Sister Patricia Schlarman, ASC celebrates 50th jubilee

Sister Patricia Schlarman, ASC, celebrated her 50th Jubilee as an Adorer of the Blood of Christ on July 1 at the ASC Center in Ruma, Illinois.

Born in Belleville, Illinois, she entered the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in 1954 and made her first profession on July 1, 1956. She ministered as an elementary school teacher and sometimes as principal in several schools in Illinois including Holy Family School in Cahokia from 1957 to 1959, St. Clare School in O’Fallon from 1961 to1962 and from 1966 to 1967), Ss. Peter and Paul School in Waterloo from 1964 to 1965, Catholic Schools in Chester and Nashville from 1965 to 1966 and Damiansville Public School from 1977-1981.

She also taught and was principal in Kelso, Missouri. She spent three years at Colegio de Lourdes in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, as a teacher and administrator.

From 1972-1975 she taught at Our Lady’s School in Festus, Mo., and from 1975-1977, she ministered as both teacher and principal at St. Joseph School in Zell, Mo.

Sister Patricia also worked with the Peace and Justice Institute in St. Louis from 1986-1987 in a clerical capacity. From 1987-91, she served as campus minister at College of the Ozarks and youth minister in St. Mary’s Parish, Branson, Mo.

While in Dodge City, from 1992-1998 she served in the capacity of Pastoral Associate (Administrator 1996-1997) at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. She is currently involved in Hispanic pastoral ministry in Carbondale and Cobden, Ill.

Sister Patricia is the sister of Bishop Stanley G. Schlarman, who served the Diocese of Dodge City as its fourth bishop from 1983-98.

Adorers of the Blood of Christ celebrate 65th anniversaries of profession

Sister Sylvana Schulte, ASC and Sister M. Clarissa Tenbrink, ASC celebrated their 65th anniversary of their first profession at the Wichita Center in Wichita on Sunday, May 28. They made their first profession on August 10, 1941.

Sylvana Schulte was born in Windthorst. From 1944-1950 she taught in intermediate grades at St. Joseph in Ost and St. John in Pilsen and in Carlsbad, NM.

From 1950-1968 she served mainly as principal with some teaching at St. Joseph in Ashland, St. Joseph in Offerle, and Christ the King in Wichita, as well as in schools in Oklahoma, and from 1971-1973 in New Mexico. In 1973 she brought her administrative skills to St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid, Okla., where she was Assistant Administrator for three years and Senior Vice President for 10 years.

From 1986-1990 she served as Provincial Counselor and Chairperson for Ministry. In 1990 she became the Superintendent of Schools and Co-Director of the Office of Religious Education for the Dodge City Diocese.

In 1993 she also became Vice Chancellor and Chancellor pro tem for the diocese, the first woman to hold that position in the state of Kansas. In 1996 she became principal for St. Patrick School in Chanute, and in 2000 she began working as a consultant for the reopening of St. Joseph Catholic School, until she began Living Mission in Later Life in 2005 at the Wichita Center where she volunteers as coordinator of outside activities for the Center.

M. Clarissa Tenbrink was born in Spearville. She ministered for 24 years as a teacher and/or principal at public and parochial elementary schools in Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Beginning in 1966 she served five years as the Supervisor of Elementary Schools for the Diocese of Wichita as well as the Supervisor of Education for the Wichita Province of the Adorers. From 1971 to 1974 she served as the Religious Education Director and teacher for the Spearville Public Schools Released-Time Program for the Diocese of Dodge City.

In 1975 she spent a half-year as Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of El Paso before becoming the superintendent for the next 7-1/2 years.

From 1983-1990 she served as the Vice Principal for Academics at Cathedral High School in El Paso, followed by two years as principal at a high school in Colorado.

From 1993 to 1998 she was the Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Salina. From 1998 to 2005 she ministered part-time at St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Parish in Salina as the Coordinator of Senior Services. During this time she also taught a college course in the Salina Diocese Leadership Program through Newman University.

In 2005 she began Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Fathers Schremmer, Strasser celebrate 30 years of priesthood

Bishop Ronald Gilmore, the chancery staff, and friends and associates of Father Robert Schremmer joined to honor him June 21 at a special anniversary luncheon at the Dodge City Country Club.

Father Robert Schremmer was ordained June 19, 1976, one week after Father John Strasser’s ordination (see story at right). At the luncheon, Father Joseph Bahr shared a story about how then-teenagers Bob Schremmer and Dave Ricken (now bishop of Cheyenne) used to distribute Catholic literature to seedy hotels on Front Street in Dodge City.

After their "Junior Legion of Mary" meetings, the two teens and Father Bahr would head off to Sonic for ice cream. On one occasion the ice cream dripped on Father Bahr’s clerics. Later Bob and Dave kiddingly signed a bib and presented it to Father Bahr for "future use." Some 40 years AD (After Drip), Father Bahr pulled out the bib (drawing howls of laughter and applause), happy to finally have an occasion to tell the story and "use" the bib which he has saved all these years.

Father Schremmer’s assignments were as follows: Associate Pastor at St. Rose, Great Bend (1976-80); Sacred Heart Cathedral (1980-83); Pastor at St. Andrew, Wright (1983-84); St. Anthony, Liberal (1984-88); St. John, Hoisington (1988-93); Sacred Heart, Larned and St. Bernard, Belpre (1993-99); St. John, Spearville, and St. Lawrence, Jetmore, and St. Anthony, Hanston (1999-2001); St. Andrew, Wright (since 2001).

Father Schremmer has served in several diocesan positions over the years, including: Director of Diaconate Program; Director of RENEW; Presbyteral Council; Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia.

On June 10, the St. John Apostle Parish, Kiowa, Holy Rosary Parish, Medicine Lodge, and St. Boniface Parish, Sharon, celebrated the vocation of priesthood, service and ministry with Father John Strasser on his 30th anniversary as an ordained priest.

The parishes and choirs gathered at the 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Boniface Church with a festive dinner and program that followed, including a comical "roasting" of Father Strasser.

Father John Strasser’s family and seminarians Don Bedore, Joe Hagood, Sylvester N. O’Chieng were in attendance and were introduced to those gathered. Sister Vincetta Traffas, O.S.F. and Sister Imelda Schmidt OP, Sharon Parish (home grown vocations), also graced the event.

Master of Ceremonies for the program was Darryl Honas of Medicine Lodge. Sister Nancy Jane Kuntz spearheaded the organization of the celebration for the three parishes, which included a choir, lectors, servers, and Eucharistic ministers from all three parishes.

Father Strasser was ordained June 12, 1976. His assignments were as follows: Associate Pastor at St. Anthony, Liberal (1976-80); Sacred Heart Cathedral (1980-84); Pastor at Sacred Heart, Ness City (1984-88); with St. Aloysius, Ransom (1985-88); St. Rose, Great Bend (1988-1994); with St. Francis Xavier, Seward (1992-94); Sacred Heart Cathedral (1994-2001); Holy Rosary, Medicine Lodge, and St. Boniface, Sharon, and St. John, Kiowa (since 2001).

He also served in the following diocesan positions: Dean of the Great Bend Deanery; member of the Presbyteral Council Priests’ Retirement Fund; Diocesan Review Board.