Jubilarians | Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (CPPS)
50th First Profession
Sister Sandra Barton
Birthplace: Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
First profession: 1974
Education: Associate in nursing, St. Mary’s College, O’Fallon, 1974
Bachelor’s in nursing, Saint Louis University, 1980
Certificate in applied gerontology, SLU, 1980
Master’s in science, Texas Women’s University, Denton, Texas, 1985
Service in the archdiocese: Nurse and administrator, Motherhouse Infirmary, O’Fallon, 1974-78, 1980-84, 1986-87
Teacher, St. Mary’s College, O’Fallon, 1984-88
Foster parent, 1987-present
Department chair, St. Charles Community College, St. Charles, 1988-90
Nurse, Baptist Hospital, Wentzville, 1989-90
Director of aging and retirement, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1990-97, 2001-09
Instructor, St. Charles Community College, St. Charles, 1991-99
Director of health and retirement services, O’Fallon, Motherhouse, 1997-2001
Director of health and wellness, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 2009-16
Congregation leadership team councilor, O’Fallon, 2010-16
Service outside the archdiocese: Served in Kansas City, Missouri, 1982-88
Nursing supervisor, St. Joseph Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, 1999-2003
About Sister Sandra Barton: Sister Sandy likes to explore new parks and enjoy the beauty in nature. I enjoy praying and spending time with my sisters in community. I enjoy spending time with my foster children and grandchildren. When asked to name her favorite ministry, she said, “Being a caregiver to our elderly sisters and sharing my foster children with those sisters has been a favorite ministry of mine. They became a gift to one another with smiles and visits.”
60th First Profession
Sister Anna Marie (Laurita) Himmelberg
Birthplace: Gilliam, Missouri
First profession: 1964
Education: Bachelor’s in home economics, Fontbonne University, St. Louis, 1971
Master’s in education and counseling, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, 1978
Institute of Religious Formation, Saint Louis University, 1997
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Sabina School, Florissant, 1965-67
Teacher, St. George School, St. Louis, 1968-69, 1971
Teacher, St. Mary’s Academy, O’Fallon, 1971-77
Teacher, St. Elizabeth Academy, St. Louis, 1977-83
Development director, St. Elizabeth Academy, St. Louis, 1980-83
Vocations and formation director, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1983-89
Pastoral associate, St. Joseph Parish, Cottleville, 1989-97
Volunteer, St. Agatha Food Pantry, St. Louis, 1999-2000
Pastoral associate, St. John the Beloved Disciple Parish, Imperial, 2000-16
Volunteer, St. Mark Parish, St. Louis, 2016-22
Volunteer and ministry of prayer and presence, Villa Theresa Apartments, O’Fallon, 2022-present
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher St. Joseph School, Martinsburg, Missouri, 1967-68
About Sister Anna Marie Himmelberg: She enjoys visiting and corresponding with family and friends, walking through the Missouri Botanical Garden and nature trails, playing cards and making bouquets from freshly-cut flowers.
70th First Profession
Sister Viola Marie Spire
Birthplace: Maryville, Missouri
First profession: 1954
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. John the Baptist, St. Louis, 1959-63
Local coordinator, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1971-74
Machine-stitcher, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, O’Fallon, 1954-2018
Service outside the archdiocese:
About Sister Viola Marie Spire: Sr. Viola Marie worked in the Ecclesiastical Art Department for over 60 years. She feels like her life has been blessed indeed. She loves praying, reading, puzzles and exercising, especially walking outdoors enjoying nature.
75th First Profession
Sister Marcella Scego
Birthplace: Owensville, Missouri
First profession: Aug. 10, 1949
Service in the archdiocese: Hand-stitcher, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1949-59
Sacristan, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1951-59, 1961-2009
Teacher, Holy Family School, St. Louis, 1959-60
Seamstress, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1961-2018
Prayer and presence, Abbey Senior Health, O’Fallon, 2018-present
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Henry School, Charleston, Missouri, 1960-61
About Sister Marcella Scego: Sister Marcella has been serving in prayer and presence since 2018. She loves gardening and praying for others.
