Five Sisters of the Precious Blood recently celebrated milestone anniversaries of entrance into the Congregation:
Sister Mary Garascia 60 years
Sister Carolyn Hoying 60 years
Sister Nancy Kinross 60 years
Sister Marie Kopin 60 years
Sister Rosemary Laux 80 years
All the Sisters were recognized at a Mass and banquet July 3 at Salem Heights, the Congregation’s central house in Dayton.
The Sisters of the Precious Blood were founded in Switzerland by Maria Anna Brunner in 1834 and first arrived in the U.S. in 1844. This year’s honorees hail from communities in Cincinnati and Egypt, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; and Bryant, Indiana, and have served in a variety of ministries from Virginia to California.
Congratulations and thank you to all of this year’s Precious Blood jubilarians.
Sister Mary Garascia
Originally from Cincinnati, Sister Mary Garascia grew up as a member of Xavier University Parish and attended Sts. Peter and Paul School and Regina High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Dayton; completed postgraduate courses in sociology at Arizona State University; earned a master’s degree in religious education from Fordham University; and earned a Ph.D. in religious and philosophical studies in a joint program at the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology.
During her years of active ministry, Sister Mary served as a high school teacher in Arizona and California; director of religious education in Colorado; and leader of parishes in Ohio, Michigan and California. She also served on the leadership team of her religious order and taught theology and philosophy at St. Leo University in Florida and Loyola Marymount University in California. In retirement, she has remained active in volunteer ministry as a hospital chaplain and spiritual writer, as well as in adult literacy education.
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Sister Carolyn Hoying
Sister Carolyn Hoying grew up as a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in the village of Egypt, Ohio, and graduated from Precious Blood High School — the Congregation’s former school also known as Fatima Hall — in Dayton. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in teacher leader and principalship from Wright State University.
Sister Carolyn served in education as an elementary school teacher in Dayton, Fort Recovery and Celina, Ohio, and Falls Church, Virginia. She was principal in Wapakoneta, Ohio, for four years and at St. John the Evangelist School in Loveland, Colorado, for 16 years. She was coordinator of vocation ministry for the Congregation for almost a decade, and since 2013, she has served at the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in Chicago, where she currently volunteers as an urban farmer.
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Sister Nancy Kinross
A daughter of St. Margaret Mary parish in North College Hill, Sister Nancy Kinross attended the parish school and Mother of Mercy High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in educational administration from Xavier University.
Sister Nancy served as a junior high and high school teacher in Cincinnati, Norwood and Wapakoneta, Ohio, as well as Falls Church, Virginia; she returned to St. Joseph School in Wapakoneta in 1978 and served as principal for four years. She was the Congregation’s novitiate formation director and served at the Maria Stein Spiritual Center in a variety of roles. She also served in leadership roles for Unda-USA, a professional organization for Catholic broadcasters; Groundwork for a Just World in Detroit; and Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart and Elder High School, both in Cincinnati. For the Congregation, Sister Nancy has served on the leadership team as vice president, secretary and Councilor. She continues to center her ministry on prayer and advocacy.
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Sister Marie Kopin
Originally from Flint, Michigan, Sister Marie Kopin attended Kearsley High School and went on to earn two degrees from Central Michigan University, in speech correction, vocal music education, and education specialist. She also holds a master’s degree in speech pathology and audiology from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Virginia.
Sister Marie began her ministry as a teacher in Flint, Michigan, and Dayton, Ohio. Beginning in 1967, she served in numerous roles in the speech pathology field as a speech and hearing therapist, as well as in leadership positions. Ministry took her to Cleveland and Putnam County, Ohio, as well as Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, where she worked in speech pathology for 25 years until her retirement in 2000. She has also been active in music ministry in various capacities at numerous locations throughout her life. In retirement, Sister Marie has become a well-known figure in the field of mycology, the study of fungi; she has received two national awards from mycology associations.
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Sister Rosemary Laux
A native of Bryant, Indiana, Sister Rosemary Laux (M. Columba) grew up as a member of the Church of The Most Holy Trinity, and attended Holy Trinity parish school and Bryant High School. She entered the Congregation in 1942, joining her sister, Sister M. Agnella Laux.
Sister Rosemary served in dietary services in Denver, as well as in Canton, Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and was the head sacristan at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati. She also ministered at Maria Stein Shrine and Retreat House.
“While on this pilgrimage, we meet people of every race, color and creed: our sisters and brothers in the Lord,” she has said. “We are asked to use the gifts God gave us to help our human family, if only by offering a listening ear and keeping their needs before the Lord. … For all that has been, I am grateful, and for what is ahead, I know the One who is walking with me.”