Rochester Franciscans Celebrate Jubilees

Submitted by KATHY GATLIFF

On August 11, 2024, eight Sisters of St. Francis celebrated Golden (50 years) and Diamond (60 years & 75 years) Jubilees with the Rochester Congregation.

Sister Betty Kenny celebrated her Golden Jubilee (50 years). The daughter of Ed and Betty Kenny (deceased), she was born in Chicago, IL. She entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from Queen of All Saints parish in Chicago, professing first vows in 1974. Sister Betty received a Bachelor of Science degree in business education and secondary education from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona, and a Master of Science in business education and office administration from Winona State University. Sister Betty’s primary career was spent as a secondary education teacher at Resurrection High School in Chicago, IL; Lourdes High School in Rochester; Cotter High School in Winona; Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School, Minneapolis; and various charter schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Sister Betty’s additional ministries include serving in an AIDS ministry as project manager at Open Arms, Minneapolis, from 1998-2001, and as the project manager for Sisters Online in St. Paul from 2002-18. Currently, Sister Betty is retired and resides in West St. Paul, where she is actively working on justice issues, such as human trafficking awareness; immigration reform; and encouraging corporate responsibility as it pertains to climate change and other environmental issues. Sister Betty currently volunteers at a local food shelf on a weekly basis.

Sister Judi Angst, formerly Sister Davida, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Willard and Bunny Angst (both deceased), she was born in Winona and entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Parish, professing first vows in 1964. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona; a Master of Arts in religious education from Creighton University, Omaha, NE; and a Master of Arts in pastoral studies from Loyola University, Chicago, IL. Sister Judi spent much of her career in religious education and parish ministry in Adrian, Clements, Lamberton, Morgan, Sanborn, Springfield, Wabasha, and Winona, MN; and in Green Valley and Sahuarita, AZ; and Rock Rapids and Larchwood, IA. Currently, Sister Judi is retired and resides at Assisi Heights in Rochester.

Sister Mary Goergen, formerly Sister Wilma, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Delbert and Margaret Goergen (deceased), she was born in Caledonia and entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from St. Peter’s Parish in Caledonia, professing first vows in 1964. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona. For 25 years, Sister Mary served as a primary grade teacher in Austin, North St. Paul, Owatonna, and Waseca, MN; as well as Portsmouth, OH. From 1977-80, she assisted with activities and served as a coordinator for a group of retired Sisters at Assisi Heights. Currently, Sister Mary works as an archival assistant at Assisi Heights (for the past 24 years), and for over 20 years, she has been caring for the gardens and flowers on the grounds of Assisi Heights.

Sister Jan Halbach, formerly Sister Brenda, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Ronald and Hildegard Halbach (deceased), she was born in Stacyville, IA, and entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from Visitation Parish in Stacyville, professing first vows in 1964. Sister Jan received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona, and she earned a Certificate of Achievement in holistic therapies from St. Catherine’s University, St. Paul. Her entire career has been in health care, beginning as a nurse at Mayo Clinic-Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester, and at a medical clinic in Minneapolis. Since 1987, Sister Jan has been self-employed as a practitioner of holistic bodywork and energy healing, and is a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and Instructor and a Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry Practitioner and Instructor. She is a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association and Healing Beyond Borders (formerly Healing Touch International).

Sister JoAnn Haney, formerly Sister Mary Myles, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Almon and Lurena Haney (deceased), she was born in Mapleview and spent her childhood in Austin. She entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from Queen of Angels, Austin, professing first vows in 1964. Sister JoAnn received a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education, with a minor in math, from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona; and a Master in Theology in Christian spirituality, spiritual direction, and retreat work from Creighton University in Omaha, NE. From 1964-76, she taught elementary and junior high students at schools in Minnesota; Chicago, IL; Norfolk, NE; and Las Animas, CO. In the 1980s, Sister JoAnn moved into campus ministry, serving at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus; and the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA. From 1996-98, she served as a rector at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN. Sister JoAnn also served as spiritual director/program director while on staff at Sangre de Cristo Center in Santa Fe, NM (1990-96); and Tau Center in Winona (1998-2002). From 2000-04, she served as co-minister of the Common Franciscan Novitiate. For over ten years, Sister JoAnn served at the former Holy Spirit Retreat Center, Janesville, offering spiritual direction and holding retreats. She also volunteered with the Prison Visitation and Support program at the Waseca Federal Institution. Most recently, she served as the candidate liaison for Cojourners. Currently, she resides in Rochester and continues to offer spiritual direction, both in-person and via Zoom.

Sister Marlys Jax, formerly Sister Annora, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Leo & Martha Jax (deceased), she was born in Osage, IA, and grew up in McIntire, IA. She entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from St. John the Baptist Parish in Johnsburg, professing first vows in 1964. Sister Marlys received a Bachelor of Science degree in theology, history, and elementary education from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona. She received further education in leadership training from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, and has an advanced degree in architectural & interior design in the field of commercial design from the Dakota County Technical College/ University of Minnesota in Rosemount. Much of her career was spent in education and community development in Adrian, Delano, Burnsville, Golden Valley, Rochester, and St. Cloud, MN; Spokane, WA; Sioux Falls, SD; and Cambodia. Sister Marlys has also served as a human trafficking community educator for southeastern Minnesota. Her current ministry is developing programs for the Assisi Heights Spirituality Center, serving as the hospitality and outreach coordinator.

Sister Christine Stanoch, formerly Sister Mary Pedro, celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years). The daughter of Peter and Delores (Janiga) Stanoch (deceased), she was born in Chicago, IL, and entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from St. Juliana Parish in Chicago, professing first vows in 1964. She received a Bachelor of Science in education from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona; a Master in Pastoral Studies and a Master in Pastoral Counseling, both from Loyola University, Chicago, IL. Sister Christine served as a teacher at many parish schools in Minnesota, including in Rochester, Austin, Owatonna, Delano, and Tracy, as well as in Norfolk, NE. She was a member of the Pastoral Team at the College of Saint Teresa, Winona, and served as director of religious education at St. Edna Parish in Arlington Heights, IL, and at St. Bernadette in Evergreen Park, IL. Sister Christine spent time as a religion studies instructor at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL. While teaching, she also served as a pastoral counselor and later continued into full-time counseling from 1998-2011. In 2012, Sister Christine served as a resident chaplain in the Mayo Clinic Health System. Most recently, she is serving her second term as a councilor on the Leadership Team for the Sisters of Saint Francis at Assisi Heights in Rochester, with the responsibility of supervising the liturgical coordinator and pastoral care associate. She also serves as a Mayo hospice volunteer, prepares spiritual programs, and serves on a bereavement team with Mayo staff.

Sister Faith Huppler celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (75 years). The daughter of Wallace and Anna Roche Huppler (deceased), she was born Eileen Cecilia Huppler in Watertown, SD, and entered the Sisters of Saint Francis Congregation from Immaculate Conception Parish in Watertown, professing first vows in 1949. She received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona; a Master of Science in religious education from Fordham University in New York, NY; and a Master of Arts in counseling/psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpenteria, CA. Sister Faith began her nursing ministry at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester and St. Francis Convalescent Home in Denver, CO. Later, she served for 18 years (1970-88) in parish ministry at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Ames, IA; St. Theodore Parish in Albert Lea; and at the Cheyenne Reservation in Ashland, MT. She then served as a counselor in psychotherapy in Bernalillo, NM, from 1992-2002. Since then, Sister Faith has been retired and currently lives at Assisi Heights in Rochester.

Kathy Gatliff is the director of communications and public relations for the Sisters of St. Francis in Rochester.