rensselaer, Indiana. After a semester they transferred to the University of Dayton. Father O’Donnell found a sponsor in the Mathile Foundation, which covered Sister M. Daria’s tuition for her undergraduate and medical school studies. Her fellow Sister eventually transferred again, finished her degree and returned home. Meanwhile, Sister M. Daria received permission from her order to become a doctor.

After graduating from UD with a bachelor’s she tried to get into medi-cal school in the United States, but the competi-tion was too keen. She ended up attending medical school at St. Eu-statius in the Caribbean, passed her boards and completed her clinical training at the American Global School of Medi-cine in Belize. She was awarded her medical degree during a private graduation at Salem Heights on June 8, 2012. During the rigors of medical school, she found inspiration and care in Precious Blood Sisters and Father O’Donnell. A room at Salem Heights was always avail-able to her for refuge and breaks. In times of crisis, self-doubt and visa problems, the Sisters were by her side. Precious Blood parishioners prayed for her and sent her letters of en-couragement. The Sisters and others maintained contact with Sister Daria. “It was extremely, extremely love beyond,” Sister Daria said. “There is no way I could have become a doc-tor without their support.” Sister Daria left the United States in June and began her internship August 15. After a year, she will earn a license to practice in Tanzania. It will also enable her to network with other doctors. “Physicians in Tanzania are very intelligent by their own means because they learn from each other and they don’t have the facilities we have here,” Sister Daria said. “We do things together. We share knowl-edge and that’s our library. That’s how we work.” Sister Daria will minister to the poor and needy patients in the re-gion, treating such maladies as mal-nutrition, dehydration, malaria and HIV. She will also be dealing with patients with human immunodefi-ciency virus (HIV). A key element of treatment, she said, will be educat-ing patients on their conditions and

how to take care of themselves in case they are not able to return to the hospital for follow up visits. To improve the care she can give, Sister Daria is working with Med-Wish, a non-profit organization in Cleveland that repurposes medical equipment discarded by hospitals and redistributes them in develop-ing countries. Precious Blood Parish paid the $5,000 cost to ship the first container of medical equipment. Sis-ter Daria will use the equipment to furnish a clinic for her order. She has more equipment from MedWish and is raising money to pay for a second shipment. With her resources, contacts in the United States and the Sisters of the Precious Blood, she sees God work-ing through her to reach others less fortunate. “I’m going to just try my level best to work with God,” Sister Daria said. “I’ll say ‘God, I just want you to touch people today through me.’ I’m going to try my level best to meet these people and show them God. I’m thinking I will be able to make people happy.” The last decade has helped her understand her call to religious life. “Today I’m 100 percent sure this is where God wants me,” she said. “If I didn’t become a Sister, I could never have been in the United States. I could have never become a doctor. I could have never done all this.”

New doctor grateful for C.PP.S.

Sisters Pat Dieringer and Daria Mushi before her graduation ceremony at the American Global School of Medicine in Belize. Courtesy photo

Fall 2012 9

By Dave Eck

DAYTON – The Sisters of the Pre-cious Blood awarded $489,948 in grants to 51 social service agencies, schools and social programs from the congregation’s Maria Anna Brunner Grant Fund. The grants will support projects in 2012 and 2013. Founded in 1991 and named in honor of the congregation’s found-ress, the fund supports agencies and programs that a Sister of the Pre-cious Blood recommends. The Sister is either very knowledgeable about the program or is actively involved. This year’s grant amounts range from $1,000 to the maximum of $20,000. The funded agencies are located in areas where Precious Blood Sisters minister including Dayton, Cincinnati and Toledo in Ohio, and California, Michigan, Guatemala and Chile. Some of the programs funded in 2012 are:• Our Lady of Mercy St. Vincent de Paul in Dayton, $10,000 to help cover increased food costs for the food pantry and to increase the amount of rent pledges to $100.• Carroll High School in Dayton, $15,000 to help pay part of the tu-ition of 8-12 Carroll students from low-income and/or single parent families.• Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School in Dayton, $20,000 to be used for scholarships for students

from low-income families to offset the cost of their school tuition for the 2012-13 school year.• St. Bernardine Medical Center Foundation in San Bernardino, Calif., $14,000 to pay for screening mammograms for women who have no insurance to cover the cost and do not have other financial resources.• Precious Blood Ministry of Rec-onciliation in Chicago, $15,000 to support the at-risk youth from “Back of the Yards” (Southside Chicago community suffering from gang/gun violence and extreme poverty) to improve their education, develop workplace skills, and help them to become responsible employees. • Tech-reach at Elder High School in Cincinnati, $10,000 to continue the school’s tech-reach program in which the school shares its technol-ogy and educational resources with its neighbors in need. Sisters of the Precious Blood are asked to recommend agencies and programs for funding each January and applications are due in March. A board of three Sisters of the Precious Blood, three laypeople and a chair, who is a Sister of the Precious Blood, reviews the applications and identi-fies programs for funding. The board recommendations are sent to the Community Council in May and the funds are distributed in June. In evaluating applications, the

