News & Events

Savor the taste, cherish the memory

Salvatorian Sister Diane Goetzinger was one of our go-to bakers for all things sweet. She loved baking cookies and sharing them with others. Sr. Diane passed away on October 8 this year.  In her memory, we’re ...Read more

Foundation Day observes many “firsts” in Salvatorian history

Over the years, our Salvatorian Family has enhanced the significance of our December 8th Foundation Day with a number of “firsts.” On December 8:

• 1881  Father Francis Jordan founded the Salvatorians (formerly Apostolic Teaching Society) in

Holiday art shows spread the joy

Folk art creations by Salvatorian Sister Karlyn Cauley will be available to view and purchase at these upcoming local holiday art shows: Wed., November 15 St. John’s on the Lake, 1840 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. Sat., November 18 Celtic Holiday Boutique, ...Read more

Refugees of natural disasters face another peril

Recent natural disasters such as Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria put displaced people at heightened risk for human trafficking. Sister Jean Schafer, SDS publishes the STOP Trafficking Newsletter in collaboration ...Read more

She found the gift of religious life

The Mass of Christian Burial for Sister Bernice Smith, SDS will take place Friday, October 20 at St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus chapel, 3800 N. 92nd Street in Milwaukee. Visitation in the chapel will begin at noon followed by a remembering ...Read more

The tractor is STILL on a roll

Six years ago, Sister Virginia Honish, SDS launched a grass-roots fundraising campaign to buy a tractor for Salvatorian Sisters in Tanzania in East Africa. In less than six months, “Sr. Virginia’s ...Read more

She served with joy in her heart 

We’ll celebrate the life of Sister Diane Goetzinger, SDS (formerly Sr. Mary Louis) on Friday, October 13, 2017. Sr. Diane died Sunday, October 8 at the age of 78. Visitation at 12:15 p.m. and a remembering service at 1:00 p.m. ...Read more

2017 Woman of Faith Award Presentation

Our 2017 Woman of Faith event was truly an inspiring evening. We welcomed many new friends to our Community House to hear Linda Pischke share how faith inspires her ministry to women rebuilding their lives after prison. Listen to Linda ...Read more

New Catholic sisters’ voices resound with gratitude

Sr. Janice Hartman

She loved “to do for others”

  A Mass of Christian Burial for Salvatorian Sister Alice Gindt will take place in Milwaukee on Thursday, August 3, 2017. Sr. Alice died July 28 at the age of 83. Her visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the chapel ...Read more

Mother Mary Study Group brings history into the digital age

Salvatorian Sister Barbara Reynolds just completed two weeks in Rome, working with the Mother Mary Study Group. Her work focused on preparing Salvatorian historical documents for the internet library. She reports, “My first task was to format the Short Biography ...Read more

Keeping pace with healthy living on WHISH and a prayer

Salvatorian Sister Georgene Faust is one of nearly 22,000 participants from across the U.S. who signed on for the Women’s Health Initiative Strong & Healthy (WHISH) trial. It’s part of a larger initiative launched in 2015 by the National Heart, ...Read more

Sr. Barabara: U.S. to Horrem to Rome

(Don't know why Sr. Barbara Reynolds, SDS is in Horrem? Check out previous post.) It is now Sunday, July 9.  My time in Horrem is coming to an end.  This afternoon I ...Read more

Meet Sister Eloisa

Salvatorian Sister Eloisa Holdiem, was born in the Bicol Region of Philippines. Along with the national Filipino language Tagalog, she speaks the Bicola dialect and pretty good English too! Her English skills ...Read more

Our math professor goes to summer school

Salvatorian Sister Barbara Reynolds has a whirlwind travel itinerary this summer. Some stops will place her in a familiar role as teacher, but she’ll be doing her share of study too. From September to May, she’s a professor of mathematics ...Read more

The Life of Father Francis Jordan

John Baptist Jordan was not born for greatness when he came into the world on June 16, 1848. In fact, his family was downright poor. His father was a stable hand and ...Read more

Education opens doors for Salvatorian Sisters in Africa

This summer, Sue Haertel returns to Tanzania along with Margaret Scola to lead our English as a Second Language (ESL) program.  Both Sue and Margaret are Lay Salvatorians from the Milwaukee area. They will provide an intense language immersion experience: ...Read more

Tanzanian Education Initiative lifts up Salvatorian collaboration

For the ninth consecutive year, Sisters of the Divine Savior will sponsor our Tanzanian Education Initiative to build English language skills among our African Sisters. But this year there’s a bit of a twist: for the first time, two Lay ...Read more

