Sister Elaine Hagedorn
Elaine Claire Cecelia Hagedorn was born on October 27, 1935, to Lester Paul and Grace Cecelia Pardee Hagedorn in Denison, Iowa.
Elaine entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary on September 29, 1957, where her younger sister, now Sister Marilyn Jean, had recently received the habit and her religious name.
Just over a week later, on October 7, 1957, both of them would become “homeless”. A devastating fire destroyed the entire Ottumwa Heights complex – Motherhouse, Novitiate, Junior College, and Academy. While the new Ottumwa Heights was being built, the sisters, novices, postulants and college students lived in the Bachelors Officers Quarters (BOQ) of the former World War II air base outside Ottumwa. Elaine took classes in the converted buildings. She received the habit during the summer of 1958 and her name in religion, Sister Marie Paul. Her class made first vows on August 1, 1960, and final vows on that same date in 1963, in the middle of Vatican II. Her surviving classmates are Sisters Cathy Burns and Cathy Talarico. Following Vatican II, she resumed use of her baptismal name, Sr. Elaine.
With her Associate of Arts degree from Ottumwa Heights, Sister began her teaching career in Ottumwa, one year at St. Mary School and three years at St. Patrick. She taught one year at St. Joseph School in Dunlap. She then went to Marshalltown where she taught at St. Mary School and then was principal at St. Mary and St. Henry Schools. She completed her BA degree in education at Marycrest College in Davenport in 1966.
Sr. Elaine continued post-graduate studies herself during all her life. Subjects included education, social action, theology, and catechetics at institutions in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas and Nebraska.
Sr. Elaine had chosen the Humility congregation because the community had sisters serving in other ministries as well as in education. By 1971, the sisters considered their own interests and capacities, along with the needs of the Church and society in considering new ministries. In consultation with congregation leadership, they could pursue education and other qualifications for doing new works, preferably with Humilities and or other women religious
Sr. Elaine’s interest in peace and justice issues was spurred by the Vietnam War. In 1972, she became an area coordinator for the Diocesan Social Action Office in Des Moines, while living at Visitation parish. She worked for two years with the Meals on Wheels program, where she found recipients often with other unmet needs. She advocated for them with government and human service organizations, doctors and pharmacy offices, or, simply, served as a listening heart.
In 1975 Sr. Elaine started working at Visitation Parish, which was becoming home to immigrant and refugee populations with many needs. For twenty (20) years she took on the roles of Pastoral Minister and Coordinator of Religious Education, each of which was a fulltime job. She ministered to the homebound, including providing transportation to appointments and continuing to mediate when the need arose. She prepared wakes and funerals, having become close to so many individuals and families over the years. The parish eventually became home to as many as seventeen (17) different ethnic groups. In addition to basic needs of food and shelter, ever the educator, she advocated for adults to take classes and workshops to increase their skills. Where possible, classes were offered at the parish level. Youth in the Religious Education programs got involved in a fund-raiser to aid Ethiopians during a famine. Continuing the association with the Mother of Jesus, the parish name would be changed to Our Lady of the Americas to reflect its population.
It is no surprise that she would continue her long-time ministry with the elderly and families, even after retiring. She was described as “…one of those people that everybody from 8 months to 88-years-old likes.” Another said, “her approach is encouragement, though I think she seems to sense what people need, ….such as to laugh…or to cry.”
Srs. Elaine and Jeanie became famous when they arranged for the launching of a “Nuns on the Bus” trip in Des Moines, leading up to the 2012 national election. NETWORK, the 40-year-old lobbying organization, founded by Catholic sisters, reached out to the Hagedorn sisters to help plan the first days of a 2-week-long trip to promote voter education and action based on principles of Catholic social teaching. The tour began Sunday evening, June 17, at Holy Trinity Church in Des Moines, where NETWORK Executive Director, Sister Simone Campbell, spoke to a crown of more than 300. The next morning the brightly-colored-wrapped bus, loaded with staff, reporters, literature, posters, and “short-term” local riders, took off for Congressmen Steve King’s office in Ames. Unfortunately his Staff had left a note saying they would all be out in the District that day and, therefore, unable to keep their appointment with the nuns.
Every day of the trip started with morning prayer, then on to congressional offices, ministry locations of local sisters, motherhouses and convents, in almost a dozen states, and ending in Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 2. Along the way people autographed the bus next to justice principles such as “dignity of the human person”, “solidarity”, and “protection of creation” printed all over the bus. They celebrated when Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term that year. Election advocacy continued and, in 2020, CRUX, a national Catholic newsletter, published the Hagedorn sisters’ report of the snowy Iowa caucuses and of the many Democratic candidates who had visited Iowa. Sr. Jeanie would know if she has already submitted her application for an absentee ballot for this year’s contest.
Sister Elaine served on many other boards and organizations. In her file I found a handwritten note to me, as former archivist, listing her participation on the Catholic Peace Ministry Board, the Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace, the Des Moines Sisters Council, and moderator for the Catholic Women’s League. One historic time for the Sisters Council was when several sisters were removed from their diocesan offices without due process. The issue made state-wide news and drew a lot of attention at the time when Americans were debating an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution for American women. Although that major goal would not succeed, the diocese did set up an Arbitration Board to improve fair employment practices for diocesan employees.
Sr. Elaine was awarded the Msgr. Marvin A. Mottet “Footsteps” Award in 2008 for exemplifying the “two feet” of Catholic Social Teaching, Charity and Justice. The Diocese of Des Moines awarded her a Recognition of Service to Youth to honor 40 years of service. She also received the Papal Award for her Service to the Church. Earlier this year, diocesan Catholic Peace Ministry gave its 2024 Bishop Dingman Peace Award to Sisters Elaine and Marilyn Jean Hagedorn.
Conclusion in progress --- from birthday poem by Jeanie:
With family and friends and community’s love
We’ve journeyed together with grace from above.
Your patience and beautiful smile lifting me,
Each year of my life, to “more than can be”.
……..
You’re teaching me daily, you show others too,
You LIVE what you speak, a faith that is true.
Sister Mary Rehmann, CHM
Click here for a June 9, 2005 press release "Parish Honors CHM Sister for 30 Years of Ministry"...
Sr. Eleane Hagedorn, CHM at left with her biological sister, Sr. Jeanie Hagedorn, CHM