board takes into ac-count the program’s social impact and the impact the fund-ing will have on the applicant’s mission, said Pre-cious Blood Sister Ruth Ann Meyer (M. Giovanni), cur-rent chair of the MAB Grant Fund Board. The money cannot be used for capital improvement or con-struction projects. Projects must address one or more of the following: support systemic change; provide service to those who suffer from poverty; cre-ate processes that facilitate recon-ciliation; promote the reduction of violence in society; and empower individuals to take their place in Church and society. “It’s extremely important to me and to the congregation to support our Sisters who are do-ing social work and feeding the hungry,” Sister Ruth Ann said. “I want (the grants) to impact how our Sisters are changing the way people live.”

Sisters of the Precious Blood award nearly $490,000 in grants to social service agencies, schools and programs

In SympathyWe offer sympathy and prayer to the following Sisters of the Precious Blood who have recently lost family members to death.

Sister Charmaine Grilliot on the death of her brother, Clem Grilliot, June 26. Sister Carolyn Hoying on the death of her uncle, Paul Mescher, June 26.

Sister Paula Gero on the death of her mother, Francis Gero, July 25. Sister Rosemary Lindemann on the death of her brother, John, Aug. 4. Sister Amy Junk on the death of

her brother, Robert, Sept. 8.

Remembering… Pete Leisring, former mainte-nance director, Aug. 25

Sister Ruth Ann Meyer. Pat Morrison photo

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A Mass of Christian Burial for Precious Blood Sister M. Yvonne Voisard was held Aug. 1 at Salem Heights. Sister Voisard, 94, died July 29 at Maria Joseph Center. She was a Sister of the Precious Blood for 79 years. A native of Russia, Ohio, Irma

Voisard was one of eight children born to Leo and Mar-garet (Marchal) Voisard. She entered the congregation at age 16, one of three siblings to enter the congregation. Sister taught grades 5-12 for 17 years in Cleveland, Egypt and Glandorf, Ohio. She spent the next 15 years in formation work. Later she became involved in the study of the retreat movement and was director of the

Maria Stein Retreat House. Later, she spent a year study-ing spirituality in Massachusetts. This prepared her to become Pastoral Minister at Queen of Martyrs Parish in Dayton and during nine summers the director of a month-long House of Prayer experience. She retired to Salem Heights in 1995. Failing health necessitated her move to Emma Hall in 2006. Sister M. Yvonne is survived by her sisters, Elfrieda Borchers of Russia, Ohio and in religion, Sister Carmen Voisard of Dayton, Ohio. She is also survived by nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her sisters, Mildred Moorman, and Cecilia Borchers, Sister Mary Louise Voisard and her brothers Joseph Voisard and Raymond Voisard. Interment was in Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Mary Yvonne VoisardAugust 31, 1917 — July 29, 2012

For the full texts of the eulogies, go to: www.PreciousBloodSistersDayton.org; click on About Us>In Memoriam.

Mass of Christian Burial for Pre-cious Blood Sister Mary Delphine Kolker, 94, was held at Salem Heights Aug. 27. Sister Delphine died Aug. 21 at Maria Joseph Cen-ter in Dayton. She was a Sister of the Precious Blood for 78 years. One of three children born to

John J. and Estella C. (Young) Kolker, Geraldine Elea-nora was born in Dayton, Ohio, on April 12, 1918. At age 16, she formally entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood on June 8, 1934. She was known in religious life as Sister Mary Delphine. For four years Sister M. Delphine taught grade school

and high school students in Bryant, Ind. and Dayton. After acquiring a M.A. and PhD. in English, Delphine taught in high school and mostly college for 49 years. She ministered to students in Dayton and Cleveland, Ohio; San Luis Rey, Calif.; Lafayette and Rensselaer, Ind. Being a very gifted, creative and versatile person, Del-phine became widely known for art, poetry, literature and composition. She spent 17 years teaching English and philosophy in Cleveland at St. John College and Cleveland State University. Sister Mary Delphine is survived by her sister, Martha Glaser of Cincinnati and nieces. Preceding her in death was her sister E. Patricia Fetter of Marion, Ind. Internment was in Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister M. Delphine KolkerApril 12, 1918 — August 21, 2012

Mass of Christian Burial for Pre-cious Blood Sister Anne Agnew, 84, was celebrated June 12 at Salem Heights Chapel in Dayton, Ohio. Sister Anne died June 9 at the Maria Joseph Center. She was a Sister of the Precious Blood for 65 years.

