We celebrate Sister RuthAnn Iwanski’s 60th Jubilee as she recalls memories of her life and ministry with the School Sisters of St. Francis.
Sister RuthAnn fondly remembers Sunday visits with her aunts, uncles, and great-aunts. She shared that she always liked to sit and listen to the older family members share stories. These regular visits also included visiting an elderly neighbor. She explained, “I thought there was so much to learn from these special people. I respected them very much.”
Sister RuthAnn explained that her Jesuit uncle played an important role in influencing her vocation. He would visit and bring slides of the art history topics he was studying. Sister RuthAnn recalls, “One time we were at the cathedral in St. Louis, and I saw the ‘Pink Sisters’ [Holy Adoration Sisters] who helped take care of the church. I found out that they were a cloistered order. I thought that it might be nice to be able to spend so much time in the church, close to the Blessed Sacrament.”
That experience inspired her to begin volunteering at her local parish, where she cleaned vigil candles and brought flowers for the church.
After earning her bachelor’s degree from Alverno College, Sister RuthAnn taught several elementary grades for five years. She also became involved in sacred dance, and members of Alverno’s Orchesis dance performance group were invited to participate in the Eucharistic Congress held in Milwaukee in 1969. Sacred dance remained an important part of Sister RuthAnn’s life until 1996, when foot surgery limited her involvement.
After the discontinuation of the dance therapy program at Texas Women’s University, Sister RuthAnn made the choice to pursue a degree in adaptive physical education. This led to a job at St. Francis School for Exceptional Children in Freeport, Illinois, where sisters of our congregation were serving.
After her experience in Freeport, Sister RuthAnn accepted the challenge to work with crafters to develop their sewing skills and help other crafters start their own business.
“In Kentucky, I found myself in a different culture,” she shared. “I loved working with the crafters very much, and getting involved with the parish. I was the only School Sister in the eastern part of Kentucky, but I worked alongside sisters of other orders. Area community meetings and Thanksgiving weekends in West Virginia provided a chance to relate and reconnect with our School Sisters.”
Today, Sister RuthAnn works with the sisters living at Maria Linden and Chapel
Garden Apartments on the St. Joseph Center campus. There, she is a member of the Health Advocate team, a role that has allowed her to get to know more of our sisters. She feels honored to be in this helping relationship.
Sister RuthAnn brings a wealth and variety of experiences to her ministry, offering understanding and compassion to her present position. Thank you, Sister RuthAnn, for sharing your gifts and talents with the School Sisters in our wisdom years.