Religious celebrate 25 to 75, even 80 years of commitment

Fourteen religious men and women in the diocese marked important anniversaries this year

Published: December 1, 2012

Fourteen religious men and women marked important anniversaries in the Diocese of Little Rock in 2012.

One Sister of Mercy stands out for having served the Church for 80 years. Sister M. Angeline Poirer, RSM, was born in New Orleans and entered the Sisters of Mercy Sept. 6, 1932, in Webster Groves, Mo. She made her first vows in 1935 and her final vows in 1938. She received her bachelor's degree in English at Loyola University in New Orleans and a master's degree in secondary education at Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, Texas. Sister Angeline taught secondary education, religion and music in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas until she retired to Our Lady of Wisdom in 1999. She loved teaching, especially music. In 2008 Sister Angeline moved to Catherine McAuley Convent in Barling.

75 years

Sister Corinne Lange, OSB, who grew up in Nazareth, Texas, worked in nursing for 46 years in Boonville, Mo.; and Clarksville, Van Buren, Morrilton and Dermott. She specialized in obstetrics during the last 26 years of her nursing career. Following her retirement from nursing in 1983, Sister Corinne did parish work in St. Joseph Church in Amarillo, Texas, and St. Benedict Church in Subiaco until 1996. As a seamstress, she has helped many with their mending and enjoys making crafts for the convent gift shop. She can be found in chapel for Mass and prayers each day.

Sister Valeria Moellers, OSB, made her monastic profession on June 24, 1937. She has shared the gift of music as an organist in the monastic community and a music teacher for 56 years at St. Scholastica Academy, St. Joseph School, Paris; St. Boniface School, Fort Smith; St. Mary School, Lake Village; and St. Edward School, Little Rock. She continues to teach piano today to Sister Alice O'Brien. Today, in the infirmary, she has a room right across the hallway from the locker she had used as a student in the academy in the early 1930s. She still goes down to chapel for Mass and prayers each day.

Sister Irma Twenter, OSB, celebrated two milestones this year -- her 100th birthday April 3 and her 75th jubilee June 23. She grew up in Clear Creek, Mo., and entered St. Scholastica in 1934. She worked as a housekeeper and cook in parishes, schools and hospitals in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. From 1974-1981 she served as the monastery seamstress. From 1988-1993 she resided at St. Mary Parish in Helena, working in rural ministry, where she started quilting groups. Since 1993 she has lived in the monastery infirmary. During her retirement Sister Irma developed her artistic talents, painting landscapes and abstract art and designing hand-painted greeting cards.

70 years

Sister Josita Nahlen, OSB, has spent her life teaching, loving and caring for children. While she was in monastic formation, Sister Josita, the oldest of nine children, lost her mother and was asked to return home to help raise her brothers and sisters. When her father remarried several years later, she returned to St. Scholastica, where she made her monastic profession in 1942. Sister Josita worked as a teacher and principal for 48 years, the last 31 years at St. John School in Russellville. A talented seamstress, she continued to sew well into her retirement and enjoys making crafts for the gift shop. She still corresponds with friends and former students via e-mail and Facebook.

60 years

Sister Dorothy Calhoun, RSM, is from New Orleans. She began her novitiate in 1952 at Webster Groves, Mo., and upon completion, she began preparation for ministry: a three-year diploma program at St. John Mercy School of Nursing in St. Louis. She later earned a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in hospital administration from St. Louis University. "My whole religious life has been in health care," she said. "I ministered as a registered nurse, a hospital administrator, a chaplain, patient representative and Mercy Minister." Her ministry has taken her to

Fund for Religious benefits four communities in Arkansas
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Mercy hospitals in New Orleans, Brownsville, Texas, St. Paul, Minn., Springfield, Mo., Laredo, Texas, and Vicksburg, Miss. Since 1992 she has been a Mercy minister/chaplain at Mercy Hospital Hot Springs.

