The United States Province of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ focus on serving those who are economically disadvantaged, providing education, spiritual guidance, healthcare, and social services to the communities they serve. The sisters are also known for their commitment to sustainability and care for the environment, and advocating for social justice and the needs of marginalized communities. Locally, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ recently shared a list of women religious within the Diocese of Gary who are celebrating special milestones within their vocation.
Sister Michele Dvorak, PHJC - 50 years
Sister Michele Dvorak, PHJC, is celebrating 50 years of vowed life in 2026. Her ministry has been marked by a deep commitment to education and leadership. She began her service as a teacher at St. in Springfield in 1976 before continuing her own education at Ancilla Domini Convent in Milwaukee. Over the next several decades, she taught at both the elementary and junior high school levels before going on to serve as principal in schools in both Chicago and East St. Louis, Illinois.
Sister Michele later brought her gifts to higher education when she held several key leadership roles at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana, including Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Vice President of Academic Affairs, a professor, and director of the education program. She continued her ministry as a Province Leadership Councilor (Vicaress) on the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ Leadership Team and later as President of Ancilla College in Donaldson, Indiana.
In 2021, she founded the Life Skills for Mission program in East Chicago, Indiana. In 2025, she was elected Congregational Leader of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and currently serves in Dernbach, Germany, guiding the international congregation with vision and faith.
Sister Barbara Kuper, PHJC - 60 years
Sister Barbara Kuper, PHJC, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life in 2026. She has spent six decades in compassionate ministry, devoted especially to the care of children. She began her ministry began in childcare while serving at St. Vincent Villa in Fort Wayne and later Angel Guardian Orphanage in Chicago. She went on to provide nurturing support to children while serving as a staff member and administrator at St. John Day Care Center in Belleville.
Continuing her ministry in the Diocese of Gary, Sister Barbara extended her care to vulnerable populations through service at Nazareth House in East Chicago and through her role as a foster mother and supervisor, offering both guidance and a sense of home to those entrusted to her care. In more recent years, she has ministered to the elderly as a volunteer, and today she remains active in retirement, bringing Communion to hospital patients and assisting with daily Mass, continuing her lifelong commitment to compassionate service.
Sister Linda Volk, PHJC - 60 years
Sister Linda Volk, PHJC, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life in 2026. Her ministry began in the Archdiocese of Chicago, where she taught fifth grade at St. Henry School. She continued her work in the Diocese of Gary, teaching second grade and guiding children in their faith through CCD classes at St. Catherine of Siena in Hammond. Her commitment to forming young minds and hearts carried her to the Archdiocese of Springfield, where she spent several years at St. Boniface School in Edwardsville, again serving as both a classroom teacher and religious educator.
Returning to the Diocese of Gary, Sister Linda continued teaching primary grades at St. Ann’s in Gary while remaining actively involved in religious instruction. Her vocation in education then led her to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she taught third grade at St. Monica School in Mishawaka. She later continued her ministry in Catholic education at the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, teaching second grade at Resurrection School.
After many years in the classroom, Sister Linda transitioned into congregational leadership when she became a Province Leadership Councilor at Convent Ancilla Domini in Donaldson. She went on to serve as Director of the Novitiate at St. Rose Convent, helping young women navigate their discernment journeys.
She later took on the role of Purchasing Coordinator at Convent Ancilla Domini, ensuring the smooth operation of the community’s material needs. She has since continued her ministry at the PHJC Ministry Center in Donaldson, serving as Coordinator of Sister Residents and later as Material Management Director, roles in which her organizational skills and attentive care for her sisters have been invaluable.
Beyond her work within the congregation, Sister Linda has extended her service to the broader community as a member of the Saint Joseph Community Health Foundation Board in Fort Wayne. Her decades of ministry reflect an enduring commitment to education, compassionate leadership, and service to others.
Sister Mary Ellen Goeller, PHJC - 60 years
Sister Mary Ellen Goeller, PHJC, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life in 2026. She began her life’s ministry, which has largely been centered on healthcare, by serving in Admitting at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Gary in 1966 before going on to serve as a Cottage Mother at St. John’s in Belleville.
She continued her work in healthcare administration by serving in the Business Office at St. Mary/Holy Family Hospital in Superior, Wisconsin, before going on to work in the business office of St. Anne/St. Elizabeth Hospital for a decade. She later began working as the hospital’s Patient Account Manager, Financial Analyst, and Financial Affairs Assistant.
