Sister Joan Gannon, who pronounced her vows 70 years ago, entered the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago at St. Scholastica Monastery in 1940. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at DePaul University and did advanced work at Loyola University in Chicago. Furthering her studies in theology she spent a year at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, and took some courses at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Her MA in Religious Studies was from Mundelein in Chicago. She held positions in parochial school and parish staffs in Chicago, and she also served in the Diocese of Pueblo. As a teacher of high school English and math, she served on the residence hall staff of St. Scholastica Academy in Cañon City. Several summers she taught religious education in vacation schools at Las Animas and elsewhere. Over half of her years in ministry she resided at the monastery, teaching, serving in the infirmary, handling clerical roles in business office and language laboratory. She commuted to several parishes where she did pastoral work, took census in the inner city, and coordinated activities for senior citizens groups. Retired now, her tasks include care of the aviary in the infirmary wing.

Having come to know the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago through visiting her aunt who was a member of the community, Sister Margaret Ann Holtz traveled from her home in Spangler, Pennsylvania, to enter St. Scholastica Monastery in 1950. This is the 60th anniversary of her profession. Her degree, Bachelor of Philosophy, with a major in education, was earned at DePaul University preparing her for the earlier years of her service when education was her primary ministry was in education. Additional study was done at Illinois’ Northeastern University, Loyola and Mundelein in Chicago. She was a teacher and an assistant principal in several parishes in Chicago. Her Colorado experience was at St. Mary’s, Pueblo, then St. Michael’s in Cañon City,  and  vacation school religious education programs at St. Leander’s, as well as in Las Animas, and Alamosa. Summers were frequently spent teaching or working at Camp San Benito, based in Cañon City. Her financial proficiency was supplemented with additional training which equipped her to serve over many years as treasurer of both the St.Scholastica Academies and the Benedictine community. Currently she is coordinator of the monastery’s housekeeping staff.

A Golden Jubilarian this year, Sister Mary Ann O’Ryan had been taught by the Benedictine Sisters at a parochial school in Chicago and entered the community on the completion of her high school program in 1960. Her first degree, Bachelor of Arts, was completed at Mundelein College in Chicago, and she earned a Master of Arts as well as a Masters in Education, both at Loyola University in that city. Much of her ministry in Colorado was on the western slope, where she served at St. Michael’s in Delta, and did summer vacation school teaching in Montrose and Ouray. In Cañon City, she spent four summers as counselor at Camp San Benito and taught History of Christian Monasticism at an Elderhostel there in 1998. Though she served as an elementary teacher and principal, most of her years were spent teaching at the secondary level and at Loyola University in Chicago and the College of Lake County. From 1982 until 1986, she was the Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago during which time she was elected as religious delegate to the Illinois Catholic Conference. Later she was appointed to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council in Chicago. Currently, she is treasurer of her Benedictine community.

Also celebrating her 50th jubilee, Sister Judith Murphy entered the monastery in 1960. Her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish was completed at Mundelein College in Chicago, after which she was missioned to southern Colorado for seven years while she served first at St. Joseph School in Salida and later at St. Scholastica Academy in Cañon City. After studying theology several summers at St. John’s in Collegeville Minnesota, she earned her Masters in Educational Administration at Loyola University. Beginning as a teacher at St. Scholastica Academy in Chicago, she served 20 years there as Dean, Principal and then President. Next she was the founding principal of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and later principal of another Cristo Rey High School, St. Martin de Porres, both in the Chicago area. Other services have been as a Visiting Fellow at University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Latino Studies and Associate Director of the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative. She has served as a delegate to Federation of St. Scholastica Chapter and as a member of National High School Alliance. Currently Sister is Director of Board Formation at the Office of Catholic Schools in Chicago and is a member of the Monastic Council for the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago.

The third Sister marking the fiftieth anniversary of vows, Sister Marilyn Hattrup, a native of Windthorst, Kansas and an alumnae of St. Scholastica Academy in Cañon City, entered  the Benedictines in 1960. She, too, attended Mundelein College in Chicago where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. From Northeastern Illinois University she was granted an  MA degree, from Loyola University an MPS, and administrative  certification from DePaul University. Her service in the Diocese of Pueblo included teaching at St. Michael School in Delta and St. Joseph School in Salida, in addition to serving at the latter school. She also participated in summer religious education programs in southern Colorado. For two years she served in St. Joseph Court, the infirmary section of St. Scholastica Monastery. Trained in computer skills and data analysis she has brought that proficiency to various positions, including service as secretary to the Prioress for several years, employment at Second Harvest (a non-profit network of food banks), temporary work as a computer consultant, and management of a parish business office. At present, she in a member of the monastic council and handles electronic records and schedules at the monastery.