Sr. Pat Russell settles in

Last June, Tennessee Register reporter Andy Telli wrote a beautiful tribute to Salvatorian Sister Pat Russell as she bid farewell to Tennessee and the Diocese of Nashville. Sr. Pat was returning to ...Read more

Celebrate the past, present and future of religious life

Look to the past with gratitude. Live the present with passion. Embrace the future with hope.  (Pope Francis) Our Sisters Karlyn Cauley, Mary Lee Grady, Nelda Hernandez and Mary Jo Stoffel will join their voices in song with other women and ...Read more

Everyone at DSHA knows Sr. CJ

Who says Catholic Sisters aren’t a presence in Catholic schools in the new millennium? For the last nine months, Salvatorian Sister Carol Jean Zais (aka Sr. CJ) has been more than a mere presence at our sponsored all-girls high school ...Read more

Divine Savior Statue Has a Story to Tell

On August 1, 2011 a new chapter was added to the story of the statue of the Divine Savior that graces the grounds of our SDS Community House in Milwaukee. The story began in Italy back in 1939. The bronze statue ...Read more

Mission trip includes clean water focus

For the second year in a row, Sr. Mary Evelyn Zimbauer, SDS will serve on a missionary team in Sucre, Bolivia for two weeks. The missionary cohort from the Illinois Diocese of Joliet will begin their journey to South America ...Read more

National Catholic Sisters Week: Reach out through Simple Gifts

As we celebrate 2017 National Catholic Sisters’ Week (NCSW), we also invite Milwaukee-area friends to join in our Simple Gifts Collection again this year. NCSW lifts up the vital contributions of Catholic Sisters to the history of our nation. Closer to ...Read more

International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking and St. Josephine Bakhita

St. Josephine Bakhita was born in southern Sudan in 1869. As a young girl, she was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Captors sold and resold her in the markets of El Obeid ...Read more

Sr. CJ feels the Salvatorian spirit at DSHA

National Catholic Schools Week, January 29 – February 3 Salvatorian Sister Carol Jean Zais, SDS has become a familiar face at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee. Sr. “CJ” volunteers in Campus ...Read more

10 ways to take a stand against human trafficking

1. Learn the red flags of human trafficking. (https://humantraffickinghotline.org/what-human-trafficking/recognizing-signs)
2. If you suspect human trafficking, report it. Don’t NOT call because you’re not sure. Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888 (24/7)
3. Be a conscientious consumer. Ask your favorite retail stores to

Pastoral caregiver honors each soul’s journey

No matter what each new day brings, Sister Darlene Pienschke, SDS stays mindful of the Salvatorian mission to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus. It helps her focus on caring for the spiritual needs of residents at St. ...Read more

Your IRA contribution to SDS could offer tax advantages

Last December, Congress made permanent a law that allows individuals age 70 ½ and older to donate up to $100,000 to charitable organizations such as the Sisters of the Divine Savior (SDS) directly from an IRA, without treating the distribution ...Read more

Just being there becomes ministry

Salvatorian Sister Pauline Feiner calls her work in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wis. a ministry of presence. She explains it simply, “To listen and support, comfort and care, and just be there. In other words, to show people the ...Read more

She brings – and finds – hope in pastoral care ministries

When Salvatorian Sister Jane Eschweiler retired from the Jordan Ministry Team serving the Diocese of Tucson, she wanted to adapt her pastoral ministry to a hospital setting.  She knew her physical limitations wouldn’t allow her to walk hospital halls to ...Read more

“I haven’t walked a mile in these kids’ shoes.”

When Sr. Carol Marie Haag was asked to join a volunteer program working with teens at Milwaukee County Children’s Detention Center (CDC), she questioned if she had what it takes. “I prayed a lot,” Sr. Carol Marie says, “but I couldn’t ...Read more

Salvatorian Sisters embrace the sacred privilege of pastoral care

Salvatorian Sister Jenada Fanetti asks God each morning to inspire her ministry to people who are homebound or live in skilled or assisted care facilities. She says, “As I travel from one place to another, I keep silence in my ...Read more

Gratitude for support of our mission

With deep gratitude, we acknowledge the foundations that lifted up our mission with their support this past year:

1. Catholic Financial Life, for presenting its inaugural gift to a women religious congregation to the Sisters of the Divine Savior. The $2,500 gift

