Our 2026 Jubilarians
Congratulations to our 2026 Jubilarians. Click on any name below and it will take you to their individual stories.
75 Year Jubilarians
Sister Lucille “Lou” Krippel
60 Year Jubilarians
Sister Margaret Noser
Sister Patricia Skowronski
40th Anniversary of Associate Commitment
Sherry Bockus
Sister Lucille “Lou” Krippel
75 Year Jubilarian
I was born in Dwight, Illinois, the fifth of ten children, and grew up in a lively, loving family that eventually settled in Crest Hill in the little subdivision known as Lidice. Our parish life at St. Ann’s and later St. Mary’s Nativity shaped me deeply. After attending St. Mary’s Grade School, I continued on to St. Francis Academy, where the Sisters of St. Francis made a lasting impression on me. Their spirit drew me in, and in 1950 I entered the community. I made First Profession in 1953 and Final Profession in 1956, receiving the name Sister Gertrude after my mother. For the next 15 years I served as a teacher and principal in Ohio and Illinois.
In 1970 I was asked to help transform Guardian Angel Home from an orphanage into a treatment center for emotionally disturbed children. After six years there, I was elected to the congregation’s Governing Board. My ministry later took me west, where I discovered a deep peace in Colorado. I studied at UCCS and St. Thomas in Denver, served as a counselor at St. Mary’s High School and eventually worked for the newly formed Diocese of Colorado Springs, including as Director of Catholic Charities. In 1989 I was invited back to Joliet to help establish Joliet Catholic Academy, the new coed high school formed from St. Francis Academy and Joliet Catholic High School. I served as its first President from 1990 to 1994.
In 1995 I returned to Colorado to serve as Director of Mission and Spiritual Care for Penrose St. Francis Health Care System, later opening and directing the John Zay Guest House until 2020. Nearing 90, I felt called to return home to the congregation and my family. I have lived happily at OLA Village for the past six years. I am grateful for every place I have been sent, every person I have met and every opportunity to serve. My heart is full as I look back on these years of grace.
Sister Margaret Noser
60 Year Jubilarian
I was born in Mansfield, Ohio, the seventh of eleven children, and grew up surrounded by love, faith; and the steady support of my parents, Teresa and Alexander. At St. Peter’s School, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate shaped my early education, and I still remember Sister Georgine welcoming me on my first day of school. Even then, I felt drawn to the life she lived. By fourth grade, Sister Teresita had awakened in me a missionary spirit that never left. In 1963 I entered the community, trusting that God would lead me where I was needed.
After two years in the hills of Kentucky, I was missioned to Brazil—intending to stay only three years. More than fifty years later, I remain here because this is where God planted my heart. The Brazilian people taught me to know the Lord more intimately through their warmth, resilience, and deep spirituality. Today I serve in Pará along the Amazon River, walking with our parish communities as we work for justice, dignity, and the protection of our common home. Inspired by Laudato Si’ and the social teachings of the Church, our people have become true guardians of the Amazon.
My ministry includes coordinating the Children’s Pastoral, accompanying pregnant mothers and children up to six years old across 62 parish communities. Our energy and prayer are poured into being a loving presence for the people of the forest. It is a grace to be a Sister of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate in this sacred region, surrounded each day by God’s artistry in the rivers, the forest, the animals, and the beautiful people who reveal His love so generously.
Sister Patricia Skowronski
60 Year Jubilarian
I was born in Lansing, Illinois. Having had Joliet Franciscans for my teachers at St. Ann’s I always wanted to be one of them. As a Franciscan, I hope that I have been able to share the joy and simplicity of a very much-loved saint with the many people I had the privilege of working beside each day, sharing the “ups and downs” of life and giving one another support along the way.
As I look back over my 60 years of religious life, I have special memories of both Mary Breckinridge Hospital in Hyden, Kentucky, and as a medical technician at Loyola Medical Center. I especially remember the people with whom I worked.
To enrich my life along with prayer and community, I still enjoy some needlework, singing, playing games, being helpful, and reading mysteries.
Sherry Bockus
40th Anniversary of Associate Commitment
My relationship with the Sisters of St. Francis began in 1980, when I met the sisters living in Ohio while coordinating music ministry for a conference for women and men religious. What started as a simple connection quickly grew into a deep spiritual bond nurtured through monthly prayer gatherings. I was welcomed into the Associate Relationship on March 1, 1986, at St. Paul’s Parish in Columbus, Ohio, a moment that continues to shape my life of faith and service.
My vocation has always centered on caring for others. After earning my Master of Science in Nursing, I served as Director of Medical Nutritional Nursing Services, engaging in research, writing, and nursing education. At St. Paul’s, I continue to minister as a lector and Eucharistic minister, and I bring Eucharist, prayer, and companionship to the homebound. Though I am no longer able to travel to Joliet, I remain deeply committed to my Associate relationship by serving my family, friends, and parish community as needed. I hold the Sisters, their ministries, and their intentions in daily prayer, grateful for the grace these forty years have brought into my life.