Religious sisters mark jubilees from 25 to 70 years

After working in schools for nearly 40 years, Sister Mary Ellen
studied at Chicago Loyola University in the spiritual leadership program. She
then became a pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Mission in Hoadly and spent
several years as a spiritual director. Throughout her years in community,
Sister Mary Ellen served at various times in the formation of the new members
of the community. She has had a spiritual and monastic influence on her sisters
in community and continues to be an integral part.

Benedictine Sr. Doris Nolte

Sister Doris Nolte entered the Benedictine Sisters right after
graduating from St. Gertrude High School in Richmond. She made her monastic
profession in 1949. Having been educated at St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg,
Md., and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., Sister Doris was a
teacher in several schools in both the Arlington and Richmond dioceses and was
principal at Linton Hall School in Bristow. 

After 30 years in education, Sister Doris went into nursing,
working especially with the elderly and in hospice care. She has held several
roles in the monastery including subprioress, health care director, and
formation director. Currently, Sister Doris tutors for BEACON, the sisters’ adult
literacy program and she is a member of the community formation team. She is a
lifelong student of Scripture and very faithful to the community schedule and
its monastic practices — a real example to all of her sisters.

60 years

Benedictine Sr. Patricia Hagarty

Sister Patricia Hagarty, known as Sister Pat, entered the
Benedictine community at Bristow in 1956 and made her monastic profession in
1958. Growing up in Arlington, Sister Pat attended St. Charles School and
Marymount High School. She pursued a degree in dietetics at St. Benedict
College in St. Joseph, Minn., and became a registered dietitian through the
Medical College of Virginia. She worked for many years as a clinical dietitian
in Fauquier Hospital in Warrenton.

Upon retirement, Sister Pat became the supervisor of the
monastery kitchen, bakery and gardens. She delights in baking and making
goodies for the monastery Christmas sale and catering the community’s events.

Benedictine Sr. Louise Dowgiallo

Born in 1937 as one of triplets, Sister Louise Dowgiallo became a
Benedictine Sister in 1957, making her monastic profession 60 years ago in 1959.
Sister Louise spent many years ministering as a teacher in both the Arlington
and Richmond dioceses. In 1985, she was appointed director of the Benedictine
Pastoral Center, the Benedictine Sisters retreat ministry, a position she
served in for more than 20 years.

Currently, Sister Louise is serving as the monastery sacristan.
To this ministry and everything she does, she brings an artistic touch, being
particularly famous for her flower arrangements and stained-glass creations.

Benedictine Sr. Romayne Schaut

Sister Romayne Schaut transferred to the Benedictine Sisters of
Virginia from St. Joseph Monastery in St. Mary’s, Pa., in 2000. Growing up in
St. Mary’s, Sister Romayne entered the Benedictine Sisters there in 1957,
making her monastic profession 60 years ago in 1959. Most of her years in St. Mary’s
were spent in education, many of them as the school principal. Sister Romayne
was educated at Duquesne University in Formation Spirituality and assisted with
the formation of her community members. She was dean of studies at the diocesan
seminary in Arusha, Tanzania (1986-91), a ministry which she loved.  

When Sister Romayne transferred to the Bristow community, she
served as portress for several years. Currently, she is retired and prays for
her sisters, especially the newer members of the community.

50 years

Franciscan Sr. of the Eucharist Judith
Gebelein

Sister Gebelein was born Dec. 10, 1946, to Roy and Shirley
Gebelein in Rantoul, Ill. She is the oldest of seven children and grew up in
rural Wisconsin. She earned a bachelor’s of science from Viterbo College in
LaCross, Wisc., in 1972 and earned a bachelor’s of science in nursing from
Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., in 1982.

She professed first vows April 3, 1969, and made her final
profession May 27, 1978. She was one of the founding members of the Franciscan
Sisters of the Eucharist in 1972.

