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Pictured above, Dubuque Presentation Sisters Julie Marsh (left) and Mary Lou Specha (right) offer hospitality, love and compassion to the homeless women and children in the New Orleans area through their ministry at Hotel Hope. Two generous hearted and spirited Presentation women, Sisters Julie Marsh and Mary Lou Specha, are living and offering radical hospitality to homeless women and children in the Katrina devastated area of New Orleans, Louisiana – an unfulfilled dream of Presentation foundress, Nano Nagle. Hotel Hope, a temporary home for women with children in New Orleans, grew out of the…

Pictured above, New Orleans commemorated 300 years since its founding the same year Presentation Sisters celebrated 300 years since Nano Nagle’s birth. Have you ever gone on spring break with Catholic sisters? This year six collegiate women from Iowa and New York did just that. On March 16-23, they joined Presentation Sisters Jessi Beck, from Dubuque, and Sister Mary Catherine Redmond, from New York, on a service and discernment trip to New Orleans. Prayer, service and community were key components of the experience. One highlight was volunteering at Hotel Hope, which provides housing and…

Sister Mary Pius Gutoski was born and raised in Chicago, Ill. She received a bachelor’s in education from Northern State Teacher’s College (University), Aberdeen, S.D., and a master’s in education from the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana, Ill. For 20 years, Sister Mary Pius taught in Presentation Schools throughout the region. She shared her love of learning by serving as a primary school teacher in Milbank, Dell Rapids, Sioux Falls, Madison, Mitchell and Aberdeen, S.D., and Anoka, Minn. She continued to encourage and inspire students in inner city public schools in Flint, Mich., for…

Sisters Helen Jean (Mary Carmen) Washtoak, Mary Jane (Cecilia) Gaspar, Michelle (Clara) Meyers, Suzanne Cotter and Vianney (Aileen Loretta) Mannie are celebrating 60 years of vowed religious life as Aberdeen Presentation Sisters. Sister Helen Jean (Mary Carmen) Washtoak was born and raised in Henry, S.D. After high school, she studied and received an associate teaching degree from Notre Dame Junior College, Mitchell, S.D. She earned a bachelor's in elementary education from Northern State College (University), Aberdeen, S.D., and, later, a master's of theology at St. Mary's College, Winona, Minn. For over 35 years Sister Helen Jean inspired…

Sisters Darlene Gutenkauf, Donna (Mary Blaine) Brown, Elaine (Kathleen) Garry,  Joyce (Marie Celine) Meyer, Kay (Mary Teresa) O'Neil, Mary Lou (Cajetan) Geraets and Pat Prunty are celebrating 60 years of vowed religious life as Aberdeen Presentation Sisters. Sister Darlene (Camille) Gutenkauf was born in Faulkton, S.D. Raised in this rural area, she attended summer catechism taught by Sisters and witnessed the love and grace they had for all. After graduating from Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D., Sister Darlene received a bachelor's in education from South Dakota State University, Brookings and a master's in pastoral studies from Loyola University, Chicago, Ill.…