Six Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison celebrated their jubilees in July. They are, from left, Sister Susan Holmes, 50 years; Sister Cecilia Olson, 50 years; Sister Carol Ann Petersen, 50 years; Sister Elaine Fischer, 25 years; Sister Esther Fangman, 50 years; and Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, 50 years. Photo by Rox Stec, Rox’s images
ATCHISON — Five Benedictine Sisters celebrated 50th anniversaries in monastic life, and a sixth celebrated her 25th anniversary, on July 12 at Mount St. Scholastica here.
Sisters celebrating their golden jubilee were:
- Sister Susan Holmes is a hospice chaplain at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri. Sister Susan was baptized at St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park and served as a religious education coordinator and pastoral minister/associate at Holy Trinity, Lenexa, and Good Shepherd, Shawnee, among others.
- Sister Cecilia Olson is a Nebraska native whose teaching career included students at every grade level, most recently teaching Benedictine spirituality at Benedictine College in Atchison. Among the schools where she taught are Pius X in Mission, St. Agnes in Roeland Park, and St. Matthew in Topeka. Sister Cecilia also served as a parish liturgist at St. Thomas More in Kansas City, Missouri, and as liturgist and director of formation for Mount St. Scholastica.
- Sister Carol Ann Petersen is the founder and director of the Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Sister Carol Ann previously was associate superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and was the principal at various Catholic schools in Kansas and Nebraska, including Christ the King in Kansas City, Kansas, and Atchison Catholic Elementary School in Atchison.
- Sister Elaine Fischer celebrated her silver jubilee. A native of Ottawa who attended Sacred Heart school, she is a graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in biochemistry. Sister Elaine was an EMT and firefighter with the Atchison Fire Department before becoming the director of maintenance at Mount St. Scholastica.
- Sister Esther Fangman is a licensed clinical professional counselor whose practice in Kansas City, Missouri, includes counseling individuals, couples and families, as well as counseling for survivors of torture and war. Sister Esther previously served as president of the Federation of St. Scholastica from 1998 to 2010. She also is a counselor at the Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
- Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger is on the staff of the Sophia Center at Mount St. Scholastica. Sister Mary Elizabeth is a native of Lenexa, who attended Holy Trinity School and St. Joseph High School. She taught elementary school in Iowa and Kansas City, Kansas, and also served parishes in Kansas and Missouri as a pastoral associate and liturgist.