Sister Gebelein served in FSE Centers in Meriden, Conn., Detroit,
Mich., and Lowell, Mich. She spent 30 years in the Center in Lowell, Mich., and
was a staff nurse for 25 years at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich.
(1982-2006). She has served as superior of the Falls Church FSE community, and
has worked at Inova Fairfax Hospital in the Gastroenterology Department as a
staff nurse since 2006.

45 years

Adorer of the Holy Cross Sr. Theresa Lan
Tran

Sister Tran was born Oct. 20, 1949, in Vietnam to Dang and Hue
Tran. She graduated from high school in Vietnam.

She professed first vows May 20, 1968, and made her final
profession May 27, 1974. Sister Tran served in university at a convent in
Saigon (1968-74), at the Thanh Binh Convent working daycare at the convent, and
with the youth group at local church (1974-91). She worked in daycare at the Gia Kiem
Convent and with the youth group at local church (1991-96);
at the Don Duong Convent (1996 to 2000); at the Thanh Xuan convent (2000-03);
and at the Phan Thiet convent (2003-07).

She came to the United States in 2007 to the Adorers of the Holy
Cross in Portland, Ore., where she learned English. She came to Fairfax in 2011
and worked at the Busybee Day Care (2011-13) and taught religious education at
Holy Martyr of Vietnam Church in Arlington. She worked at Busybee Day Care
in Sacramento, Calif., and taught religious education (2013-16). Since 2016 she
has worked at Busybee Child Care and she teaches religious education at Holy
Martyrs of Vietnam.

25 years

Benedictine Sr. Trinidad Montero

Sister Trinidad Montero became a member of the Benedictine
Sisters of Virginia in 1991. Born in the Philippines in 1932, Sister Trinidad
had a distinguished career as an educator. She received a Fulbright Scholarship
to study at the University of Minnesota where she earned a doctorate in education.
Subsequently, Sister Trinidad served as a college dean at Pangasinan State
University in the Philippines for 20 years.

Having cared for her parents until their deaths, Sister Trinidad then
was free to follow her desire to be a religious and traveled to Virginia to
explore her vocation as a Benedictine Sister. She made her first monastic
profession in 1993 and perpetual profession in 1996. Since then Sister Trinidad
taught, worked with homeless families, and currently serves at All Saints Church
in Manassas as a pastoral minister.  She
has great devotion to the local Filipino community who regard her highly and
assist her ministry.

Pax Christi Institute Sr. Laura Nieves

Pax Christi Institute Sister Laura Nieves entered the order in
1991 at age 16 in Queretaro, Mexico. She was born Oct. 26, 1974, in a family of
12. She was sent to formation in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1993.

Sister Nieves moved to Virginia to study at Christendom College
in Front Royal in 1995 and she earned a bachelor’s in theology in 1999. She
earned her master’s in Scripture in 2001 at the Notre Dame Catechetical
Institute.

She helped at St. Mary’s Mission in Corpus Christi, Texas
(2001-02). She then was stationed in San Antonio where she served as local
superior, administrator and did parish work (2002-13). Sister Nieves has been
the director of religious education at St. John Bosco Church in Woodstock since
2013. 

Benedictine Sr. Lilliane Normand

Born in Manchester, N.H., in 1945, Sister Lilliane Normand
explored monastic life with the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pa., and Liberty,
Mo., before coming to the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia. Her transfer to the
Bristow monastery was completed in 2014. Sister Lilliane is highly regarded by
her sisters in community as a person with an affinity for the poor and those
who are in need of help. She spends much of her free time delivering food to
the homeless and looking for small ways in which she can help and make a
difference in people’s lives.

Currently, Sister Lilliane is working as a crossing guard for the
Prince William County school system. In the monastery, Sister
Lilliane does the important work of recycling in a way that shows how much she
cares for our planet. She also helps with the grocery shopping for the
community, care of the infirm sisters when needed, and is a gracious presence
at the front desk where she greets visitors.