“My
vocation as a woman religious has been a life of
faith and meaning, purpose and love. There is always
support to receive and give. The vows are more
relevant than ever as a witness of alternative
values in our world that tends towards greed and
violence. We do much more as group, and networking
with other groups of religious and lay women and
men, than we could alone, especially in the areas of
justice and peace.”
Sister Jane Eschweiler, SDS, is celebrating her 40th
Jubilee of religious profession as a Sister of the
Divine Savior this summer. A Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
native, she had the Salvatorian Sisters as teachers
in her home parish, Mother of Good Counsel, and at
Divine Savior High School. This summer the
Salvatorians of the North American Province are
celebrating their Jubilees. The 2008 theme is
Harvest of Service—Others Will Follow. A Mass of
Thanksgiving was celebrated on June 28 and a
reception for family and friends followed in
Milwaukee.
“The Sisters were role models to me and I felt a
call to prayer and service within community at a
very early age. I also had three aunts who were
Franciscans and three uncles who were priests of the
Milwaukee Archdiocese. In fact, this is a summer of
celebrations for the Eschweiler family. My aunt,
Sister Rose Eschweiler, SSSF, celebrates her 80th
Jubilee, and my uncle, Fr. Ed Eschweiler, his 60th
Jubilee.
Sister
Jane holds Masters degrees in English from Marquette
University and the University of Wisconsin, both in
Milwaukee; and a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from
Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. She served
as a high school English teacher at two Catholic
high schools in Milwaukee and another in Clarksdale,
Mississippi and as a receptionist and bookkeeper at
Tutwiler Clinic in rural Mississippi. During the
later years, she also led prayer groups for women
inmates at Parchman State Penitentiary. Later she
was a Resident Pastoral Minister for two parishes in
the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, and then a
Pastoral Associate at St. Andrew’s Parish in
Saginaw, Michigan, from 1990-95 and at Sacred Heart
Parish in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, from 2000-03.
From 1996-2000, Sister Jane served on the Sisters’
Leadership Team. For the last five years, Sister
Jane has served the Tucson Diocese on the Jordan
Ministry Team (JMT), the last three as director.
“I have been a teacher and retreat facilitator
helping with the formation of lay Church ministers.
I travel to schools and parishes providing catechist
certification classes, retreats and workshops
preparing the laity for ministry. I am also active
in preparing future deacons for their work in the
church. I lead retreats with another JMT member at a
prison in Florence, Arizona. As a Team, we are
committed to serving the Tucson Diocese and feel our
work is an investment in the future of our Church,”
she explained. She is also the Salvatorian regional
moderator for the Southwest region and a member of
the North American province’s Ongoing Formation
Committee. The Jordan Ministry Team also includes:
Father Joe Rodrigues, SDS, Peggy Guerrero, Rebecca
Piņa-Cammarota and Betsy Shearer.