While continuing her education at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, Sister Mary Ellen worked in the Personnel Department. Her leadership abilities soon led her to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she served as Administrator at Convent Ancilla Domini in Donaldson for almost a decade.
She served in a series of significant executive leadership roles in mission-focused healthcare. She served as Regional Vice President of Mission Effectiveness for Lakeshore Health Systems. She took up the role of Vice President of Mission Effectiveness for both St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and St. Catherine Hospital before exclusively serving as the Vice President of Mission Effectiveness at St. Mary Medical Center.
Sister Mary Ellen continued her leadership journey at St. Mary Medical Center, serving as Vice President of Mission Integration. From there, her impact grew even wider. As Regional Director of Mission Integration for both St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, she helped ensure that compassion, dignity, and faith-based values stayed at the center of patient care. She later became Executive Director of Ancilla Systems, Incorporated in Hobart. Not long after, she returned to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she served as Executive Director of Systems Services at The Center at Donaldson.
In recent years, Sister Mary Ellen continues to serve her community in hands-on ways. She volunteers part-time in the gift shops at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart and St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, offering a warm experience to patients and visitors alike. She also supports families through visitation and office assistance at Rees Funeral Home in East Chicago.
Sister Sharon Marie Fox, PHJC - 60 years
Sister Sharon Marie Fox, PHJC, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life in 2026. She began her professional journey in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, studying nursing at Alverno College. After completing her education, she entered healthcare in the Archdiocese of Chicago, where she served as a Registered Nurse and later as Head Nurse at St. Anne Hospital. These early experiences laid the groundwork for a lifelong commitment to compassionate care and strong leadership.
Her path then led her to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she became Director of Nursing Service at the Catherine Kasper Home in Donaldson, blending hands-on care with leadership. She later continued her ministry at St. Joseph Hospital in Mishawaka, serving as Supervisor of the Medical Unit and taking an active role in patient education, dedicating many years to supporting and guiding patients with care and consistency.
She eventually returned to the Catherine Kasper Home where she provided steady leadership as Director before continuing her work there as a Professional Care Manager. Her ministry then expanded at Convent Ancilla Domini in Donaldson, where she offered care and support to parents, extending her compassion beyond traditional clinical roles.
Always committed to growth, she spent time in full-time study at the PHJC Ministry Center while continuing her clinical work as a Nurse Practitioner at the Veterans Administration Clinic in South Bend. She later served in endocrinology at the South Bend Clinic, bringing specialized care to her patients.
She eventually returned to the Motherhouse in Donaldson as Wellness Nurse for the Sisters, caring for the health and well-being of her religious community with deep dedication. Today, even in partial retirement, she remains an active presence there, continuing a lifelong mission of care, service, and community.
Sister Mary Jane Ranek, PHJC- 60 years
Sister Mary Jane Ranek PHJC, is celebrating 60 years of vowed life in 2026. She began her ministry in education in the Diocese of Gary, teaching at St. Catherine of Siena in Hessville, Indiana. From the outset, her work reflected a deep commitment not only to academic formation but also to the spiritual and personal growth of her students. She continued her teaching career in the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. Augustine School, where she spent several years strengthening her dedication to Catholic education. Her compassion for children led her next to Angel Guardian Orphanage in Chicago, where she served as a teacher while also providing care and stability to children in need.
Her vocation later brought her to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she joined Holy Spirit School in Fort Wayne as an elementary music teacher. This role marked a significant development in her ministry, as she began to integrate her love of education with her gifts in music. She continued this path at St. Monica Parish in Mishawaka, serving as a music teacher, organist, and choir director, enriching parish life through liturgy and song.
Her growing reputation in music and liturgy led her to serve at St. George Parish in the Diocese of New Ulm, where she took on responsibilities as a music teacher, organist, and parish liturgist. She later returned to the Diocese of Gary, ministering at St. Mary Parish in East Chicago as Director of Music and Liturgy before continuing similar leadership in the Diocese of Belleville at St. Mary Parish in Centralia, Ill.
Eventually, she returned to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, where she served as Liturgy and Music Director at Convent Ancilla Domini in Donaldson. During this time, her ministry expanded internationally as she began serving in Querétaro, Mexico, directing the Las Marías Program and teaching at the Conservatory of Querétaro.
After a period of renewal at the Sangre de Cristo Center in Santa Fe, she resumed her ministry in Querétaro, leading El Puente de Esperanza and later Las Obras de Catalina. In recent years, she has continued serving there, ministering to the sick and elderly and supporting parish liturgy, drawing on a lifetime of faith-filled service.
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