Fifteen members of the Oldenburg Franciscans celebrate jubilees

Criterion staff report

Fifteen members of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg celebrated significant anniversaries of their time in religious life in 2025.

The anniversaries are marked by the year in which the sisters entered religious life with the Franciscans. Some who entered in February celebrated their jubilees this year in anticipation of the actual anniversary of their entering religious life.

75-year jubilarians

Sister Lorraine Geis is a native of Connersville, where she grew up as a member of St. Gabriel Parish. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1950, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1956. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University in Indianapolis.

She served as a missionary in Papua New Guinea for 40 years and also taught in Missouri and Ohio. Sister Lorraine now does ministry at the motherhouse, where she resides.
 

Sister Madonna Bishop was a student at the former St. Mary Academy in Indianapolis from 1947-50 before entering the community on Sept. 8, 1950. She professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1956. Sister Madonna earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

In the archdiocese, she served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in New Albany from 1961-63, and in Indianapolis at the former St. Bernadette School from 1963-64, Cardinal Ritter

Jr./Sr. High School from 1968-70 and 1973-84, at the former St. Mary Academy from 1970-73, and at Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School from 1984-87.

Sister Madonna also ministered in the Evansville Diocese and in Ohio.

She now is a resident of the St. Clare Healthcare Facility at the motherhouse and ministers in prayer and presence.

70-year jubilarians

Sister Jane Frey (formerly Sister Mary Kevin) is a native of Cincinnati. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1955, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1961. Sister Jane earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University, a master’s degree at St. Louis University in St. Louis and a master’s degree at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore.

In the archdiocese, she served at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg from 1960-67 and in Indianapolis at the former St. Mary Academy from 1967-73, at Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School from 1973-84 and at the former Shalom Community from 1981-84.

Sister Jane also ministered in Ohio. She now resides in Cincinnati and serves through pastoral presence.
 

Sister Davida Lund is a native of Indianapolis. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1955, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1961. Sister Davida earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.

In the archdiocese, she served in Indianapolis at St. Christopher School from 1959-60 and St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) School from 1981-84, at St. Gabriel School in Connersville from 1960-63 and 1984-92, and at St. Nicholas School in Ripley County from 1964-68.

Sister Davida also ministered in the Evansville Diocese, and in Missouri and Ohio. She now lives at the motherhouse and serves in ministry there.
 

Sister Evelyn Lindenmaier (formerly Sister Ellen Mary) was born in Indianapolis, where she grew up as a member of St. Roch Parish. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1955, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1961. Sister Evelyn earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University.

In the archdiocese, she served at Holy Name of Jesus School in Beech Grove from 1959-60 and at the former St. Michael School in Charlestown from 1960-67. She ministered at the motherhouse in its communications office from 2003-13.

Sister Evelyn also ministered in the Evansville Diocese and in Ohio.

She currently resides at the motherhouse and is active in ministry there.
 

Sister Carol Slinger (formerly Sister Emilie) is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1956, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1961.

In the archdiocese, Sister Carol served at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg and in Indianapolis at the former St. Mary Academy and Marian University. She also ministered in Ohio.

Sister Carol is currently a resident of St. Clare Healthcare at the motherhouse and ministers by prayer and presence.

60-year jubilarians

Sister Annette Grisley (formerly Sister Rita Mary) is a native of Indianapolis, where she was a member of the former St. Bernadette Parish. She entered the community on Sept. 8, 1965, and professed final vows on Aug. 12,

1973. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and master’s degrees at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona, Minn.

In the archdiocese, Sister Annette served at the former Sacred Heart School in Clinton from 1967-71, Holy Family School (now Seton Catholic School) in Richmond from 1974-84 and the former St. Michael School in Charlestown from 1984-90.

She also ministered in California and Ohio.

From 2018-24, Sister Annette served on the community’s leadership team at the motherhouse. She currently serves as the motherhouse’s liturgy coordinator.
 

Sister Joanita Koors is a native of Greensburg, where she grew up as a member of St. Mary Parish.

She joined the community on Sept. 8, 1965, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1973. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa.

