Mother M. Clara Pfaender is the foundress of the Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Born Theresia Pfaender on

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1 Mother M. Clara Pfaender is the foundress of the Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Born Theresia Pfaender on December 6, 1827, she was conscious at an early age of a longing for God. Even after she had become a vowed religious with the Sisters of Christian Charity, she sensed a deeper commitment within herself. Sister Clara wrote to the bishop of Paderborn, Germany in September 1859 revealing a yearning to live a life for the greater honor of God and the salvation of souls. With the bishops blessing she established the congregation in Olpe, Germany in One of the hallmarks of Mother Clara s spirit was loving service to all. This spirit still kindles in the hearts of those who follow in her name through the international congregation she founded more than 150 years ago.

2 Sister Theodora Brockmann is photographed here as a young Sister. She was one of five Sisters to come to America in September Days after her arrival at St. Boniface Hospital, Sisters Theodora was asked to go with Sr. Scholastica Kreckler to start the parish school at ST. Mary s Parish in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Prior to her leaving on a boat down the Mississippi River, it was suggested Sr. Theodora go to St. Louis to take instruction in playing the organ, as it was determined that Sr. Theodora would be the organist and director of the school choir in addition to her teaching responsibilities. It seemed there was full confidence in her capacity to learn. Sr. Theodora had never played the organ! She was elected as Assistant Provincial Directress of and Secretary in 1884 to the first American Provincial Council. She continued in these positions until She intermittently served as Novice Directress during those years as well. Many are grateful for her well-documented history of the foundational years of St. Clare s Province, as the United States Province is known.

3 In 1935, Sr. Berenice Beck was the first woman religious in America to earn a doctorate. She received the first doctorate in philosophy of nursing education awarded by Catholic University (Washington, D.C.) She authored two books and many articles for professional journals. Sr. Berenice directed St. Joseph s Hospital School of Nursing and was instrumental in establishing Marquette University College of Nursing, serving as its first dean ( ).

4 A graduate of Marquette University, Sr. Jeanne Gengler was director of St. Michael Hospital s outpatient clinics. She found working with the disenfranchised particularly satisfying. Sr. Jeanne was president of St. Joseph s Hospital from 1965 until Under her leadership, the hospital became one of the largest and most sophisticated medical facilities in Wisconsin. Sr. Jeanne went on to coordinate the archives of both hospitals in Milwaukee.

5 The Second Vatican Council issued an invitation to the whole church for renewal, but in particular to the religious orders. The coming years would be tumultuous and transformative. Religious sisters and their life would never be the same again. As old instructional ways of living were examined and renewed, many Sisters would make the choice to leave community life, while others found the new forms to be invigorating and life-fulfilling. In the 1966 Provincial Chapter, the Franciscan Sisters elected Sr. Dolorine Barta (left) as their Provincial Directress. At forty years of age, she was the youngest to be elected. As she writes in her autobiography, I came to the Chapter with 100 proposals and was elected Provincial. Her recent Master s Degree in Psychology was beneficial as she and her council guided the community through transition. Psychological development and group process were key elements in the transformation. During her term the hierarchical structure of religious life shifted to an ecclesial structure that more closely resembled the early Christian community. Changes in clothing and the chance to return to one s birth name were just two of the most visible changes. In the picture to the right taken later in her six year term, Sr. Virginia Mary Barta reflects both.

6 Sr. Rosalie Klein was the last Wheaton Franciscan Sister to serve as dean of the College of Nursing at Marquette University ( ). She guided the college through financial and academic obstacles until it became fully integrated under Marquette University and later wrote the history of the college in a book titled Marquette University Nursing Education ( ). Today she volunteers at Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, offering Franciscan presence to all.

7 Sr. Rose Mary Pint was involved in sponsorship from the time of the first Task Force in Her vision and enthusiasm for the work of the corporate ministries and the importance of sponsorship has been foundational and inspirational. Sr. Rose Mary was the first chairperson of the board and President of Wheaton Franciscan Services, Inc. She created a model for the continuity of sponsorship that has been shared nationally and internationally with various religious congregations. Sr. Rose Mary served the community as Provincial Directress from 1988 to In addition, she has served as Council member on three leadership Councils. She maintains close relationships with all her Sisters.