Sister Rose Margaret Wessels
Birthplace: St. Louis
First profession: 1949
Education: Bachelor’s in general music, Fontbonne University, St. Louis, 1966
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Alphonsus School-Millwood, Silex, 1961
Teacher, Sacred Heart School-Ozora, St. Mary, 1961-68
Seamstress, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, O’Fallon, 1980 and 1982-84
Machine-stitcher, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, O’Fallon, 1982-2018
Volunteer, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 2018-21
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Mary’s School, Quincy, Illinois, 1950-51
Teacher, St. Henry School, Charleston, Missouri, 1951-59
Teacher, St. Columba School, Conception, Missouri, 1959-61
Teacher, Assumption School, Morrison, Missouri, 1961
Teacher, St. Charles Academy, Stratton, Colorado, 1968
Teacher and principal, St. Louis School, Louisville, Colorado, 1970-71, 1975-76, 1976-80
Religious education teacher, St. Charles Parish, Stratton, Colorado, 1971-72
Teacher, Blessed Sacrament School, Denver, Colorado, 1972-75
Teacher, St. Pius X School, Aurora, Colorado, 1981-82
About Sister Rose Margaret Wessels: Sister Rose Margaret is passionate about awareness and concerns regarding ecology and environment. She loves to be outdoors and gardening.
Sister Josepha Bauer
Birthplace: Silex
First profession: 1949
Education: Bachelor’s in theology, Notre Dame College, St. Louis, 1969
Service in the archdiocese: Elementary teacher, St. Mary’s School, Hawk Point, 1949-50
Elementary teacher, Our Lady of Fatima School, Florissant, 1952-53
Elementary teacher, St. Maurus School-Biehle, Perryville, 1953-1955
Elementary and kindergarten teacher, St. Agatha, St. Louis, 1955-58
Teacher, Assumption School, New Haven, 1958-59
Community service, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1977-78, 2018-present
Assistant maintenance, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1980-81
Ministry to the poor, St. Agatha’s Food Pantry, St. Louis, 1988-89
Assistant maintenance, St. Elizabeth Academy, St. Louis, 1989-91
Machine-stitcher, CPPS Ecclesiastical Art Department, O’Fallon, 1993-99 and 2000-18
CPPS local coordinator for St. Joseph Community, Motherhouse, O’Fallon, 1999-2000, 2002
Service outside the archdiocese: St. Cecilia School, Meta, Missouri, 1951-52
Teacher and adult education, Guadalupe School, Lima, Peru and Reyna de las Americas, Lima, Peru, 1959-71
Parish ministry, Nuestro Senor Crucificado, Santa, Peru, 1971-77, 1978-83
Parish ministry, Santo Toribio, Macate, Peru, 1983-85
Parish ministry, Sacred Heart Parish, Kansas City, Missouri, 1986-88
About Sister Josepha Bauer: Sister Josepha is currently in community service maintaining medical equipment and managing numerous flower gardens throughout the CPPS property. She enjoys reading, spending time outside under the trees, taking things apart to see how they work and then repairing them, gardening for the joy of “tending the earth” and hearing from her former students and adults.
80th First Profession
Sister Mary Venard LeBeau
Birthplace: Zurich, Kansas
First profession: 1944
Education: Bachelor’s in French, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, 1968
Master’s in education, Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland, 1979
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. George School, St. Louis, 1944-49, 1960-62
Teacher, St. Stephen Protomartyr School, St. Louis, 1968
Teacher, St. John the Baptist School, St. Louis, 1983-84
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, The English School, Helsinki, Finland, 1949-60, 1962-95
Principal, The English School, Helsinki, Finland, 1969-72, 1984-93
Curriculum developer, Vanaliona Hariduskolleegium, Tallinn, Estonia, 1993-2015
Teacher, Vanaliona Hariduskolleegium, Tallinn, Estonia, 1995-2015
Teacher, Tartu Katolu Kool, Tartu, Estonia, 2001-10
Ministry to refugees, Helsinki, Finland, 2015-16
Volunteer, Helsinki, Finland, 2016-23
Ministry to African migrants, Helsinki, Finland, 2017-23
About Sister Mary Venard LeBeau: Sister Mary Venard cherished all of her work in Finland and Estonia. She loves to chat with her former pupils from the past four decades of her teaching career. She found working with children particularly rewarding. During her last year, her work with Father Leonard and the African Ministries was important to her because they helped to create possibilities and opportunities for African migrants in Finland.