She has been a visiting professor in the English Department at several colleges and universities including Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Sr. Luz María received the Teaching Excellence Award from the Independent Higher Education Foundation. She served as a translator, proofreader, editor, writer for several organizations and volunteered as a substitute teacher in Spanish at Assumption High School in Davenport, Iowa
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The area in which she worked resembled a mini United Nations - with many different ethnic groups...this provided the opportunity to work for peace and justice on a practical annd an educational level.
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Going to church while growing up was such a regular occurrence for Sister Micheline that the event found its way into her playtime with friends. "We used to play church a lot," she said. "They tell me I always insisted I be the priest."
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Sr. Catherine Burns was born in Williamsburg, Iowa. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1957 and made her first vows in 1960.
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Sr. Mary Ann’s ministry of education spanned six decades, beginning in 1959 at St. Patrick’s School in Ottumwa, IA, and ending as St. Joseph Parish Religious Education Director in State Center, IA, in 2011.
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While studying at Marquette University she was a teaching assistant and went on to become an instructor of biology at Marycrest College and Teikyo Marycrest/Marycrest International in Davenport. She was also the director of the spirituality center at Marycrest International University
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Sr. Hilary’s spent most of her life ministering in Ottumwa, Iowa, visiting and counseling shut-ins in nursing homes, the home-bound, persons in jail and writing letters to those in prison. She continues ministering through prayer and witness.
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After the Salvation Army left Ottumwa in 2014, Sr. Donna and several volunteers organized a committee to continue the tradition of serving Thanksgiving dinner to the public. In their second year, they served 720 home deliveries and around 200 dine-in guests. Sr. Donna was quoted then, “We had lots and lots of people working behind the scenes...it’s a wonderful day of the legacy of truly thanks-giving.” Sr. Donna herself leaves a legacy as an outstanding teacher, community volunteer, and compassionate friend. I think she can be sure that her conviction that “a teacher’s job is to instill in young people the desire to learn” has borne fruit beyond measure.
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She earned a master's degree in Asian languages and literature from the University of Iowa and a doctoral degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. From 1983-85 she was a research fellowship awardee, studying at Beijing University and Sichuan University, China.
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After profession Sr. Karen taught at St. Vincent in Davenport and St. Austin in Minneapolis for a year each before going to St. Mary’s in Ottumwa for four years. While at St. Vincent’s, a 2-way radio system was arranged for a student who had to miss school because of rheumatic fever. The system was so sensitive that he could hear pages being turned in the classroom.
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Sr. Jonita’ s first two years “on mission” were at St. Mary’s High School in Marshalltown, Iowa, from 1951 to 1953. Sr. Marian Smith says that the two of them would walk to Jackson’s bakery on Saturday and pick up all kinds of wonderful baked goods. From Marshalltown she went back to Ottumwa Heights where she taught biology to the academy students. She was there at the time of the fire in 1957 and moved with the Heights faculty, first to the mansion on Elm Street that had recently been purchased by the congregation. When classes could begin at the former Naval Air Base outside Ottumwa, she moved to the BOQ (Bachelors’ Officers Quarters) with the sisters, novices and college students from foreign countries.
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Sr. Joanne Di Iulio was born in Silvis, and entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1948. Her first vows were pronounced in 1951.
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Her ministry as a teacher/librarian in Montana included St. Leo High School in Lewistown and Central Catholic High School in Great Falls. She was the head librarian at Marycrest College in Davenport and reference librarian at the Great Falls Public Library in Great Falls. She volunteered from 1997-2009, setting up the archives in the University of Great Falls library.
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Sister Kathleen is an active environmentalist and volunteer. Her ministries have included teaching and parish work in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota...
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The connection with the land and rural people has contributed to the sisters' distinguishing characteristics of simplicity and steadfastness in the face of major challenges.
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