News & Current Events

January is human trafficking month in the United States.   On January 11th, we give special remembrance to all women, children and men who are victims and survivors of this horrendous crime especially in the United States.    IBVM Corporate Stance on Human Trafficking As members of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an international and multinational congregation of women religious, we pledge to work for the eradication of all forms of human trafficking and its causes, particularly among women and children, where we live and minister.    ...

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Entered Life - December 23, 1935 Entered Religious life - September 29, 1954 Entered Eternal Life  - July 17, 2018 Our IBVM and SS Simon & Jude School Communities lost “a wee bit” of its authentic Irish heritage on July 17. Sister Christine Gilsenan, IBVM, was born in Trim, County Meath, Ireland. In 1954 she entered the Loreto Convent at Navan, County Meath. Then, in 1957 moved to Phoenix, Arizona and began teaching at SS Simon & Jude Parish.  She was an excellent educator, influencing the lives of thousands o...

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Entered Life: July 8, 1923   Entered Religious Life:  August 8, 1942 Entered Eternal Life:  July 10, 2018, 20172   Sister Irene Ellen Howell, IBVM was born on July 8, 1923 to Ellen McCoy and Charles Wesley Howell in Payment on Sugar Island, Michigan.  Irene was the eldest of six children and attended Loretto Academy, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.  Throughout her life Irene was blessed with a loving family; her brothers and sisters, many nieces and nephews and the next generation.  Upon graduation, she en...

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Entered Life: January 26, 1934   Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1951 Entered Eternal Life:  November 20, 2017 "For Me to Live is Christ"   On January 26, 1934, God was ready to give the world a big surprise, but had to think about it.  God wanted to be sure the rest of the world was ready for a beautiful, but explosive, personality.  On January 26, 1934, God gifted us with the joy of del Rey Waite (Nancy Lee Waite).  As God knew, every moment after that, until the day she was called home, was a surprise! ...

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Entered Eternal Life:  September 27, 2017. Sister Concepta ministered in Phoenix, Arizona from 1959 to 1963, when she was called back to Ireland to teach math and science in Navan, Ireland. In 1985 she returned to Arizona to teach at St. Simon and Jude School, and then Religious Education and RCIA at St. Gregory Parish. Upon retirement, Concepta volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society until she returned to Ireland in 2007. Concepta served the Phoenix Community for 22 years and has touched many with her teaching skills, but even more importantly, her love...

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Entered Life: July 2, 1942   Entered Religious Life: October 8, 1961 Entered Eternal Life:  June 17, 2017 "Giving Thanks and Singing for Joy"   Gail (Sr. Jane Patrice, Sr. Jane) McKirchy was born in 1942 and was raised in Chicago, Illinois. She first met the IBVM Sisters at St. Bride Elementary School. For much of her childhood she lived with her cousins, the Hollands.   Her cousin, Larry, wrote this of Jane: “Before you were Jane, you were Gail Before the sister you became, you were the sister we needed Love - y...

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Entered Life:  April 24, 1918 Entered Religious Life:  October 11, 1936   Entered Eternal Life:  March 12, 2017 "To Jesus Through Mary"   Sister Teresita Ryan (Sinead Ryan) was born in Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland on April 24, 1918. She was the daughter of William J. Ryan and Julia (O’Donoghue) Ryan. She was one of nine children - four of whom were dedicated to the Lord’s service: two Loreto Sisters - Sr. Teresita and Sr. Celine, a Presentation sister, Sr. Sheila, and Fr. James, OFM Cap. Teresita ...

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Entered Life: April 3, 1913   Entered Religious Life:  August 15, 1932 Born to Eternal Life:  January 11, 2017 " With You, in You, to You"   Alice Whitehead lived the length and width of her life to the fullest for 103 years. And she departed this world leaning into the love of her God. What really mattered for her was not the bookends of birth and death but the middle time of life. Her middle time consisted of three passions: books, library work and traveling. She was a book enthusiast, reading some books twi...

