Joliet Franciscans honored in Lombard and South Florida

JOLIET – A special Mass and luncheon were recently held at St. Pius X Parish in Lombard to celebrate the Joliet Franciscan Sisters 150th anniversary year.

The Joliet Franciscan Sisters arrived at St. Pius X Parish in 1956 when the parish was first established. The congregation president at that time – Mother Borromeo Mack – sent four Sisters to staff the parish school.

Throughout the years, 72 Sisters from the Congregation served as teachers, principals and in pastoral positions within St. Pius X Parish. Sr. Pauline Schutz, at St. Pius since 1978, continues to serve as pastoral minister, Sr. Mary Jean Morris, congregation president from 1992 to 2000, taught at St. Pius in the 1970s.

In addition, several Joliet Franciscan Sisters traveled to South Florida to take part in festivities planned at Cardinal Gibbons High School and St. Coleman Parish where the Sisters began to minister in the late 1950′s.    In 1961, Sister Marie Schramko arrived at Cardinal Gibbons to become the first principal of the girls section of the newly established high school. Two years later, Sr. Janet Rieden joined her. Both sisters are still there.