Sister Majella died in the infirmary on Saturday evening, April 26, 1997 following a lengthy illness.
Irene Arens was born to Fred and Laura (Suing) Arens on August 16, 1909 near Wynot, Nebraska. She attended a one-room Catholic school, taught at first by lay teachers and later by Ursulines from Kentucky. The family spoke German but the children learned English very readily. Irene lived the usual life of a farm girl of her day; feeding chickens, riding horseback, picking corn and caring for their registered Hereford cattle. A creek ran through their farm so flooding was common; she remembers helping move hay while standing waist deep in water.
Irene entered Sacred Heart Convent on March 20, 1931, six weeks after her first visit here. She had Ursuline Sisters as teachers, had Dominican relatives and had planned to go to a Franciscan convent until her mother suggested going to Yankton, "It's closer!" She did know Sister Fridoline Michel who had been her father's teacher in Bow Valley and had visited the family occasionally.
Irene pronounced vows as Sister Mary Majella on August 16, 1933 and then spent two years finishing high school before beginning a forty-five year career as principal, teacher and librarian. She ministered in Dimock, Tabor, Aberdeen and Yankton, SD and in Lincoln, York and Harrington, Nebraska. In addition to regular classes she taught CCD in many places. Sister enjoyed tutoring and had among her pupils immigrants from Vietnam, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Poland. She earned a degree in history from Mount Marty College and a master's degree in education from Creighton University, Omana.
In 1980 Sister returned to the monastery where she worked in the print shop and the archives. In recent years she spent many hours preparing fruits and vegetables for the kitchen.
Sister Majella was a dedicated religious who willing turned her hand to whatever needed to be done. In her autobiography she states that she "tended toward conservatism but was not embittered by the changes of Vatican II. The change from Latin to English in the Divine Office was a disappointment for me but perhaps it was a preparation for other changes yet to come."
Sister Majella is survived by her Benedictine community, her brothers, George, Crofton, NE and Francis, Estacada, OR; and one sister, Erna Dowling, Napa, CA; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers.
A wake service was held on Tuesday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. and the Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at 4 p.m. in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel. Interment was in the monastery cemetery.
Irene Arens was born to Fred and Laura (Suing) Arens on August 16, 1909 near Wynot, Nebraska. She attended a one-room Catholic school, taught at first by lay teachers and later by Ursulines from Kentucky. The family spoke German but the children learned English very readily. Irene lived the usual life of a farm girl of her day; feeding chickens, riding horseback, picking corn and caring for their registered Hereford cattle. A creek ran through their farm so flooding was common; she remembers helping move hay while standing waist deep in water.
Irene entered Sacred Heart Convent on March 20, 1931, six weeks after her first visit here. She had Ursuline Sisters as teachers, had Dominican relatives and had planned to go to a Franciscan convent until her mother suggested going to Yankton, "It's closer!" She did know Sister Fridoline Michel who had been her father's teacher in Bow Valley and had visited the family occasionally.
Irene pronounced vows as Sister Mary Majella on August 16, 1933 and then spent two years finishing high school before beginning a forty-five year career as principal, teacher and librarian. She ministered in Dimock, Tabor, Aberdeen and Yankton, SD and in Lincoln, York and Harrington, Nebraska. In addition to regular classes she taught CCD in many places. Sister enjoyed tutoring and had among her pupils immigrants from Vietnam, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Poland. She earned a degree in history from Mount Marty College and a master's degree in education from Creighton University, Omana.
In 1980 Sister returned to the monastery where she worked in the print shop and the archives. In recent years she spent many hours preparing fruits and vegetables for the kitchen.
Sister Majella was a dedicated religious who willing turned her hand to whatever needed to be done. In her autobiography she states that she "tended toward conservatism but was not embittered by the changes of Vatican II. The change from Latin to English in the Divine Office was a disappointment for me but perhaps it was a preparation for other changes yet to come."
Sister Majella is survived by her Benedictine community, her brothers, George, Crofton, NE and Francis, Estacada, OR; and one sister, Erna Dowling, Napa, CA; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers.
A wake service was held on Tuesday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. and the Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at 4 p.m. in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel. Interment was in the monastery cemetery.
Sister Majella died in the infirmary on Saturday evening, April 26, 1997 following a lengthy illness.
