Mary Ellen Lennon Ph.D.

In her oral history, Sister Angela Betsch reflects on her experience growing up in White Oak, Cincinnati and her path to becoming a Sister of Saint Francis, Oldenburg. Sr. Angela highlights her decision to follow her older...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sr. Ann Vonder Meulen discusses how her love for those who are underrepresented in society began as a young child with her family’s inclusion of Japanese American neighbors into their home. She describes...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this segment Sr. Barbara Piller reflects on the great influence of family on her vocation, leading to sixty-five years in religious life at the time of recording. She describes the spirit of independence as one of her gifts,...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history Sr. Carol Ann Mause describes her family upbringing in Cincinnati, OH, her Catholic schooling as well as her internal struggle in deciding to enter religious life at Oldenburg, Indiana. She goes on to detail...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this Interview Sr. Claire Whalen describes her early spirit of independence in Cincinnati OH, leading her toward an affinity for women leadership, and eventually her vocation at Oldenburg. She describes her role as an...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this segment, Sr. Cleopha Werner discusses God's presence in her life as exemplified by her relationships with her family. Sr. Cleo relates how her sister's faith was strengthened through hardships in her life and even up...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview, Sister Delouise Menges discusses her decision to become a Sister of Saint Frances after witnessing her father’s strong Catholic faith. She reflects on her admiration for the sisters who taught her throughout...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sr. Diane Jamison describes how her mother and seventh grade teacher shaped her character and guided her decision to become a Sister of Saint Francis. A math and religious teacher, a director of religious...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this oral history Sr. Doris Holohan describes her persistence (despite an initial setback) as well as her joy in eventually being able to serve the Sisters' mission work in Papua New Guinea. In addition to relating her...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this segment Sr. Evelyn Lindenmaier reflects on her decision to follow her twin sister, Rachel Lindenmaier, and her aunt, Sr. Leona, into the convent of the Sisters of Saint Francis, Oldenburg. Sr. Evelyn discusses her love...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this oral history Sr. Jean Marie Cleveland discusses her unlikely path of entering religious life in Indianapolis, her early entry into teaching math and physics, to eventually becoming a school principal, a Director of...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this segment Sr. Jean Michael Sauntry discusses her decision to become a Sister of Saint Francis at Oldenburg, Indiana, after surviving a childhood illness and her mother’s encouragement that “God has a plan for you in the...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her interview Sister Joan Laughlin recounts her initial reticence toward the call for mission work in Papua New Guinea as well as her eventual embrace of the work and her love for the people and culture of PNG. Sr. Joan is...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Joanita Koors reflects on her life in community, specifically the influences that helped shape her ongoing decision to join the convent in Oldenburg, in particular the warmth and trust of Sr. Joel Franks....

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Kathryn Holohan reflects on her desire to become a missionary at a very early age and the opportunity to do so in Papua New Guinea. One of the first four Sisters of St. Francis to contribute to a...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sister Lorraine Geis reflects on her time as a Sister of Saint Francis both in the United States and Papua New Guinea. Sister Geis grew up in a farming family, which would set the foundation for her love of...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sr. Madonna Bishop discusses her life as a Sister of Saint Francis, having a unique background as both a school teacher and a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Initially reluctant to enter the religious life,...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this segment, Sr. Margaret Peg Maher discusses the influence the Sisters of Saint Francis had on her early life growing up in Saint Bernard in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio. She had Sisters of Saint Francis for teachers from...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sr. Marilynn Hofer reflects on the importance of her Franciscan heritage and praying the Prayer of Saint Francis in her call to join the Sisters of Saint Francis, Oldenburg. An educator by trade, Sr. Hofer...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Martine Mayborg highlights Mother Cephas's Motherhouse Message for the call to mission work in Papua New Guinea and her overall experience of traveling and teaching there. Sr. Martine was one of the...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Mary Gloria Gallagher discusses the choice she made between becoming a scientist (wanting to work for Proctor & Gamble) and her eventual lifelong love for playing and teaching music, in various places such...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In Sr. Mary Stella Gampfer’s oral history she discusses how she became interested in becoming a sister at a young age after a Sister of Saint Francis assisted her family through a difficult time. She recalls how she had Sisters...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sister Mildred Millie Speed discusses how she learned the importance of love and the true value of family from seeing the relationship between her mother and father at a young age. She reflects on how her...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview, Sister Noreen McLaughlin relates her experience growing up in New Albany, Indiana, and her vocation to Oldenburg with a specialization in nursing and healthcare. Sr. Noreen goes on to describe her calling to...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this oral history, Sr. Norma reflects on her sixty-four years (as of 2015) of being a Franciscan Sister. She discusses her upbringing in St. Louis, Missouri, during the Depression era, and how that led to her vocation of...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Patty Campbell discusses the strong bond with her parents as well as her gift of writing poetry in her early years of vocation discernment. In addition to her extensive experience in teaching, in...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history Sr. Rachel Lindenmaier reflects on her upbringing in Indianapolis and the appeal of the Franciscans who helped in her deciding to enter religious life. Also, she describes joining religious service alongside...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

Equipped with degrees in finance and accounting and influenced by a college course on social issues in New York, Sr. Robbie Pentecost decided to enter the community of the Sisters of Saint Francis, Oldenburg more than 31 years...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In her oral history, Sr. Rose Marie McCann describes what it means to have left the world upon entering religious life in 1951. She details various circumstances of her eventual entrance to the convent at Oldenburg, namely...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this two-part interview, Sr. Ruthann Boyle discusses her calling in high school to the Sisters of Saint Francis by way of encouragement from her family and numerous religious sisters in Beech Grove, Indiana. Her first duty...

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Mary Ellen Lennon

In this interview Sr. Therese Tackett discusses the challenges of her entry into religious life, especially coming from her home in Bluefield, West Virginia. She goes on to describe her work as an educator in poverty-stricken...

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