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Entered Life:  May 29, 1931 Entered Religious Life: September 8, 1949 Entered Eternal Life: January 5, 2017        “My God and my Help!” Mary Creighton chose these words as her motto at Final Profession. These words are few in number but they are profound. I believe they formed the foundation, the anchor, that provided Mary with the grounding she needed to live her life. Although Mary did not have an easy life, God was her lifelong companion. I’m sure that God was right there beside her to grasp her hand and guide h...

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Entered Life: April, 1932   Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1949 Entered Eternal Life:  December 6, 2016 "Through Him - With Him - In Him"   Patricia Pendleton was born on April 2, 1932 to Mary and Roy Pendleton. She was welcomed to the family by her seven brothers and sisters. The Pendletons lived in St. Lawrence Parish on the south side of Chicago. As a true “south sider”, Pat was an avid fan of the Chicago White Sox. She never missed a game on the radio or TV and would attend in person if at all possib...

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Entered Life:  October 15, 1934 Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1952 Entered Eternal Life:  September 28, 2016 “In God’s Will is my peace” is the inscription on Sharon Whelan’s profession ring, and was also the motivator for her life, one day at a time. Her journey as an IBVM has been one of love, faith, trust and discovery.  As she has said, “a journey sometimes on a mountain top, sometimes in a valley, but always in the sunshine of God’s love.” Sharon was an educator, teaching first grade, (&...

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Entered Life:  February 7, 1942 Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1959 Entered Eternal Life:  March 24, 2016 "Unless a Grain of Wheat …"   In our IBVM Constitutions it says "A great love of God An attitude of openness to all good works A freedom to refer all to God And a readiness to follow the way Of justice and sincerity In lightness of spirit This is the charism that Mary Ward desired To shine through all our words and works"   Jean embodied the Constitutions. She was definit...

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Entered Life:  July 30, 1927 Entered Religious Life:  February 2, 1946 Entered Eternal Life:  February 11, 2016  "God is He who is; I am who am not."                                                      Like each one of us, Rita Rzeppa was a complex person. To quote Yoda in one ...

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Entered Life:  August 17, 1931   Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1949 Entered Eternal Life:  December 12, 2015 "God is my strength and my wisdom." “God is my strength and my wisdom.” Those words were chosen by Therese to be engraved on her final profession ring many years ago. She lived those words throughout her life in both the good times and in the times that were really tough on her.   Anyone who has experienced the loss of sight as Therese did knows the limitations and the challenges that come your way ...

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Entered Life:  October 22, 1930 Entered Religious Life:  September 8, 1948 Entered Eternal Life:  July 4, 2015 " Lord, I come to do your will."   Kathleen, known as Miriam by most of us, was the Irish colleen among her four brothers. After graduating from Loretto Woodlawn, she entered the IBVM in 1948. Miriam's passion was education. She began as an elementary school teacher at St. Bride in Chicago and continued her studies to become an administrator and guidance counselor in both California and Arizona. Many of her 31 yea...

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Entered Life:  July 25, 1932   Entered Religious Life:  September 14, 1950 Entered Eternal Life:  June 27, 2015 "Through God, with God and in God"    As we listened to words of remembrance given by Mary’s family, friends and her IBVM Sisters, there was laughter (Mary herself caused laughter— she had an amazing sense of humor), there were tears of sadness (we will miss her), joy (Mary has won the race and has received the prize) and remem-brance (Mary brought tears to our eyes, she also wiped away our tears and...

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Entered Life:  July 25, 1922   Entered Religious Life: August 8, 1940   Entered Eternal Life: March 31, 2015  "The mind in Thee be also in me."   Mary was a real scholar with a doctoral degree in English Literature. She loved reading and had almost exhausted the collection at the Wheaton library. In addition, Mary also kept current with America, Commonweal, Theological Studies, and Time or Newsweek. Whenever you visited her at the Life Center she was reading. Mary was an accomplished musician, seamstress...

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