Adorers of the Blood of Christ celebrate anniversaries of profession

On May 8, 18 Adorers of the Blood of Christ celebrated their 60th, 65th, 70th and 75th anniversaries of their first profession at the Wichita Center in Wichita, Kansas.

Eight women religious, Sister Matthias Betzen, ASC, Sister Noella Blick, ASC, Sister Loretta Gegen, ASC, Sister Emiliana Herman, ASC, Sister Joan Herman, ASC, Sister Lucille Kerschen, ASC, Sister Christian Kipp, ASC, and Sister Delphine Schmidt, ASC celebrated their 60th anniversary of first profession.

Sister Matthias Betzen was born in St. Mark, Kansas. In the Diocese of Dodge City she taught at St. John School in Spearville, District School in Marienthal, St. Joseph School in Ellinwood, and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Windthorst. She has also taught in the Diocese of Wichita, as well as Oklahoma, and Nebraska. She spent two years in Masan, Korea, as an English Professor at Kyung Nam University. She was pastoral minister in Missouri for 18 years. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Noella Blick was born in Hutchinson. Her ministry has been mainly in education serving in several schools in the Diocese of Dodge City: St. John in Spearville, St. Nicholas in Kinsley, and St. Joseph in Ellinwood. She has also ministered in the Diocese of Wichita. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Loretta Gegen was born in Wichita. In her early ministry she taught in several schools in the Diocese of Dodge City, including St. Anne in Olmitz, St. Joseph in Offerle, and St. Patrick in Plains. In Wichita, she has ministered as both teacher and assistant principal at Sacred Heart Academy and as Dean and Head of the Education Department at Sacred Heart College. She served on the Research Community Ministries Task Force for the Adorers and served as the Provincial Counselor while also teaching at the College. She was a General Counselor for the Adorers of the Blood of Christ at their Generalate in Rome. For 11 years she served as the Director of Education for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and for seven years as the Vice Chancellor of the Dodge City Diocese. She is currently full time writer and translator for the Adorers.

Sister Emiliana Herman was born in Piqua, Kansas. Her ministry has been mainly in food service in hospitals in Oklahoma. Her first assignment was as a housekeeper at St. Joseph School in Ost. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life in Enid, Okla.

Sister Joan Herman was born in Westphalia, Kansas. In her early ministry years she served as housekeeper in sister’s homes in Offerle, Liebenthal, and Kinsley. Most of her nursing ministry has been at St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma as an O.B. nurse. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life in Enid, Okla.

Sister Lucille Kerschen was born in Garden Plain. She taught at several schools in the Diocese of Dodge City, including St. Joseph in Ellinwood, St. Mary’s, Saints Peter and Paul, and St. Nicholas in Kinsley. She taught many years in the Diocese of Wichita and served as an education supervisor there. She also taught in Oklahoma. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Christian Kipp was born in Piqua, Kansas. Her primary ministry was care of others through domestic services. This ministry took her to Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, and New Mexico where she served for 22 years as housekeeper at St. Francis Hospital in Carlsbad. From 1983 to 1997, she served in health care at the Wichita Center. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Delphine Schmidt was born in Spearville and has taught in several schools in the Diocese of Wichita as well as Oklahoma and Nebraska. She also taught philosophy at Newman University and at Sacred Heart College. She ministered as the postulant director for the then Wichita Province. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Four sisters celebrated their 65th anniversary of profession: Sister Geraldine Hotze, ASC, Sister Vivian Miller, ASC, Sister Stella Rosenhamer, ASC, and Sister Loretta Thome, ASC.

Sister Geraldine Hotze was born in Cunningham, Kansas and grew up in Wichita. Her ministry has been varied beginning with teaching in parochial schools in Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. In the Diocese of Dodge City she taught at St. Mary’s School in Marienthal, Sacred Heart in Ness City, Saints Peter and Paul in Kinsley, and St. Ann’s in Olmitz. From 1948-1959 she was the Initial Formation Director for the Adorers. She served from 1966-1971 as an instructor at the then Kansas Newman University in Wichita. She has also served as an On-Going Formation Director and in retreat center ministry. She is currently serving as a library assistant at the Wichita Center.

