Sisters minister through neighborhood project

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
January 6, 2004

A neighborhood project in Sioux City was started by Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque to minister to the multicultural community.

Sisters Grace Ann Witte and Mary Lee Cox along with Sister Shirley Waldschmitt, who moved to Sioux City this last summer, have been a part of the project and ministering to the people of the Sioux City area.

The Sioux City Multicultural Neighborhood Project grew out of a chapter decision of the Franciscan community. A chapter is a meeting every four years of the elected legislative body of their community. The chapter actions challenged the sisters to minister in culturally diverse areas and to minister to women and children of violence.

"We had had a four-year period of study of multicultural justice issues, and the chapter decided to support several community initiatives in that area," said Sister Grace Ann. "Sioux City was chosen as one of the sites, but the actual specifics of the project were left up to the sisters living at the site. My own role is simply one of 'presence' in the neighborhood since I am employed full-time at Briar Cliff."

Seven years ago as part of the Sioux City Multicultural Neighborhood Project the sisters visited with Asian women, African American women, Native American women, Hispanic women and Anglo women here in Sioux City about their greatest need. Their overwhelming need was for good childcare for their preschool children. Six years ago they founded the Holy Family Preschool Daycare Center at St. Boniface.

Sister Grace Ann was born and grew up in Petersburg in eastern Iowa where her father ran a general store. She entered the convent after graduation from high school, in the fall of 1955.

"I admired the sisters who taught me in our Catholic grade school in Petersburg and at the Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque where I went to high school," said Sister Grace Ann.

Sister Grace Ann had joined the secular Third Order of St. Francis while in high school and was devoted to St. Francis. The Sisters of St. Francis were the sisters with whom she felt at home.

She spent eight years at the Catholic Worker house providing housing for women and children and working at the soup kitchen.

"This taught me the importance of trying to respect every human person, regardless of circumstances, as Jesus did," said Sister Grace Ann. "My desire to be a peacemaking person has moved from anti-war demonstrations and protests and civil disobedience to facilitating non-violence workshops with prisoners and teaching conflict resolution skills to college students."

Sister Mary Lee is from an Irish-American family of eight children born and raised at Ionia, Iowa in north central Iowa. She has been a sister for almost 38 years.

"Reading several books on the life of Francis of Assisi and being taught by the Dubuque Franciscans drew me to inquire about religious life," said Sister Mary Lee. "I liked the sisters simplicity of life and their spirit of joy and longing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus as Francis did."

Sister Mary Lee is now a teacher at Sacred Heart School in Sioux City and has been working in Sioux City with the migrant and immigrant communities for seven years.

"These migrant and immigrant parents are working so very hard to better themselves and their children," said Sister Mary Lee. "Our English language is a challenge to learn because of the inconsistencies of the language and sounds that are not part of the Vietnamese language. I certainly have learned levels of patience and creativity serving as an English as a Second Language teacher. We have assisted migrant and immigrant families in their adjustment to the American culture and norms."

She added that in her teaching ministry it is important to her to educate her students to be world citizens who are aware of peace and justice issues throughout the world.

"My students in the past have made panels for the AIDS quilt, addressed the Iowa state legislature on the immorality of capital punishment and have worked at the food kitchen serving those who are hungry," said Sister Mary Lee.