Precious Blood Sisters celebrate milestone anniversaries in religious life

2-photos_precious-blood-sisters-celebrate-milestone-anniversaries-in-religious-lifeLeft, Celebrating their 50th jubilee in 2013 are, sitting from left, Sisters Joyce Langhals and Rita Rogier; standing from left, Nancy Wolf, Pat Gist and Joanne Belloli. They were among six Precious Blood Sisters who were recognized July 1 at a jubilee banquet at Salem Heights. Right, Sister Mary Rose McCrate celebrated her 60th jubilee during a July 1 banquet at Salem Heights in Dayton. She is one of six Precious Blood Sisters marking milestone anniversaries of entrance into the community in 2013. Michelle Bodine photos.

A substance abuse therapist, a formation director, a former pastoral associate and three former teachers are celebrating milestone jubilees of entrance to the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 2013.

Sisters Pat Gist, Joanne Belloli, Joyce Langhals, Nancy Wolf and Rita Rogier are celebrating 50 years of religious life, while Sister Mary Rose McCrate has completed 60 years as a Sister of the Precious Blood. The Sisters were honored July 1 at a special jubilee banquet at the Sisters’ central house in Dayton. Individual celebrations will take place throughout the year in the Sisters’ home parishes and places of ministry.

Sister Joanne Belloli
Sister Joanne Belloli has been a substance abuse/mental health therapist at Livingston County Catholic Charities in Howell, Mich., since 2003. Before joining Catholic Charities, Sister Belloli was a substance abuse therapist at Brighton Hospital in Brighton, Mich., from 1996-2002. She was pastoral associate at St. Patrick Church in Brighton from 1990-94 and held the same position at St. Michael Church in Findlay, Ohio, from 1977-88. She taught junior high St. Francis Xavier School in St. Joseph, Mo., from 1968-77 and began her ministry as a teacher at Our Lady of Good Council School in Cleveland from 1967-68.A native of Detroit, Sister Joanne Belloli entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood from then-Guardian Angels Parish in Detroit on Dec. 31, 1962 (class of 1963). She earned a bachelor’s in education from the University of Dayton. She also has master’s degrees in education from the University of Detroit Mercy; pastoral studies from the University of Loyola; and social work from the University of Michigan. Sister Belloli, who has four brothers and two sisters, lives in Brighton, Mich.

Sister Pat Gist
Sister Pat Gist spent the first 11 years of her ministry as a teacher in Ohio. She then began pastoral work as a director of religious education at Christ our King Parish in Warren, Ohio, from 1972-75 and at Ascension Parish in Cleveland from 1975-76. She was on the pastoral team at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Litchfield, Ohio, from 1976-77. She was co-director of the Diocese of Toledo Religious Education Department from 1977-82 and was pastoral associate at St. Paul Parish in North Canton, Ohio, from 1982-85. She worked in the Religious Education Department at the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as assistant director from 1985-87 and returned to parish work as a pastoral associate at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Toledo from 1987-91. She was administrator of the Maria Stein Center in Maria Stein from 1992-97 and was a pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish in Sylvania from 1997-2011.

A native of Akron, Sister Gist entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine in 1963 and was incorporated into the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 1988. She has a bachelor’s from Kent State University and a master’s in religious studies from the University of Detroit.

She lives in Findlay.

Sister Joyce Langhals
Sister Joyce Langhals has been active in education, law practice and congregational leadership during her years of ministry. She began as a teacher at Immaculate Conception High School in Celina from 1967-70, and at Powers High School in Flint, Mich., from 1970-75. She was vice-principal at Regina High School in Norwood, Ohio, from 1975-77, and served her community as vocation/candidate director in Dayton from 1977-82. She attended the University of Dayton School of Law from 1982-85 and worked as an associate attorney in Troy, Ohio, from 1985-87, when she entered community leadership. She was vice president of the Sisters of the Precious Blood from 1987-91 and then served as president from 1991-99. She worked in senior housing in Dayton from 2000-07. She was a volunteer at Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colo., from 2009-12 and is currently director of initial formation for her community.

She has a bachelor’s in secondary education from the University of Dayton, a master’s in education/counseling from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of Dayton.

A native of Cloverdale, Ohio, Sister Langhals entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood on Dec. 31, 1962. She has two brothers and lives in Denver. Colo.

Sister Rita Rogier
Sister Rita Rogier has been catechetical leader at St. Thomas Aquinas and Good Shepherd parishes in Toledo since 1998. A former educator she taught at schools in North Dakota, Ohio and Missouri from 1967-78. She was principal at St. Anthony School in Columbus Grove, Ohio, from 1978-1990; St. Patrick School in Bryan, Ohio, from 1990-92; and St. Mary School in Clyde, Ohio, from 1992-97.

She holds a bachelor’s in education from the University of Dayton and a master’s in religious education from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Mich. A native of Fostoria, Ohio, Sister Rogier entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood Dec. 31, 1962. She has four brothers and a sister, and lives in Toledo.

Sister Nancy Wolf
At the close of the 2012-13 school year, Sister Nancy Wolf retired after 46 years as a primary teacher. She spent the last 30 years at Immaculate Conception School in Celina, including the last 27 as a kindergarten teacher. She previously taught first grade at Immaculate Conception and at schools in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

She has a bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Dayton, a master’s from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., and a certificate in lay pastoral ministry from the Athenaeum of Ohio. A native of Wapakoneta, she has two sisters. She lives in Celina.

Sister Mary Rose McCrate
Sister Mary Rose McCrate spent 42 years in education, including teaching music in the primary grades. She later spent 12 years in pastoral ministry and five years as activity director at Twin Towers Place in Dayton. She earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Dayton, a master’s in music from DePaul University in Chicago and a diploma in liturgy from St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Ind.

A native of Dayton, Sister McCrate has two sisters. She lives in Dayton.

Story by Dave Eck; photos by Michelle Bodine

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