Sisters of Humility 2022 Jubilee Celebration
Sisters of Humility 2022 Jubilee Celebration
Davenport, IA – The Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM) celebrated the Jubilees of five vowed sisters and two associates at a special Mass of celebration at Humility of Mary Center in Davenport, Iowa, on Sunday, June 26 at 1:30 pm. Rev. Msgr. Francis Henricksen was the celebrant at the liturgy honoring the following Jubilarians:
Sister Roberta Brich (Mary Roberta Ann) – 70 Years
Born in Minden, Iowa, in 1934, Sr. Roberta Brich entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1952 and made her first vows in 1955.
Sr. Roberta received her B.A. in education from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, and an Education Specialists degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
Sr. Roberta taught in the following Iowa schools: St. Anthony School in Des Moines (1956-57), St. Patrick School in Ottumwa (1957-59), and St. Mary School in Marshalltown (1961-65). She also taught at St. Pius School in Rock Island, Illinois (1959-61). She was principal at St. Louis the King School in Glendale, Arizona (1965-66) and Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf, Iowa (1966-69), vice-principal at Our Lady of Sorrows, Wahiawa, Hawaii (1974-77) and then principal at St. Joseph School in Neola, Iowa (1977-88). Sr. Roberta worked at the Conflict Center in Denver, Colorado, before becoming CHM vice president from 1996-2004 and CHM president from 2004-2008. She then ministered as the religious education coordinator at St. Anthony Parish in Davenport, Iowa. She also served on the CHM membership team. Sr. Roberta currently lives and volunteers at the Humility of Mary Center in Davenport where she is also active in a ministry of prayer and witness.
Sister María Caridad Inda (María Cáritas) – 70 Years
Born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1934, Sr. María Caridad Inda entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1952 and made her first profession in 1955.
Sr. Caridad graduated from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, with a B.A. in Spanish. She received an M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Literature from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Ph.D. in International Studies from The American University in Washington, D.C.
Sr. Caridad’s ministry of teaching found her in Iowa at Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa (1957-61), St. Joseph High School in Neola (1961-64), and St. Aquinas High School in Fort Madison (1964-67). Later she was the director of the Projects/Spanish Program for the Latin American Bureau of the USCCB in Davenport, Iowa (1967-1970), she was an associate with the Overseas Education Fund in Bethesda, Maryland (1973-76), was the information coordinator for International Education Development in Washington, D.C. (1977-80), and the executive director of the Spanish Education Development Center in D.C. (1980-85). Since 1987 Sr. Caridad has been the executive director of the Center for International Resources, Inc. (CIRIMEX) in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, which offers intensive, integrated, total immersion programs to develop both language fluency and a comprehensive knowledge of contemporary Latin American culture as reflected in Mexican society.
Sr. Caridad’s translation credits include “The Theology of Liberation” (1971) by Gustavo Gutiérrez and the “Medellín Documents” (1968) from CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council). Besides her interest in the interface of politics and religion, Sr. Caridad has done translation work in the area of nonviolent action, such as Dr. Gene Sharp’s work “From Dictatorship to Democracy,” into Spanish.
Sister Joan LeBeau (Mary Leanne) - 70 Years
Sr. Joan LeBeau was born in 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1952. Her first vows were pronounced in 1955.
Sr. Joan went to St. Mary School in Chicago, Illinois where she received her high school diploma. She worked in food service in Iowa at Ottumwa Heights College (1955-58), St. Vincent’s in Davenport (1958-66), Dowling School in Des Moines (1966-78), Crestview Acres in West Des Moines (1978-90), Preferred Risk in West Des Moines (1981) and Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston (1990-91). In Des Moines she also worked in environmental services at Mercy Hospital (1991-95) and in housekeeping at Mercy Senior Services and Park Place Apartments (1995-2002), and as assistant CHM coordinator at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center (2002-2008). Sr. Joan is active now in a ministry of prayer and witness at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center.
Sister Margaretha Fitzgerald (Mary Isabelle) – 60 years
Born in Collins, Iowa, in 1942. Sr. Margaretha Fitzgerald entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1962 and made her first profession in 1965.
Sr. Margaretha received her B.A. and M.A. in elementary education from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. She also received an M.A. degree in religious studies from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. Her career in teaching in Iowa was spent at St. Joseph School in Neola (1966-67), St. Mary School in Oskaloosa (1967-68), St. Mary School in Sigourney (1969), St. Theresa School in Des Moines (1969-70), Christ the King School in Des Moines (1972-76 and 1977-80)), Lourdes Memorial School in Bettendorf (1976-77), Holy Trinity School in Davenport (1980-92) and St. Anthony School in Des Moines (2000-2009). She also taught at Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Dodge City, Kansas (1992-2000). Sr. Margaretha lived in Des Moines and was active as a care giver, substitute teacher before becoming CHM Vice President in Davenport, Iowa (2012-17). She lives in Davenport and is active in a ministry of prayer and witness.
Sister Sue Sellers (Mary Matthew) – 60 years
Sr. Sue Sellers was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1943 and entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1962.
Sr. Sue received her B.A. in education from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa. Her ministry of teaching in Iowa found her at St. Mary School in Oskaloosa(1966-67), St. Mary School in Ottumwa (1967-70) and Sacred Heart School in West Des Moines (1972-76). She taught in Montana at St. Matthew School in Sidney (1970-71) and Sacred Heart School in Glendive (1971-72), and in Colorado at Notre Dame in Denver (1976-78). She was the director at Roth Hall at Ottumwa Heights Center in Ottumwa, Iowa (1978-81), an admissions counselor and a librarian at Marycrest/TMU in Davenport (1982-93), the manager at McAuley Terrace Apartments in Johnston, Iowa (1994-2002), and the center director at Humility of Mary Center in Davenport, Iowa (2002-04). In Johnston, Iowa, she was the resident assistant at Martina Place (2004-06), the pastoral care activity assistant at Bishop Drumm Retirement Center (2006-2010) and from 2010-2014 she was the CHM coordinator at Bishop Drumm where she continues to volunteer.
CHM Associates – 25 years.
Diana Gray is a native of Davenport and has been a CHM associate since 1997. She came in contact with CHM sisters through volunteering with Quad Cities Interfaith. She is the mother of two adult children. Diana served as an Associate Co-leader from 2017 until 2021. She also was the Resident Life Coordinator at the Humility of Mary Center from 2018 until 2021.
Evalee Mickey Taught by the Sisters at Ottumwa Heights Academy and College, Evalee has associated with them throughout her life. “The teachings and ideals of the Sisters have been a source of direction for me in many ways and at many times.” Evalee moved with her husband, G.W Mickey, to North Liberty, Iowa in 2004. She then became a CHM Associate and was active in Social Justice issues at her parish. She attended the School of Americas watch Rallies where she “crossed the line” and was then arrested for trespassing in 2002, serving 28 days in Federal prison in Pekin, Illinois. Evalee is mother to 5 children, 15 grand kids and 13 greats. She is a member of St. Thomas More Social Justice Commission in Coralville, IA, Pax Christi USA and Peace Iowa.
The CHM Associate program was developed to answer the call of many seeking a deeper, spiritual existence without becoming fully-vowed members. The linkage with the Humility Sisters offers a support system, a way to experience other perspectives, a nudge to keep growing --- a spiritual resource.