What's New

A small group of singers from the Fond du Lac Children’s Chorale, a program available through Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, stopped by with a Valentine’s Day serenade for the sisters. Love certainly does “make the world go round” and we loved having such wonderful music fill the hallways of the motherhouse. Photos

Milwaukee, WI - Sister Jomarie Zielke, has recently begun providing services two days a week at CORE El Centro as a “Life Journey Companion.” Fluent in Spanish and with a background in nursing and leadership in CSA, Jomarie receives referrals from CORE practitioners with names of people who wish to meet with her. Her full story and other news from CORE’s Development Director, Pat Bogenschuetz, CSA, are available in their newsletter at the link below.

CORE El-Centro February 2019 Newsletter

Digitally remastered from 1300 feet of 16mm color reel film, "Decision for Happiness" is ready to be enjoyed and discussed by new audiences. Originally filmed in 1958, the movie explores the inner thoughts of a young woman making the decision to join the Sisters of St. Agnes. Since the initial filming, there have been major changes in what it means to call yourself a "Sister." The original "star" of the film, other Sisters, and Dr. Bren Murphy of Loyola University will be part of a panel discussion after the event to explore how the Sisters continue to be vibrant change-agents who seek to “stand with those whose faith life and human dignity are threatened.”

The event is free and open to the public.

Hosted by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

The motherhouse recently welcomed two new faces to the administrative staff; Lisa Schuler, Health Advocate and Wellness RN, (pictured above on right) was hired in mid-November and Dusty Krikau, Director of Mission Advancement, came on board in early December (pictured above on left).

Schuler earned a BSN from Marian College in 1987 and has experience as a clinician in a variety of healthcare settings, including acute care along with home care and hospice. In her current role she will serve in both an advisory and consultative approach for the Sisters on mission and will develop several wellness programs for the Sisters, such as virtual journeys to visit CSA missions and Health and Wellness games.

“I am very excited and grateful to be working with the Sisters in this capacity and look forward to advocating for them along with promoting health and wellness,” said Schuler.

Krikau’s role was created as a way to blend and unify messaging for the internal and external communication tasks, including web content, social media content, development appeals, press releases, and print publications, such as Reflections & Connections. She has a BS in Communication from UW-Eau Claire and a Masters in Education from James Madison University to support her experiences with marketing, communication, and event planning on various campuses and communities.

“I’ve been spending most of my time reading and listening and am looking forward to helping share the many stories that have already inspired me,” said Krikau.

This article is reprinted from the February 2019 issue of Reflections and Connections. Click here to read the rest of the issue!

In a time of national emergency, citizens work to make a difference any way they can. The Sisters of St. Agnes are no exception as evidenced by their efforts to train nurses during both World Wars.

St. Agnes School of Nursing opened in Fond du Lac in 1910 as the need for sister nurses increased with the opening of CSA’s second hospital, St. Anthony in Hays, Kansas. When a nursing shortage occurred during the First World War as well as growing patient loads at St. Agnes and St. Anthony Hospitals, the decision was made to open St. Agnes School of Nursing to lay students in 1917.

A generation later as the United States entered World War II, CSA again stepped up and took part in the Nurse Cadet Corps program to help train nurses for the war effort. Two classes of students enrolled each year in the government-subsidized accelerated program. CSA’s program was initiated by Sister Digna Desch, who served as director of the school from 1922 to 1944 and 1947 to 1951. Her successor, Sister Juliana Kohne, continued the program even as she dealt with reduced numbers of staff physicians and nurses in the hospitals, a lack of prepared teaching personnel, and skyrocketing enrollments. Despite these hardships, between 1943 and 1948, St. Agnes School of Nursing graduated 240 cadet nurses, many of whom served with distinction in the armed forces and veterans’ hospitals.

This article is reprinted from the February 2019 issue of Reflections and Connections. Click here to read the rest of the issue!

Have you or your family wanted to take a trip around the world? If so, this event is your ticket to travel to far away places!

United for Diversity hosts this enriching event to CELEBRATE our differences, EDUCATE the community, and ADVOCATE for inclusion and diversity issues/awareness important to all our lives.

2019 marks UFD's 12th anniversary of bringing this family friendly event to the Fond du Lac community. We kick off the event with our traditional flag ceremony at 11:00. We are welcomed by city and county officials, the Brothertown dummers, dancers and singers.

Starting at noon, come enjoy live entertainment, free ethnic food sampling, children's activities, face painting, a scavenger hunt, and much more family fun.

There will be a silent auction until 2:00 p.m.
Food and beverage concessions available 11:00 am -3:00 pm.

Admission is $5.00. Children 12 and under FREE

Those interested in volunteering for our event, please go to this link to complete a volunteer form: https://goo.gl/forms/wva3vI0khvrgq46G2

Any individuals or groups who are interested in showcasing their diversity, but have not registered for a booth, should email their request to unitedfordiversity@gmail.com.