Three Benedictine sisters celebrate golden jubilees

Benedictine Sisters Joan Marie Massura, from left, Alice Marie Gronotte and Anna Rose Lueken pose for a picture after celebrating their golden jubilee of religious profession on July 20 at Our Lady of Grace Monastery Chapel in Beech Grove. Sisters Alice Marie and Anna Rose are founding members of the monastery. (Submitted photo)

Criterion staff report

The Sisters of St. Benedict of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove celebrated the golden jubilees of Sisters Alice Marie Gronotte, Anna Rose Lueken and Joan Marie Massura on July 20 at the monastery chapel.

Family members, friends and Benedictine sisters witnessed their renewal of vows professed 50 years ago.

Sisters Alice Marie and Anna Rose are founding members of Our Lady of Grace Monastery as well as the first sisters to profess their final vows there.

A native of Evansville, Sister Alice Marie attended the former Immaculate Conception Academy in Ferdinand, Ind., and entered the Monastery Immaculate Conception there in 1956.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at the former St. Benedict’s College in Ferdinand and a master’s degree in education at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany.

In 1960, Sister Alice Marie began her ministry career at the former St. Paul School in Tell City. She also taught at the former St. Michael School in Bradford and St. Anthony School in Clarksville.

Sister Alice Marie spent 18 years as a missionary in Cali, Columbia, where she served in several parishes.

In 1990, she returned to the United States and ministered to Hispanic migrant workers at St. John the Baptist Parish in Starlight.

Since 1991, Sister Alice Marie has served as the pastoral associate and administrator of religious education at Prince of Peace Parish in Madison.

A native of Schnellville, Ind., Sister Anna Rose attended the former Immaculate Conception Academy in Ferdinand then entered the Monastery Immaculate Conception there.

She attended St. Benedict College, Indiana University Southeast, Spalding College in Louisville, Ky., and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.

Sister Anna Rose began her ministry career at St. Anthony School in Clarksville then taught at the former St. Paul School in Tell City and St. Bartholomew School in Columbus.

In 1968, she was named the principal of St. Anthony School in Clarksville, which began her 31 years of service in school administration.

Sister Anna Rose served as the principal at the former All Saints School in Columbus, Little Flower School in Indianapolis and Pope John XXIII School in Madison.

For a 13-year period in the midst of her years serving as a grade school principal, Sister Anna Rose assisted her religious community as the administrator of the Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center adjacent to the monastery in Beech Grove.

Sister Anna Rose currently ministers as the principal of St. Ambrose School in Seymour.

A native of Chicago, Sister Joan Marie attended the Slovak Girls’ Academy in Danville, Pa., then entered the Sisters of SS. Cyril and Methodius religious order there in 1955.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at St. Joseph College in Emmitsburg, Md.; a master’s degree in chemistry at Villanova University in Villanova, Pa.; and a master’s degree in pastoral studies at Loyola University in Chicago.

Sister Joan Marie began her ministry career as a teacher at Marianhill Scholasticate in Phoenixville, Pa. She also taught at St. Columba School in Bloomsburg, Pa.; Lebanon Catholic High School in Lebanon, Pa.; and Andrean High School in Merrillville, Ind., in the Diocese of Gary.

In 1980, Sister Joan Marie began a new ministry as director of youth ministry at the Catholic Youth Organization in the Gary Diocese.

In 1985, she came to Indianapolis to serve as director of youth ministry at the Catholic Youth Organization in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Sister Joan Marie became a Benedictine after transferring her vows to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in 1990.

After joining the monastery, Sister Joan Marie ministered as director of religious education at

St. Barnabas Parish in Indianapolis then served her religious community as their vocations director for eight years.

She next served in retreat ministry at LaSalle Manor in Plano, Ill., a retreat center operated by the Christian Brothers, where she developed and conducted retreats for teenagers in the Chicago area.

Sister Joan Marie currently serves as director of programs for the Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center. †