2021 – 2022

Marie-Claire Mensch was born in Basel, Switzerland on 13 August 1941. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at Dominikushaus, Riehen in October 1960, did her Noviciate at St Albert’s Convent, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England where she made her Profession on 9 August 1962. On 23 November 1964 she arrived in South Africa and was assigned to the Convent in Fort Beaufort.. In 1966 she moved to St Vincent Convent while she took up her studies gaining a Teacher’s Diploma. She remained at St Vincent Convent, teaching Domestic Science at the School. From 1989 to 1992 she was at Bethany Convent where she taught sewing. She taught also at St Martin de Porres Mission, Marapyane. In 2000 she was semi-retired at St Mary’s Convent while she taught weaving at the San Salvador Home in Hyde Park. In 2011 she retired at Emmaus Convent in East London. 

Johanna Catharina van de Waarsenburg was born in Asten, Noord Brabant, Holland, on 24 December 1930. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at Albertushof Convent in Venlo, Holland in February 1949 and made her Profession on 16 October 1950. She arrived in South Africa on 1 December of the same year and was assigned to teach at the Convent school in Ermelo. She later taught at the Convent schools in Queenstown, Brakpan, East London, Graaff Reinet and Cradock before returning to the Motherhouse in King William’s Town where as well as teaching she was Convent Librarian. In 1980 she was assigned to teach in Belgravia and in 1984 returned to the Eastern Cape to St Anne’s Convent in East London. In 1997 she was appointed Congregational Archivist, first at Lourdes Convent and then at St Vincent School for the Deaf. She continued in this capacity until 2010, though living at St Mary’s Convent.

Ann Theresa Smith was born in Stradone, Co. Caven on 21 February 1950. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at St Albert’s Convent, Hinckley Leicestershir, England in 1968 and made her Profession on 1 August 1973. In 1971 she went as a Novice to St Immaculata Convent, Schlehdorf. In 1974 she returned to the Convent in Tralee, Ireland where she nursed. On 30 May 1976 she arrived at Lourdes Convent, Park Town, Johannesburg to begin her nursing training and in 1981 she was assigned to nurse at the Mater Dei Nursing Home in East London to nurse and later as Theatre Sister. In 1911 she joined the Siena Community in Johannesburg on the Congregational Leadership Team.

Katharina Solner was born in Hart/Unterneukirchen on 4 November 1932. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at St Immaculata Convent, Schlehdorf in 1954 and made her Profession on 31 July 1956. Much of her working life was spent at Haus Petersberg (Dachau) before she finally returned to the Convent in Schlehdorf in 1992 where she worked in the office and shop and  played the organ.

Johanna Theresia Staab was born in Winzenweiler/Schw. H on 3 September 1928. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at St Immaculata Convent, Schlehdorf in 1949 and made her Profession on 20 April 1952. She came to South Africa on 31 July 1952 and was assigned to the Convent Mater Dei in East London. In 1953 she began teaching at St Pius Convent in East London and subsequently taught at the Convent Schools in Stutterbeim, Sacred Heart East London and the Motherhouse in King William’s Town. In 1980 she returned to Germany where she continued to teach at the Convent schools there.

Elisabeth Helena Gertruda Post was born in Rotterdam, Holland, on 17 November 1926. She was received into the Congregation as a Postulant at Albertushof Convent, Venlo, Holland in October 1952 and made her Profession on 7 June 1954. She remained at the Convent in Holland working at varied tasks, among therm: sewing, vestarian work, help to the Aged and Child Care worker, and later, administrative work and gardening. She enjoyed playing the flute in the cellar.

Rosa Isabel Garzon was born in Quito, Ecuador, on 30 May 1947. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at Casa Mauritia Santa Cruz in February 1988 and made her Profession on 2 February 1991. She remained in Latin America studying, teaching and doing pastoral work. In 1999 she became Directress of a High School in Forestal, Bolivia. After her retirement she moved back to Ecuador where she did Pastoral Work;

Bridget Patricia Kelly was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 28 January 1932. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at St Albert’s Convent, Hinckley in England in April 1951 and made her Profession on 6 January 1953. On arrival at the Motherhouse in King William’s Town in 1953 she began teaching and studying after and in 1956 she went to Rhodes to begin Teacher Training. She subsequently taight in the Convent Schools in Klerksdorp, Belgravia, Springs and Queenstown and on the Missions in Cradock and Pimville, SW Johannesburg. In the early 1990s she served as General Councillor before returning to Ireland to retire at the Convent in Tralee.

Theresia Hoppmann was born in Obergriesbach, Germany, on 10 October 1936. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at St Immaculata Convent, Schlehdorf in September 1955 and made her Profession on 31 July 1957. While at Schlehdorf and before coming to South Africa she trained as a  nurse and once in South Africa she training in Midwifery and paediatric nursing. Sr Lauda nursed in many of the South African Institutions, including Marydale Nursing Home, Mater Dei Nursing Home, Mater Infirmorum, St Catherine’s Nursing Home, Glen Gray Mission Hospital and St Scholastica’s Mission. In 2003 she was semi-retired in Bethany Convent, Brakpan before retiring to St Mary’s Convent in 2012

Elizabeth Aerni was born in Solothurn, Switzerland, on 30 December 1937. She entered the Congregation as a Postulant at Dominikushaus, Riehen in February 1965 and made her Profession on 20 July 1968. In 1966 she did her Noviciate at St Albert’s Convent in Hinckley, England and in 1967 she returned to Dominikushaus where she did clerical work as well as geriatric nursing in the Home. 1982 saw her assigned to the mission work she had longed for at St Ambrose Clinic, Matibi Mission, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia). After many years of nursing she came to South Africa where she retired at St Mary’s Convent, Hyde Park, Johannesburg.