Sister Vivian Miller was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She began her ministry as a primary teacher. In the Diocese of Dodge City she taught at St. Nicholas in Kinsley, St. Joseph in Ashland, and Sacred Heart in Ness City. In 1953, she went to the Amazon where she spent 17 years in various ministries including teacher, aspirant director, postulant director, novice director, vice-provincial and provincial. After leaving the Amazon, she spent two years with the Adorers in Tanzania, Africa. She served as a General Councilor at the ASC Generalate in Rome from 1979-1987. After returning from Rome she spent 10 years as Secretary and Certification Officer at the then Kansas Newman College in Wichita. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Loretta Thome was born in St. Mark’s, Kansas. She spent 23 years nursing at several hospitals in Oklahoma and six years as a Central Stores Supervisor in Washington, Mo. She served seven years in binding and periodicals in the Ryan Library at the then Kansas Newman College and then worked thirteen years in the convent print shop at the current Wichita Center. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Stella Rosenhamer was born in Wichita. Her first 20 years of ministry were spent serving in several hospitals in Oklahoma in administrative positions. From 1960-1974, she served as Provincial Economa at the then Provincial House in Wichita, and from 1974-1982, she served as Chair of the Commission for Physical and Financial Resources. In 1983, she joined the team at St. Anthony House, now know as Center of Hope. During her time there she served in several roles including executive director. She retired from Center of Hope in 2003 and is now Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Five sisters celebrated their 70th Anniversary of Profession: Sister Remigia Kershen, ASC, Sister Leona Riebel, ASC, Sister Bernadette Sigg, ASC, Sister Bridget Smith, ASC, and Sister Dionysia Stump, ASC.

Sister Remigia Kerschen was born in Cunningham, Kansas. She began her teaching ministry at St. Joseph School in Ellinwood. She then ministered as a math instructor at the secondary and college levels. In Wichita she taught at Sacred Heart College and the then Kansas Newman College. She has also taught in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Maryland, Texas, and Kentucky. She also served as Directress of Postulants and First Assistant to the Provincial at the then Provincial Motherhouse in Wichita. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life and serving as an assistant in the archives at the Wichita Center.

Sister Leona Riebel was born in Schoenchen, Kansas. She has been a primary teacher during most of her 66 years of ministry. In the Diocese of Dodge City she taught at St. Joseph in Ashland and St. John’s in Spearville. She taught for many years in the Diocese of Wichita as well as Nebraska and Oklahoma. In 1984, she moved to the Washington, DC area and served as a clerical assistant at Catholic University. Since then she has also served as a computer operator and data entry operator at the Holy Ghost Office in Washington, DC. She is currently doing clerical work at the National Shrine, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

Sister Bernetta Sigg was born in Ost, Kansas. In the Diocese of Dodge City she has taught at St. John in Spearville, St. Joseph in Ellinwood, and St. Mary’s in Marienthal. She has also served in the Diocese of Wichita and Oklahoma. She also taught at Sacred Heart College in Wichita. She served as an assistant in communication for the then Province Center in Wichita. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Bridget Smith was born in Okarche, Oklahoma. In the Diocese of Dodge City she taught at St. John’s in Spearville, Saints Peter and Paul in Kinsley, and St. Patrick’s in Plains. She has also taught for many years in the Diocese of Wichita and in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Dionysia Stump was born in Schulte, Kansas. She taught at Saints Peter and Paul School in Kinsley and at District #3 in Liebenthal in the Dodge City diocese. She also taught in several elementary and high schools in the Diocese of Wichita. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.

Sister Agatha Wassinger, ASC, celebrated her 75th anniversary of profession. She was born in Hays. She has taught at several schools in the Diocese of Dodge City including St. Joseph in Liebenthal, and Saints Peter and Paul and St. Nicholas in Kinsley, She also taught 19 years in the Diocese of Wichita and 12 years in schools in Oklahoma. She has served as the Director of Activities for the Aged at St. Joseph’s Villa in David City, NE. She is currently Living Mission in Later Life at the Wichita Center.