December 15, 2006

Benedictine Sister Marie Oliger celebrates 60 years of vowed life

Benedictine Sister Marie Oliger, a founding member of the Sisters of St. Benedict of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life this year.

Sister Marie renewed her monastic promises during a ceremony earlier this year at the chapel at Our Lady of Grace Monastery.

A native of North Vernon, she entered Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Ind., in 1944. She made her first vows in 1946 and her perpetual monastic profession in 1949.

Answering the request of transferring to a new community by her superior, Sister Marie became a founding member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery.

Sister Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in education at St. Benedict College in Ferdinand, Ind., in 1948. In 1969, she earned a master’s degree in education at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis.

She began her 41-year teaching career at St. Benedict School in Evansville, Ind.

In the archdiocese, Sister Marie taught at Catholic grade schools in Columbus, Indianapolis, Floyds Knobs, Siberia, Tell City and Perry County.

She served as a sixth-grade teacher at St. Barnabas School in Indianapolis from 1965-66 then as principal from 1968-74.

Sister Marie also taught at Catholic schools in Evansville, Ind., and Vincennes, Ind.

She retired to Our Lady of Grace Monastery in 1989.

Currently, Sister Marie serves her monastic community in a variety of ways, and continues to minister in a parish setting by volunteering each month at St. Lawrence Parish in Lawrenceburg. †

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