Former local teachers celebrating jubilees

The Herald

SHENANGO VALLEY July 24, 2008 05:34 pm

— Four members of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie with ties to the Shenango Valley are celebrating jubilee years. Sister Mary Therese Eichenlaub is observing 60 years, while Sister Mary Therese Egan, Sister Justina Gutowski, and Sister Phyllis Schleicher are observing 50 years.
They were honored June 4 by Bishop Donald W. Trautman of the Diocese of Erie. Their religious community will recognize them Aug. 16 during Evening Praise.
Sister Mary Therese Eichenlaub was baptized and confirmed in St. Mary’s Church, and graduated from St. Benedict Academy, both Erie. She entered the novitiate Aug. 18, 1947, and made her first profession of vows Aug. 20, 1948.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at the former Villa Maria College, Erie, and studied specific areas of teaching, such as reading, at Shenango Campus of Pennsylvania State University, Sharon; and at what is now Clarion University.
Sister Mary Therese taught at parish schools including Sacred Heart and St. Joseph in Sharon.
In the early 1970s, she became a cosmetologist. In recent years, she has worked at the monastery with the Sisters as her clients.
She is an assistant in the community business office and often fills in as the community receptionist.
Sister Mary Therese Egan is a native of Oil City and a graduate of St. Joseph parish schools.
She entered the novitiate in 1956 and made her first profession of Benedictine vows Nov. 2, 1958.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst College, Erie, and a master’s degree from what is now Edinboro University, both in elementary education.
Sister Mary Therese served, among other places, at Sacred Heart and St. Joseph schools in Sharon, as a teacher and an administrator.
She also worked in Cleveland, Virginia and Kansas, overseeing the diocesan computer system at the latter site.
She has served as a member of the prioress’s advisory council and is information technology director, responsible for the community’s computer systems.
Sister Justina Gutowski was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph Church in Oil City. She graduated in 1956 from St. Benedict Academy, Erie, and entered the novitiate Dec. 31 of that year. She made her first profession of monastic vows Jan. 2, 1958.
A graduate of Mercyhurst College, Erie, with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, she taught in parish schools including St. Joseph in Sharon.
Sister Justina was the press manager for a community publication for several years, and now serves the community as food service director.
Sister Phyllis Schleicher is a native of St. Mary’s parish. She attended the parish school and is a graduate of St. Benedict Academy.
She holds bachelor’s degrees in French and English from Mercyhurst College and a master’s degree in French from Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
She taught at St. Joseph and Sacred Heart schools in Sharon, among others places, before returning to St. Benedict Academy as a teacher of French, English and theology, and later as a member of the administration.
After St. Benedict Academy closed, she qualified for a nursing home administrator license and became the second administrator of John XXIII Home in Hermitage.
In addition to her normal duties, she oversaw an expansion to the home. From 1980 to 1990, she was also a member of the prioress’s advisory council.
She served the community from 1990 to 1998 as prioress and is one of the founders of Catholic Rural Ministry.