IHMs mark 25 years of teaching in Hutchinson
The IHM Sisters who have taught in the Catholic Schools in Hutchinson over the last 25 years, from left to right: Sr. Marie Therese, Sr. Mary Dolores, Sr. Mary Clare, Sr. Veronica Marie, Sr. Mary Agnes, Sr. Mary Faustina, Sr. Mary Catherine, Sr. Mary Margaret, Mother Mary Magdalene, Sr. Joseph Mary, Sr. Cecilia Marie, Sr. Mary Ann, Sr. Maria Jacinta, Sr. Marie Bernadette, Sr. Mary Grace, Sr. Mary Elizabeth, and Sr. Mary Guadalupe. (Courtesy photo)
By Sr. Marie Bernadette
The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are celebrating 25 years of teaching in Hutchinson.
After the repeated invitation of Bishop Eugene Gerber, Mother M. Giovanni, the general superior of the IHM Sisters at the time, made the decision to venture off of the campus of Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita and open a convent in Hutchinson to teach there in the Catholic schools.
Because the Sisters’ apostolic works are in cooperation with the bishop’s pastoral plan, Bishop Gerber’s requests were compelling. The discernment, therefore, was more a matter of timing.
The IHM Sisters had been in the diocese for 21 years, teaching exclusively at Bishop Carroll and living on the campus since 1979. Being a new, young religious community, there were not enough Sisters to open a second convent or to teach in more than one school.
1997 brought about change
In 1997 that all changed. Having grown in number since their arrival in the diocese in 1976, Mother M. Giovanni discerned that the community could successfully make this move. She has been proven right.
Over the years, the Sisters have taught in each of the Hutchinson schools: St. Teresa, Holy Cross, and Trinity. There are now three IHMs teaching at Trinity. Many of our teaching Sisters have spent time teaching in the schools there.
Teaching in Hutchinson, in addition to Sr. Mary Catherine and Sr. Mary Margaret, who were the first two, were Sr. Marie Therese, Sr. Marie Bernadette, Mother Mary Magdalene, Sr. Mary Elizabeth, Sr. Joseph Mary, Sr. Veronica Marie, Sr. Mary Dolores, Sr. Maria Jacinta, Sr. Mary Faustina, Sr. Mary Agnes, Sr. Mary Grace, Sr. Mary Clare, and currently, Sr. Cecilia Marie, Sr. Mary Ann, and Sr. Mary Guadalupe.
Commenting on the 25 years in the Hutchinson Catholic community, Mother Mary Magdalene said, “That leap of faith 25 years ago when we decided to expand beyond the campus of Bishop Carroll was just the beginning of many great adventures. All arranged in God’s providence, we are grateful for all the opportunities we have been given to serve the great people of the Wichita diocese.”