In the archdiocese, Sister Joanita served in New Albany at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School from 1969-73 and the former St. Mary School from 1986-97, in Indianapolis at St. Michael the Archangel School from 1976-78 and at St. Gabriel the Archangel School from 1973-76 (now together as St. Michael-St. Gabriel Archangels School), Seton Catholic School in Richmond from 1978-83, St. Mary School in North Vernon from 1997-2012 and the former St. Mary School in Lanesville from 1983-86.

From 2012-18, she ministered at the motherhouse as a member of the community’s leadership team. She currently serves in ministry at the motherhouse.
 

Sister Christa Franzer is a native of Dayton, Ohio. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1966, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1973. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at the University of Notre Dame in northern Indiana.

In the archdiocese, Sister Christa served at the former St. Mary School in Aurora from 1967-68, in Indianapolis at the former St. Mary Academy from 1970-74 and Marian University from 2001-06, and at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg 1974-90.

She also ministered in Ohio.

Sister Christa served at the motherhouse on the community’s leadership team from 1994-2000 and 2006-12. She led the community as its congregational minister from 2018-24.

She currently ministers at the motherhouse as financial assistant to the chief financial officer.
 

Sister Maureen Irvin (formerly Sister Collene) is a native of Bloomington, Ill. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1966, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1973. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at St. Louis University in St. Louis.

Sister Maureen served as the community’s vocations director from 1986-1994, on its leadership team from 1994-2000 and from 2018-24 in its development office. She led the community as its congregational minister from 2012-18 and began another five-year term in that ministry in July 2024.

Sister Maureen has also ministered in Ohio and Illinois.
 

Sister Marjorie English (formerly Sister Janese) is a native of Indianapolis, where she grew up as a member of St. Lawrence Parish. She entered the community on Feb. 2, 1966, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1973.

Sister Marjorie earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.

In the archdiocese, she served in Indianapolis at St. Mark the Evangelist School and St. Monica School and as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator. At the motherhouse, Sister Marjorie ministered as director of postulants from 1983-88 and on the community’s leadership team from 1994-2000.

She has also served in the Evansville Diocese, in Illinois, Iowa and Ohio.

Sister Marjorie currently lives at the motherhouse, where she ministers as a spiritual director.
 

Sister Charity Kraeszig is a native of Indianapolis. She entered the community on Feb. 4, 1966, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1973.

In the archdiocese, Sister Charity served in Indianapolis at the former St. Mary Academy from 1974-75 and as librarian at Cardinal Ritter Jr./Sr. High School from 1988-2007. She was also the librarian at the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg from 1975-76 and 1980-88 and at the Batesville Memorial Library in Batesville from 2008-20.

She also ministered in the Evansville Diocese and in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

Sister Charity currently resides at the motherhouse and serves in ministry there.

Sister Melanie Bair is a native of Richmond, where she grew up as a member of St. Andrew Parish (now a part of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish). She entered the community on Feb. 3, 1956, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1961.

Sister Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University and a master’s degree at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, and a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

She taught in schools in Indiana, Michigan and Missouri before withdrawing from the community from 1972-81. She has since ministered at the motherhouse, in Ohio and in South Korea.

Sister Melanie currently resides in Cincinnati and ministers at a retirement community there.

25-year jubilarians

Sister Kathleen Branham is a native of Indianapolis, where she grew up as a member of the former St. Francis de Sales Parish and the former St. Bernadette Parish. She entered the community on Aug. 26, 2000, and professed final vows on Aug. 11, 2007.

Sister Kathleen earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University.

She worked as a child protective services investigator for the Department of Child Services in Indiana. At the motherhouse, Sister Kathleen ministered as vocations director. She also served in Evansville and Ohio. She currently ministers for the National Religious Vocation Conference.
 

Sister Jannette Pruit is a native of Bay St. Louis, Miss. She entered the community on Aug. 26, 2000, and professed final vows on Aug. 11, 2007. Sister Jannette earned a certificate in pastoral leadership at Marian University and a master catechist certificate at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

In the archdiocese, she served in Indianapolis as pastoral associate and director of religious education at St. Rita Parish and as coordinator of Black Catholic Ministry for the archdiocese. She also ministered in Louisiana and Texas.

Sister Jannette currently lives at the motherhouse and serves as a seamstress. †