Sister Christopher Flowers, OSB, was born in Ripley, Okla., and moved to Hulbert, Ark., where she attended St. Michael School in West Memphis. Three years later her family converted to Catholicism and she was baptized when she was in the sixth grade. She entered the "juniorate" at Holy Angels Convent for high school and made her first vows in 1952. She has a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in reading education from Arkansas State University. She has taught in Catholic schools in Arkansas and Texas. She is currently the librarian and tutor at St. Michael School in West Memphis.

Sister Celestine Pond, OSB, was born in Galveston, Texas. Her family moved to Bellefonte, Ark., while her father was serving in World War II. She joined the Olivetan Benedictines and made her first vows in 1952. She was a full-time music teacher for eight years before getting her bachelor's degree in liturgy and a master's degree in music from DePaul University in Chicago. Since then she has been a parish organist, liturgist and organist at Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro. She continues today to teach private music lessons in the Jonesboro area.

Sister Patricia Jane Litter, RSM, was born in Milwaukee, entered into the Sisters of Mercy on Sept. 8, 1952, in Chicago and made her final vows on Aug. 16, 1958. Sister Patricia Jane received a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in science education. She taught the first grade for two years and then taught high school biology, advanced biology, chemistry and natural science until 1978. From 1978-1999 she worked in pastoral ministry and ministered to the sick at St. Mary Parish in North Little Rock and Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Little Rock. In 1999 Sister Patricia moved to Mound Bayou, Miss., where she developed a ministry outreach program for seniors. In April 2008 Sister Patricia Jane moved to Catherine McAuley Convent where she volunteered at Mercy Crest Housing.

Sister Ethel Marie Sonnier, OSB, transferred to St. Scholastica Monastery from the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception in New Orleans in 1973. She made her profession in New Orleans in 1952 and worked as a teacher in Louisiana, Missouri and Arkansas. Since 1985 she has lived as part of the core community at Hesychia House of Prayer in New Blaine. Sister Ethel plays guitar and sings in the Hesychia Chapel and has composed several pieces of liturgical music. As a spiritual director, she has prayed with many retreat participants.

50 years

Brother Ephrem O'Bryan, OSB, professed his vows as a monk of Subiaco Abbey on Sept. 8, 1962. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy at Conception Abbey Seminary in 1965. Graduate school at St. Louis University came next, followed by special studies at the University of Arkansas, Texas Christian University and Laval Institute in Quebec, Canada, specializing in languages and political science. Brother Ephrem has served in many capacities in the abbey and academy, including headmaster, residential dean, tennis coach, camp director, alumni secretary, director of admissions and teacher. For several years he served on the Subiaco City Council as the treasurer and recorder. Presently he serves as the abbey subprior and the public information coordinator for the academy and abbey.

Sister Cordis Kim, OSB, was born in Seoul, South Korea, and earned a medical degree and then joined the Olivetan Benedictine sisters in Busan, Korea, where she made her first vows in 1962. In 1975 she came to Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro and worked as a licensed practical nurse and Pastoral Care Department employee at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She is now retired and lives in the convent infirmary.

25 years

Sister Amabella Toppo, MC, a native of India, worked for five years in India before she moved to serve in Toronto, Canada, Harlem, N.Y., St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis. She currently works at Abba House in Little Rock.

Sister M. Donald Xess, MC, is a native of India and has worked in Haiti, Winnipeg, Canada, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Baton Rouge and in Kentucky. She serves at Abba House in Little Rock.

Fund for Religious benefits four communities in Arkansas

Senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests spent years working in Catholic schools, hospitals and social service agencies, often for little, if any, pay. Their sacrifices now leave a profound gap in retirement savings. The collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will be taken up Dec. 1-2 and supports more than 34,000 religious past age 70 in the United States.

Four religious communities benefited from $104,503.04 in grants from last year's collection. The grants were given to St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith, $41,478.20; Holy Angels Convent, Jonesboro, $22,806.09; Carmelite Monastery, Little Rock, $6,857.82; and Subiaco Abbey, $33,360.93.