A native of Dayton, her family later moved to Cin-cinnati, where she attended St. Mark School and Regina High School. Anne formally entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood on September 1, 1946. She was known in religious life for some years as Sister Mary Walter. Sister enjoyed teaching grade school for 17 years in

Missouri, Indiana and Ohio. She also ministered for eight years in Cincinnati, Celina and Wapakoneta high schools, teaching English and history. After teaching, Anne, “retired” at age 65, and did pastoral work in Colorado, and social justice ministry, involving AIDS. Later she worked in homeless shelters in Chicago and Dayton. While living at Salem Heights in 2003- 2008, she collaborated with Sister Helen Weber (M. Herbert) in publishing seven books on CPPS community history. Her failing health in 2008 took her to Emma Hall. Sister Anne is survived by her sister, Sister M. Barbara Agnew (M. Madeleva), CPPS of Dayton, Ohio and nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death was her sister and brother-in-law, Edith and Ronald Roat of Cincinnati. Internment was in the Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Anne Agnew (Mary Walter)April 30, 1928 — June 9, 2012

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Story and photos by Dave Eck

There were plenty of laughs, hugs and even a few tears on June 3 as 13 members of the

1950 Regina High School class gath-ered at Salem Heights for a reunion. As the ‘Regina Girls’ shared stories of their high school days, the years faded away and the spirit of the for-mer high school in Norwood, Ohio, came alive. There were stories of Precious Blood Sisters M. Conrada Schneider, an excellent math and algebra teacher; M. Peregrine Braun, who taught sewing and domestic arts; Dorothy Kammerer (M. Fide-lia), head of the business depart-ment; and Madonna Winklejohn (M. Ireanea), a science teacher and later principal. “The whole reunion day was really so tremendous, sharing memories. It was interesting because everyone just wanted to talk about Regina, the good times we had and the crazy things that happened,” said Precious

Blood Sister Katie Lett (M. Joseph Marie), who was class president junior and senior years. “It was just turning back the clock.” The ‘Regina girls’ at-tended Mass, toured Salem Heights, and had lunch with the community before gathering around din-ing tables to talk. Soon the memories and stories started flowing. Sister Katie hosted the reunion. Mary Kuntz Smiley recalled a time when she and Rosalie (Mickey) Mc-Quaide remembered sneaking some ice cream out of a freezer at Regina and were eating it when they heard a Sister coming. They ran into the girls’ bathroom and threw the treats out the window. Though the memories were often funny and sometimes sad, one theme

emerged: Regina was a place where classmates became friends for life. “You always felt that every-body in the class was your friend,” said Pat Martin Ben-ken. “We were always together as friends. I really enjoyed Regina.” Sometimes, though, friend-ship can take an interesting turn, as Sister Katie found out the summer after high school and a week before entering the community. Some of her class-

‘Regina girls’ bring former school’s spirit to Salem Heights

mates took her to a bar in Cincinnati, and ordered her a Zombie, a cocktail with three different kinds of rum, sugar and two different fruit juices. “I never drank,” Sister Katie said. “They always enjoyed drinking. They didn’t tell me what they got me until I started feeling lightheaded.” Through the years, the bonds formed at Regina never broke. “I can’t get through life without friends,” Sister Katie said. “I also feel, with these girls, I know each of them by name, and I just really love them. We discovered that even though it’s been 62 years since we graduated that love has been ever-lasting.”

Classmates gather at a reunion of the 1950 Regina High School class reunion June 3 at Salem Heights. Back row from left, Philomina Picciano Dillhoff, Loretta Riley Luers, Joan Meyer Augenstein, Mary Lou Hewitt Weber, Marilyn McDermott Clements, Joan Schneider Crable, Pat Martin Benken, Ann Burwinkel Murray. Front row from left, Mary Kuntz Smiley, Margie Morford Donnelly, Barb Reinhart Powers, Mary Oaks Shea, Precious Blood Sister Katie Lett.

From left, Mary Oaks Shea, Ann Burwinkel Murray, Pat Martin Benken (background), and Philomina Pic-ciano Dillhoff sing during the liturgy recognizing the ‘Regina Girls.’

For more information and photos from stories in Sharing and Caring, go to www.preciousbloodsistersdayton.org; News and Events>Sharing & Caring.

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