The Sisters of the Precious Blood recently honored eight Sisters who are celebrating milestone anniversaries of entrance into the religious community. All the Jubilarians were recognized at a Mass and banquet June 25 at Salem Heights, the Congregation’s central house in Dayton.
The Sisters of the Precious Blood were founded in Switzerland in 1834 and currently minister throughout the U.S. and in Chile and Guatemala. Their central house has been located on Salem Avenue in Dayton since 1923.
Sister Berenice Janszen — 80 years
A Cincinnati native, Sister Berenice Janszen (M. Edward) grew up in the former St. Mark Parish, attended Regina High School and ultimately graduated from Precious Blood High School — the Congregation’s former school — in Dayton. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from The Catholic University of America and a master’s degree in speech and drama from the University of Notre Dame.
Sister Berenice has enjoyed a rich and varied life of ministry, with experiences in education, pastoral administration, chaplaincy and service to the Congregation. She began as a teacher in Missouri, Ohio and Michigan, and also produced 19 high school musicals. From 1974 to 1981, she served the Congregation as an administrator at Kneipp Springs — a health spa owned by the Congregation at that time — as well as northern region councilor.
As a pastoral associate, coordinator and administrator, she served in parishes in Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. She also completed training in Clinical Pastoral Education and ministered to patients and families as a chaplain in health care facilities in Michigan and Ohio.
Sister Dorothy Koenig — 80 years
Originally from Wapakoneta, Ohio, Sister Dorothy Koenig (M. Angelista) was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, attended the parish school and graduated from Precious Blood High School — the Congregation’s former school — in Dayton. She studied quantity food preparation at St. Joseph College in Collegeville, Indiana; earned a certificate in food service management at St. Louis University; and completed a home health care workshop at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service.
For nearly three decades, Sister Dorothy ministered as a supervisor, purchaser and cook, coordinating all phases of food preparation and dietary services, and serving three meals daily for groups of 25 to 400 people. She worked at various institutions in Ohio, Indiana and Colorado, including a total of 12 years at Brunnerdale Seminary in Canton, Ohio. She also worked as a teacher’s aide and audio-visual library coordinator and in home health care in Arizona.
Sister Genevieve Volk — 75 years
Originally from rural Linton, North Dakota, Sister Genevieve Volk (Adelaide) grew up in St. Bernard Church and, for most of her elementary years, attended a one-room schoolhouse. She then left North Dakota for Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from Precious Blood High School, the Congregation’s former school. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton; a master’s degree in education from the University of Colorado; and a master’s degree in Christian Spirituality and a certificate in spiritual direction from Creighton University.
Sister Genny began her ministry in 1951 as a second grade teacher in Phoenix and continued to teach elementary and intermediate students until 1992. Those decades of ministry first took her to Dayton and Centerville, Ohio, and then back to Linton, North Dakota, before she embarked on 25 years of education ministry in and around Denver. She then went on to minister as a spiritual director in Arizona, Kansas and California.
Sister Joanne Belloli — 60 years
Sister Joanne Belloli grew up in the former Guardian Angels Church in Detroit, attended St. Anthony High School in Detroit for two years, and then 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 education from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in education from the University of Detroit (now University of Detroit Mercy). Sister Joanne also holds a Master of Pastoral Studies and Certificate of Studies in Spirituality from Loyola University Chicago and completed studies at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and obtained a Master of Social Work with emphasis on interpersonal practice. She also holds a CAADC—Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor credential.
Sister Joanne currently ministers as a mental health and substance abuse therapist at Livingston County Catholic Charities in Howell, Michigan. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the NASW Academy of Certified Social Workers.
Sister Patricia Gist — 60 years
Originally from Akron, Ohio, Sister Patricia Gist grew up as a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and attended St. Vincent de Paul Parish School and St. Vincent High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a master’s degree in religious studies from the University of Detroit.
During her years of active ministry, Sister Pat first served as a teacher in Stow and Lakewood, Ohio. She then moved into service as pastoral associate, pastoral team member, director of religious education or adult education coordinator in parishes in Warren, Litchfield, North Canton and Toledo, Ohio — including 14 years as pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish in Sylvania, Ohio. She also served as a diocesan catechetical consultant in regional offices for the Diocese of Toledo and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. For five years, Sister Pat was administrator of the Maria Stein Center in Maria Stein, Ohio.
Sister Joyce Langhals — 60 years
Sister Joyce Langhals (M. Andrice) grew up in St. Barbara Catholic Church in Cloverdale, Putnam County, 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 education from the University of Dayton; a master’s degree in education/counseling from the University of Michigan; and a law degree from the University of Dayton.
Sister Joyce currently serves as the Congregation’s director of discerners/candidates. She began years of ministry in 1967 as a teacher at Immaculate Conception high school in Celina, Ohio, and also served as a teacher at Luke M. Powers High School in Flint, Michigan, and as assistant principal and guidance counselor at Regina High School in Norwood, Ohio. She worked as an attorney with Huffman, Landis & Weaks and, for seven years, worked for St. Mary Development Corporation as executive director of senior housing. She has served the Congregation as vocation director, director of initial formation and vice-president/secretary/councilor, as well as eight years as president.
Sister Rita Rogier — 60 years
A daughter of St. Boniface Catholic Church (now All Saints) in New Riegel, Ohio, Sister Rita Rogier (M. Rose Annette) attended the elementary and high school in New Riegel and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Dayton. She also holds a master’s degree in religious education from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Sister Rita currently ministers as a volunteer for St. Rita Parish in Dayton and for Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, working in the food pantry and at the front desk. Beginning in 1967, she served in education for 30 years, with ministry that took her across the country as a teacher in Linton, North Dakota; Cleveland, Ohio; and St. Joseph, Missouri; and as a principal in Columbus Grove, Bryan, and Clyde, Ohio. She then moved into pastoral ministry as director of youth formation and director of catechesis in Toledo, Ohio.
Sister Nancy Wolf — 60 years
Sister Nancy Wolf grew up as a member of St. Joseph Parish in Wapakoneta, Ohio. She attended the parish school until 10th grade, when she transferred to Precious Blood High School — the Congregation’s former school also known as Fatima Hall — in Dayton. Sister Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Oakland University in Michigan.
Most recently, Sister Nancy served as Coordinator of Sisters at Salem Heights, the Congregation’s central house in Dayton, from 2014 until her retirement in 2022. Prior to that experience, she enjoyed a ministry in elementary education that began in Wisconsin and took her to Indiana, Michigan and Arizona, as well as Dayton, Ohio. For 30 years, from 1983 to 2013, she taught at Immaculate Conception School in Celina, Ohio, in first grade and kindergarten.
— Story by Mary Knapke
Top, Sister Berenice Janszen, 80 years; second, Sister Dorothy Koenig, 80 years; third, Sister Genevieve Volk, 75 years; fourth, Sister Patricia Gist, 60 years; fifth, Sister Joyce Langhals, 60 years; sixth, Sister Rita Rogier, 60 years; bottom, Sister Nancy Wolf, 60 years; Michelle Bodine photos.