Women religious celebrate jubilees

April 5, 2007

Six women religious presently serving or living in the Diocese of Sioux City are celebrating jubilee anniversaries this year. The women will be recognized at a 10 a.m. Mass on April 14 at St. Mary's Church in Storm Lake. Bishop R. Walker Nickless will be the main celebrant.

Celebrating anniversaries are: 60 years - Sister Marian Wieland; 50 years - Sister Joyce Blum, Sister Julie Coyne, Sister Donna Determan and Sister Herman Platt; and 25 years - Sister Rose Hacker.

60 years

Sister Marian Wieland, FSPA, native of Carroll, graduated from high school in Carroll.

She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration order of La Crosse, Wis. in August of 1943. She made first vows in 1947 and final vows in 1953.

Sister Marian served in Wisconsin, Idaho and Iowa from 1969 to 2007. She is currently retired and volunteers at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll.

She has enjoyed much about religious life including prayers, the quiet, being with sisters, being a homemaker and working in hospitals and nursing homes.

50 years

Sister Joyce Blum, FSPA, a native of Panama, Iowa, attended elementary and high school at St. Mary's in Panama.

In 1954, Sister Joyce, entered St. Rose Convent and professed her first vows in 1957. Her profession of final vows was in 1963. She is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration with motherhouse in La Crosse, Wis.

Sister Joyce taught in Wisconsin and in El Salvador. In the mission field she began adult education programs around the country with farm workers to prepare the men especially for leadership in the churches. After returning from the mission field, Sister Joyce prepared herself to be a chaplain in hospitals and later on in the Arizona State Prison.

When she saw so many Spanish-speaking people crossing into the United States as migrants, Sister Joyce began volunteer ministry along the border with Mexico helping the immigrants who crossed through the desert. She also spent seven years ministering to orphans in Mexico along the border.

In 2006, Sister Joyce came back to the U.S. and began ministry with the Spanish-speaking people in the Diocese of Sioux City especially in the towns of Denison, Carroll and Storm Lake. Her "big love," being a Franciscan, is ministry with the Spanish speaking and sharing with families. She is always ready to share her teaching experiences.

"I feel so blessed to belong to my Franciscan family and all of the people I have met in my journey in mission," said Sister Joyce.

Sister Julie Coyne, OSF, a native of Anthon, attended St. Joseph's School in Anthon and graduated from Anthon Public High School in 1955. She graduated from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City with a bachelor's of science degree in 1961 and from Creighton University in Omaha with a bachelor's of science in pharmacy in 1966. She also received a diploma in massage therapy in 1992 from New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts in Santa Fe, N.M.

This year she celebrates 50 years from when she was received as a novice into the Sister's of St. Francis of Dubuque.

Sister Julie has served in several capacities over the years. She was a teacher in Niles, Ill. and in Sioux City at Bishop Heelan High School. She served as a pharmacist at hospitals in Emporia, Kan. and Dubuque. She also ministered as a retreat director and spiritual counselor in Dubuque from 1975-1985. Before returning to Sioux City in 1999, she had a massage therapy practice in Springfield, Mo. along with being a pharmacist for a free medical clinic for homeless and needy. She has been serving at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City since 1999 as a licensed massage therapist in the Mercy Pain Management Center and is a registered pharmacist on staff in the hospital pharmacy.

"My experience of religious life has been one of continued opportunities to grow spiritually and to share with my sisters in community and with the wider community," said Sister Julie. "I have also had wonderful educational opportunities to deepen and broaden my knowledge and experience the meaning an purpose of life. I am most grateful to God and to my community for all of these experiences as well as for the wonderful ongoing support and encouragement of my sisters as a member of the Dubuque Franciscans."

Sister Mary Donna Determan, PBVM, a native of Mason City, attended St. Joseph Grade School and High School in Mason City. She attended Clarke College and Thomas Aquinas Institute in Dubuque and took summer classes at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids.

She was received into the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary order on Aug. 22, 1957. She became a member at that time and received her religious name and religious habit.

Sister Donna was an elementary teacher at two schools in Dubuque from 1960 to 1968 before coming to the Diocese of Sioux City. In the Diocese of Sioux City, she taught in Whittemore, Storm Lake and Mason City. She also taught in Chicago and Oak Lawn, Ill. She is currently the faith formation director and kindergarten through fourth grade religion teacher at St. Mary's School in Storm Lake. She has been there since 1991.

"I enjoy being part of a religious community," said Sister Donna. "I am grateful that I am able to teach young children to love God and love others. It truly is a joy to be with them."

Sister Donna has two sisters that are Presentation sisters, Sister Bonita and Sister Rayanne.

Sister Mary Hermann Platt, PBVM, a native of Algona, graduated from St. Ceclia Academy in Algona (high school). She graduated from Clarke College in Dubuque with a BA in English, elementary education and Rosary College in River Forest, Ill. with a master of arts in library science. She also has an elementary principal's certificate from Clarke College.

Sister Mary Hermann was received into the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubuque 50 years ago.

She began serving as a teacher in Osage, Iowa in 1961. Since then has been a teacher, assistant principal or principal in Storm Lake, Ryan, Whittemore and Dubuque in Iowa and Oak Lawn, Ill. In 1984, she became principal at Bishop Garrigan in Algona and then the curriculum coordinator. She currently the pre-k - 12 curriculum coordinator at Bishop Garrigan Schools.

"I have loved the opportunities my religious community has given me to grow in my Baptismal commitment and my relationship with God, and to serve the Church in the ministry of Catholic Education," said Sister Mary Hermann.

25 years

Sister Rose Hacker of Boone celebrates 25 years as a School Sister of St. Francis this year. She is a native of Pratt, Kansas. She has a bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan.; a master's degree in science from

Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan.; and a master's degree in ministry from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

She lived her religious ministry as a high school teacher at Archbishop Ryan High School in Omaha, Neb., a research technician at the University of Mississippi and University of Nebraska Medical Center, and as a pastoral minister in the Diocese of Sioux City at Sacred Heart Parish in Spencer; in the Diocese of Dodge City, Kan., at Sacred Heart Cathedral and the Diocese of Kansas City-St Joseph, at St. Gregory Parish in Maryville, Mo.

In 2005 Sister Rose returned to the Diocese of Sioux City to minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Boone as director of liturgy and pastoral minister.