Sister Jacqueline
Sr. Jacqueline Svellinger
Elementary School Teacher
Logansport, Indiana
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Sister Jacqueline is very proud of being a Franciscan Sister of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for 43 years. She was taught by the Franciscan Sisters and says she admired the Sisters who taught her. She remembers her first grade teacher, Sister Catherine, who told her she would be a Sister one day. Later on, the vocation director Sister Sylvia came to her school to talk about vocations. In her senior year of high school, she went to St. Louis and met Sister Paula who took her to see the Motherhouse. "From that moment on, I knew that this was the place I wanted to be," she says. A teacher for over 40 years, Sister Jacqueline has been about the work of evangelization and says, "I love to teach God’s little ones (especially first graders). It is such a joy to see them in their eagerness to learn." Her favorite Francis story is the Christmas story about St. Francis and the Baby Jesus. An avid sports enthusiast, Sister enjoys playing sports as well as watching them. Her favorite sport to watch is football.
Sister Monica Marie
Sr. Monica Marie Laws
Director of Mission Integration
St. Louis, Missouri
"Being a Franciscan Sister of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for 43 years has awakened me to a sense of our connectedness with Christ our Brother and therefore to God our Creator." Sister Monica Marie says she feels connected, almost more alive being a Franciscan Sister because they are attentive to the moment and seek to find God in it. She believes her current ministry, Director of Mission Integration, has come at the right time and in the right place. “In the health care ministry, we follow the healing tradition of Jesus. With Francis, we reach out to the poor and marginalized. This is our way to be about the work of Evangelization. At St. Anthony's Medical Center, that translates to those who are uninsured or under-insured." Sister Monica is passionate about gardening and taking care of flowers. In past years, she has had tomatoes until the first frost. This summer she says she fed more squirrels, rabbits and birds than harvested tomatoes and peppers. She says the dahlias and zinnias were beautiful and colorful this past summer, and lots of hummingbirds have come to her garden. Her favorite story of Francis, she says, is the "Wolf of Gubbio." The symbolism opens up multiple interpretations and levels of understanding. "At some time, each of us likely meets a wolf in our own familiar setting."
Sister Ann Pierre
Sr. Ann Pierre Wilken
Director of Faith Formation
Teutopolis, Illinois
Sister Ann Pierre Wilken, the oldest of eight children, was born and raised in Clyde, Ohio, a small rural area about 30 minutes from Lake Erie. While growing up, Sister's grandfather took her to Marian devotions on Saturday evenings. She thinks he had the most influence on her vocation. Sister Ann Pierre serves parish members through a variety of programs to assist parents in developing the faith in their children, personal adult faith growth programs, as well as, religious education of young children and teens. In her "spare" time, she enjoys knitting, reading and being in God's creation. Her favorite story about St. Francis is when St. Francis took Brother Leo out to preach. They walked through the city of Assisi and returned without having spoken to anyone. When Brother Leo asked Francis when they were going to preach, Francis' response was, "We already did." It's not about what we do, but who we are with others that makes the difference. It is in this evangelizing spirit that she writes "I love being a Franciscan Sister of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Being with the Sisters is one of my greatest blessings. Their example and willingness to share God's life with me is awesome."
