Sister Rose Marie Weckenmann radiates joy, warmth, and a youthful spirit of adventure that seems to defy time. When Sisters speak of listening deeply to Godβs call and trusting where it will lead, Sister Rose Marieβs life reflects that trust lived faithfully, courageously, and with quiet delight.
That spirit of adventure was inherited. Her parents carried it across oceans and into a new life. Her father emigrated from Germany in 1923 at the age of 25, and her mother followed from Hungary in 1924 when she was just 19. They settled in Baden, a neighborhood in the St. Louis area where daily life unfolded within walking distance. Her father became a brick contractor, building not only structures but stability for his family. Her mother worked in a shoe factory until their marriage in 1931, bringing with her deep faith, resilience, and a love that shaped every corner of family life.
From a young age, Rose Marie learned responsibility, compassion, and endurance. She was the second oldest of five children and helped care for her siblings, especially her brother Frankie, who suffered a spinal injury at birth and was paralyzed from the neck down. Growing up alongside him profoundly shaped Rose Marieβs heart. Through the daily realities of caregiving, she learned patience, attentiveness, and the sacredness of presence. She often speaks of her mother as an extraordinary example of courage and faithβone who loved, bore sorrow with grace, and trusted God through unthinkable challenges. These early lessons in self-giving love became the foundation of Rose Marieβs vocation.
Books offered another doorway to wonder. Frequent trips to the local libraryβreturning home with arms full of booksβsparked a lifelong love of reading and learning. That love never faded and continues to nourish her spirit today.
Family life was rich with tradition. For special celebrationsβbaptisms, birthdays, First Communions, her mother prepared a beloved Hungarian Dobos Torte, a labor-intensive cake made of 20 delicate layers. It was eagerly anticipated and deeply cherished. Though the recipe still exists, no one has quite managed to recreate it.Β
Rose Marieβs call to religious life grew naturally as she attended school with the Sisters. She admired their joy, their kindness, and the way they lived their faith. Though she knew early that she wanted to become a Sister, she delayed entering for two years after high school so her mother would have time to adjust to her decision. During that time, she taught at her home parish school, eventually entering the community at the encouragement of her principal.Β
Her ministry in education spanned more than 31 years, including her final teaching assignment at Cardinal Ritter High School. Ever curious and innovative, she later worked at the Lloyd Library in Cincinnati and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati religious education resource center for a total of 23 years.
Since returning to Oldenburg in 2014, Sister Rose Marie has served faithfully in the Sisters Archives, preserving the communityβs living history. Her officeβonce the Reverend Motherβs office and near it the Archives (formally the Treasurerβs office) with its remarkable vault, a visible reminder that this sacred history is meant to be protected and cherished.
Her early years in religious life are filled with gentle humor: Saturday mornings spent doing laundry in a backyard washhouse, rewarded with a glass of homemade eggnog once the Superior had gone to her office; or the time she and two other Sisters dared to walk the neighborhood in full habitβan act forbidden at the timeβonly to hear teenagers shout from a window, βThe Pilgrims have arrived!β
Outside the archives, Sister Rose Marie continues to nurture her spirit through reading, social justice advocacy, music, sports, technology, and time in nature. She once loved playing volleyball, basketball, and tennis and today loves watching sports and delights in authors such as Joan Chittister, Joyce Rupp, Kristin Hannah, and Robert Frost, as well as the music of AndrΓ© Rieu.
Her forward-thinking spirit was evident as early as 1979, when she served as Assistant Principal at Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis. Tasked with scheduling and grade reporting, she pioneered an in-house system for 500 students using a small Radio Shack computerβsaving the school considerable expense and once again proving that she was ahead of her time.
At the heart of Sister Rose Marieβs life is prayer: daily reflection with Scripture, meaningful liturgy, attentiveness to the present moment, and quiet walks in nature where God speaks in stillness.