The Catholic Messenger
CLINTON — The Sisters of St. Francis in Clinton are celebrating the jubilees of six sisters and five associates. They renewed their vows during a Jubilee Mass July 29 at Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish.
70 years
Sister Jane McCarthy, a Clinton native, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1953. She has served in education, pastoral ministry, congregational administration and Hispanic ministry. She was a teacher and an administrator at schools in Iowa, Illinois, California, Nebraska and Missouri. While at Mount St. Clare College in Clinton, she also served as the academic dean and financial aid officer. Later, she served as a pastoral associate in Iowa and Illinois, including at parishes in Washington and Clinton in the Davenport Diocese. She also led Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, taught religious education and coordinated Hispanic ministry. She served on the General Council of the Sisters of St. Francis for eight years and was the general secretary and canonical treasurer for four years. Sister McCarthy retired from full-time ministry in 2014 and continues to advocate for immigrants and immigration reform. She resides at The Alverno in Clinton and enjoys birdwatching.
Sister Ann Martinek of Decorah, Iowa, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1953. She has served in education, pastoral ministry and congregational administration. She taught at schools in Missouri and Illinois and served as principal at schools in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa. During her 15 years as principal of St. Justin Martyr School in St. Louis, she partnered with the St. Louis Special Education School and helped initiate a program to integrate St. Justin and special education students. Sister Martinek also served 15 years as director of religious education and pastoral associate at St. John Bosco Parish in St. Louis. She was a member of the General Council of the Sisters of St. Francis for four years and retired from full-time ministry in 2014. After moving to The Canticle in Clinton, she served as the congregation’s associate partnership coordinator from 2015-2017 and worked part-time as an assistant finance director from 2015-2022. She is a member of the Clinton Franciscans’ advisory committee.
60 Years
Sister Eileen Golby of Neponset, Illinois, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1963. She has served in education, pastoral ministry and congregational leadership. Sister Golby taught and served as
principal at schools in Iowa, Illinois and California. For five years she served as the pastoral associate for Newman Center at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. She served 16 years at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Lexington, Kentucky, as a pastoral associate. She was a member of the General Council of the Sisters of St. Francis from 1996-2004, serving as vice president during her second term. In 2012, she was elected to a four-year term as councilor on the congregational leadership team and served as vice president from 2013-2016. Sister Golby resides at The Canticle, where she is a cantor and serves on the liturgy and social committees. She also volunteers on the Bridgeview Community Mental Health Board, Regency Retirement Residence Board and with the Clinton Peace Coalition encompassing Living Peace 365.
Sister Jeanne d’Arc Untz of West Brooklyn, Illinois, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1963. She has ministered in education and speech pathology. Sister Untz taught at schools in California, Illinois and Iowa. From 1974-1988, she served in the Mount St. Clare Speech and Hearing Center at Mount St. Clare College in Clinton and the Thomson Public School in Thomson, Illinois. In Clinton, she was contracted to work at Mercy Hospital, Eagle Point Nursing Home and the Visiting Nurse Association, visiting homebound individuals. Beginning in 1988, she worked exclusively with the Mount St. Clare Speech and Hearing Center, becoming its associate director in 1991. She continued her work as a speech pathologist until the center closed in 2012. Sister Untz resides at The Canticle, where she serves on the social committee and sacristan team and leads three prayer groups. Additionally, she serves on the local anti-human trafficking committee and volunteers at Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton. She also writes thank-you notes to benefactors, weekly notes for Share Our Sandwiches recipients, and a weekly letter to a prisoner (for over 25 years).
Sister Ruth E. Westmoreland of Fort Dodge, Iowa, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1963. She has served in education, administration, development, and congregational leadership. She ministered as a teacher at schools in Iowa and California. She served as the academic dean and vice president at Mount St. Clare before becoming an advocate for troubled children. In 1983, she began development work for Boysville of Michigan and later transferred to Ennis Center for Children, a companion organization in Pontiac, Michigan. She worked for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, including several years as coordinator of childcare at Daybreak Center and then as supervisor of Hope House Shelter in Villa Park, Illinois. She served as the director of Café on Vine in Davenport from 2008-2016 and continued volunteer ministry on a part-time basis for several years. She also volunteered as a court-appointed special advocate for foster children in Clinton.
Sister Westmoreland was a member of the General Council of the Sisters of St. Francis from 2012-2016. In congregational leadership, Sister Westmoreland was elected councilor in 2021 and is serving a four-year term. She resides at The Canticle, serving on the advisory committee. She also serves on the congregation’s Laudato Si’ committee and on the board of directors for Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, the diocesan St. Vincent Home Corporation, and Diocesan Catholic Campaign for Human Development/Catholic Relief Services.
25 Years
Sister Kathleen Sadler, a native of Jesup, Iowa, entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1998. She has ministered in elder care, spiritual direction, and as retreat director. Her early ministry centered on the physical and cognitive well-being of persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. She served as an activity director in the dementia units of several nursing care facilities in Illinois and Iowa. Since 2016, she has been offering spiritual direction and spiritual-themed programs at nursing homes and senior living facilities. She also leads retreats at retreat centers in Iowa and Illinois. Sister Sadler resides at The Canticle, where she serves on the advisory and liturgy committees and is a sacristan, cantor, and emergency responder. Additionally, she serves on the congregation’s anti-death penalty and sharing fund committees.
Associate anniversaries
Associates Barbara Brinkman, Patricia Griffin, Agnes Johnson, Priscilla Sprague and Beth Van Conia will celebrate 25 years with the Clinton Franciscans this summer.