Conversation with a spiritual director

Stairs leading to the office of Salvatorian Sister Pat Kieler are well worn. Women and men from all walks of life, single, religious and clergy, married and divorced have taken those stairs looking for spiritual direction.  There is an ecumenical ...Read more

We remember Sr. Joan Stanczak

Sister Joan Stanczak entered eternal life on October 29, 2016, after 77 years professed with the Sisters of the Divine Savior. Sr. Joan dedicated 33 years to education as a teacher and principal, including at Divine Savior High School and ...Read more

New ministry with familiar roots for Salvatorian Sister

Salvatorian Sister Rita Vogelsang knows there will be challenges, but over the last six months, she clearly heard God calling her to serve among the Native American people in Sisseton, S. D. She says, “When I visited Sisseton over the ...Read more

Art Gallery Holiday Open House

November 29, 2016 & December 7, 2016 10:00 am to 7:00 pm Please visit the Gallery of the Sisters of the Divine Savior, featuring the art of Sr. Clarice Steinfeldt, SDS and Sr. Karlyn Cauley, SDS, for our 2016 Holiday Open House. We look ...Read more

Embracing the sacred privilege of pastoral care

Salvatorian Sister Jenada Fanetti visits sick and dying residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and homebound residents in and around the village of Mt. Calvary, Wis. She shares about one of many times she felt inspired by ...Read more

Sacred Heart honors Salvatorians with Award

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (SHSST) in Hales Corners, Wis. will present Salvatorian Sister Ellen Sinclair with the Dehon Distinguished Ministry Award at the annual Dehon Lecture & Awards Celebration on September 28. Named for Father ...Read more

Woman of Faith shares promise of Seton Catholic Schools

Catholic schools in Milwaukee’s central-city neighborhoods can be beacons of light for disadvantaged families who want a better life for their children. It’s the message Dr. Kathleen Cepelka shared with 120 people who attended our 16th annual Woman of Faith ...Read more

Sisters served and now celebrate together

Sister Jane Barman, SDS and Sister Rita Faust, SDS celebrated milestones of religious profession, and renewed their vows as Sisters of the Divine Savior at a Jubilee Liturgy in Milwaukee on September 7. Both Sr. Rita, professed 75 years, and Sr. ...Read more

Meet Divine Savior Healthcare volunteer, Halo

Our sponsored institution in Portage, Wis. has one very special volunteer who has helped forge a circle of friendship by visiting the Tivoli facility at Divine Savior Healthcare on Friday afternoons. Four-year-old Border Collie, Halo was rescued by DSH volunteer ...Read more

Social Justice Workshop
September 24, 2016

Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change: Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples is a social justice workshop created in response to calls from the World Council of Churches and Indigenous leaders at the United Nations, who urge faith communities and ...Read more

Sr. Malia served in the U.S. and Taiwan

Please join us in prayer for Sr. Malia Kao, SDS, who died on Sunday, July 31. The Mass of Christian Burial for Sr. Malia will take place Friday, August 5 at St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus, 3800 N. 92nd Street in ...Read more

It’s all in the family

Sr. Margaret Hansknecht’s family reunion in mid-July promises a piñata, balloon toss and potluck dinner with kielbasa. But more than anything, Sr. Margaret is excited about the invitation she received recently that pays homage to her “very Salvatorian” ancestry! Three Salvatorians ...Read more

Salvatorians on fire with the Spirit gather in Milwaukee

The U.S. Salvatorian Family’s National Assembly will begin Monday, June 20 and run through Friday next week. Following five days of presentations and panel discussions at Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Corners, Wis., a Jubilee Mass on Saturday at Sacred ...Read more

Guatemalan Mission Initiative

Sister Liza Segleau, SDS, will devote the next three months in Bogota to prepare for the opening of the Guatemalan Mission Initiative on September 8. She’ll be working together with three Salvatorian Sisters from Colombia and our two Brazilian provinces.  ...Read more

Sister Susan fully embraced life

Sister Susan Staff, (formerly Sr. Gracemary) died peacefully on May 25, 2016, after 58 years professed as a Sister of the Divine Savior. Sr. Susan’s visitation on Wednesday, June 1 will ...Read more

Sisters share international story through mission appeals

  What a privilege to receive invitations from across the country again this year through the Diocesan Missionary Cooperative Program! This summer, 14 of our U.S. Sisters will visit parishes from California to Maine and many places in between to speak ...Read more