Irene Arens was born to Fred and Laura (Suing) Arens on August 16, 1909 near Wynot, Nebraska. She attended a one-room Catholic school, taught at first by lay teachers and later by Ursulines from Kentucky. The family spoke German but the children learned English very readily. Irene lived the usual life of a farm girl of her day; feeding chickens, riding horseback, picking corn and caring for their registered Hereford cattle. A creek ran through their farm so flooding was common; she remembers helping move hay while standing waist deep in water.
Irene entered Sacred Heart Convent on March 20, 1931, six weeks after her first visit here. She had Ursuline Sisters as teachers, had Dominican relatives and had planned to go to a Franciscan convent until her mother suggested going to Yankton, "It's closer!" She did know Sister Fridoline Michel who had been her father's teacher in Bow Valley and had visited the family occasionally.
Irene pronounced vows as Sister Mary Majella on August 16, 1933 and then spent two years finishing high school before beginning a forty-five year career as principal, teacher and librarian. She ministered in Dimock, Tabor, Aberdeen and Yankton, SD and in Lincoln, York and Harrington, Nebraska. In addition to regular classes she taught CCD in many places. Sister enjoyed tutoring and had among her pupils immigrants from Vietnam, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Poland. She earned a degree in history from Mount Marty College and a master's degree in education from Creighton University, Omana.
In 1980 Sister returned to the monastery where she worked in the print shop and the archives. In recent years she spent many hours preparing fruits and vegetables for the kitchen.
Sister Majella was a dedicated religious who willing turned her hand to whatever needed to be done. In her autobiography she states that she "tended toward conservatism but was not embittered by the changes of Vatican II. The change from Latin to English in the Divine Office was a disappointment for me but perhaps it was a preparation for other changes yet to come."
Sister Majella is survived by her Benedictine community, her brothers, George, Crofton, NE and Francis, Estacada, OR; and one sister, Erna Dowling, Napa, CA; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers.
A wake service was held on Tuesday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. and the Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at 4 p.m. in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel. Interment was in the monastery cemetery.
Irene Arens was born to Fred and Laura (Suing) Arens on August 16, 1909 near Wynot, Nebraska. She attended a one-room Catholic school, taught at first by lay teachers and later by Ursulines from Kentucky. The family spoke German but the children learned English very readily. Irene lived the usual life of a farm girl of her day; feeding chickens, riding horseback, picking corn and caring for their registered Hereford cattle. A creek ran through their farm so flooding was common; she remembers helping move hay while standing waist deep in water.
Irene entered Sacred Heart Convent on March 20, 1931, six weeks after her first visit here. She had Ursuline Sisters as teachers, had Dominican relatives and had planned to go to a Franciscan convent until her mother suggested going to Yankton, "It's closer!" She did know Sister Fridoline Michel who had been her father's teacher in Bow Valley and had visited the family occasionally.
Irene pronounced vows as Sister Mary Majella on August 16, 1933 and then spent two years finishing high school before beginning a forty-five year career as principal, teacher and librarian. She ministered in Dimock, Tabor, Aberdeen and Yankton, SD and in Lincoln, York and Harrington, Nebraska. In addition to regular classes she taught CCD in many places. Sister enjoyed tutoring and had among her pupils immigrants from Vietnam, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Thailand and Poland. She earned a degree in history from Mount Marty College and a master's degree in education from Creighton University, Omana.
In 1980 Sister returned to the monastery where she worked in the print shop and the archives. In recent years she spent many hours preparing fruits and vegetables for the kitchen.
Sister Majella was a dedicated religious who willing turned her hand to whatever needed to be done. In her autobiography she states that she "tended toward conservatism but was not embittered by the changes of Vatican II. The change from Latin to English in the Divine Office was a disappointment for me but perhaps it was a preparation for other changes yet to come."
Sister Majella is survived by her Benedictine community, her brothers, George, Crofton, NE and Francis, Estacada, OR; and one sister, Erna Dowling, Napa, CA; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers.
A wake service was held on Tuesday, April 29 at 7:15 p.m. and the Funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 30, 1997 at 4 p.m. in Bishop Marty Memorial Chapel. Interment was in the monastery cemetery.
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