Sisters with Austin ties celebrate Golden Jubilee at Rochester’s Assisi Heights

Nothing says commitment like half a century of work for the church.

At the Feast of St. Claire on Aug. 11, a group of 14 women from the Sisters of St. Francis at Assisi Heights in Rochester will gather with friends and family to celebrate their “Golden Jubilee,” which commemorates 50 years of devotion. A private prayer service and reception will mark the day.

Three of the women have deep ties to the Austin area, and have worked to support their respective congregations over the years. They took a moment to talk about their experiences as a nun and what the last five decades have meant to each of them.

Sister Mary Carroll

When it comes to life decisions, Sister Mary Carroll knows her choice to become a nun was the right one.

“Whoever dreamed that 50 years have gone by,” she said. “A long time ago, I thought this is where I needed to be. I’ve never been sorry.”

Her vocation has proved rewarding, especially because of the good she can do working face to face to help those she meets.

“I love being with people,” she said.

She especially enjoys working with children, and said there is a lot to learn from them. The way children grasp concepts and their tendency to speak their minds, she said, make them fascinating to work with.

“Sometimes people just surprise me,” Carroll said.

The same notion goes for her experiences saying goodbye to those she has worked with. When Carroll moves on to a new position or location, she said many times the people who seemed the least expressive around her are the most affected by her departure.

“You don’t always know how [how much of an impact] you are,” she said.

In her free time, Carroll likes to play card games like “Hearts.” Her favorite is one she plays with her family; she can’t recall the official name of it, but her family refers to it as “The Money Game.”

Carroll is the daughter of Edward M. and Leona Carroll. She entered the Rochester Franciscan Congregation from Queen of Angels in Austin. After pronouncing her vows in 1962, Carroll received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Winona State University and master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She worked as a therapist in the Twin Cities and at Bear Creek Services in Rochester, where she currently lives. She serves as a residential life co-director for the Sisters of Saint Francis at Assisi Heights.

Sister Lucille Hass

After five decades of work with the church, Sister Lucille Hass carries a positive sentiment.

“You can always depend on others to help you out,” she said.

By the time she was two years out of high school, Hass had flipped this idea around, decided she didn’t just want to be on the receiving end of help. She wanted to influence the lives of others as well.

“There was always something that said ‘I want to serve other people and do something special for God,’” she said.

Part of it, Hass said, was that she grew up in a small town and was taught by the Sisters of St. Francis. Although she started out wanting to be a teacher, that urge still ended up carrying over into her work as a nun.

“Mostly, my experience has been in the education field,” she said. Hass has worked a lot teaching children, which she cites as one of the best parts of her job.

But interacting with people in general is what makes up the most enjoyable parts of her career.

“I’ve had a wonderful, wonderful experience working with so many different people,” Hass said, adding that it was one of the privileges of working with the church.

“St. Francis worked so much for peace in the world, and that’s what we’re all about, too,” she said. “These 50 years have been very happy ones for me.”

Hass enjoys arts and crafts in her free time, especially crocheting, knitting and needlework, which she picked up from her mother.

The daughter of Henry and Agnes Hass, Hass entered the Rochester Franciscan Congregation from Sacred Heart Parish in Adams, Minn. After pronouncing her vows in 1962, Hass received her undergraduate degree at the College of Saint Teresa in Winona. She then headed to the University of North Dakota-Grand Forks to earn her master’s in elementary administration, after which she served as a teacher and a principal in various cities.

Hass served as a personnel director for the archdiocese in the Twin Cities, and worked as a pastoral associate in a number of locations, including Grand Meadow and LeRoy. She stays active in a variety of committees and boards.

Lorraine Loecher

If Sister Lorraine Loecher had been asked as a child what she expected to do when she grew up, odds are her guess would have been way off.

“Way back in high school I never knew I’d be doing all the things I’m doing now,” she said.

When she was young, Loecher said she enjoyed studying education and working with primary school-aged children. When she incorporated her desire to serve God and to serve others, it led her down the path of a nun.

“I saw the needs within the parish and I branched out to change my focus,” Loecher said.

She calls the ability to share the lives of the people she meets as the most appealing part of her work. To be with them, whether they’re celebrating life or going through hard times, is a way to empower the laity and share their gifts in ministry, Loecher said. These experiences can range from the death of a loved one to the baptism of a child.

Over the years, she has watched ministries unfold and expand, and has become very close with other sisters.

“We have made wonderful pilgrimages,” she said. “We have really grown as committed women together.” She added the women she knows from Sisters of St. Francis really support one another well.

Loecher has lived in Rochester for the last three weeks.

“I left Austin and moved on,” she said, adding the relocation was voluntary as a way to focus her efforts on the greatest need.

Baking, cooking and decorating are among Loecher’s hobbies. She likes to arrange flowers and grow a garden, and also go for a walk or a bike ride.

Loecher, daughter of Peter V. and Ruth A. Loecher, entered the Rochester Franciscan Congregation from St. Augustine Parish in Austin. She was given the name Sister Antonine when she pronounced her vows in 1962. Loecher received her undergraduate degree in elementary education from the College of St. Teresa in Winona and her master’s in liturgical studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Loecher worked as an elementary teacher from 1964 to 1983 in Chicago and several different cities across Minnesota. She then went on to be a liturgy coordinator and pastoral associate/liturgist in other locations. Now, she serves as pastoral associate for St. Augustine and St. Edward parishes in Austin.