Sister Clarice Steinfeldt, SDS
Papercutter & Practitioner of Many Arts

Sister Clarice was born in Port Edwards, Wisconsin, the daughter of Irene and Fred Steinfeldt. As a young woman she seriously considered the nursing profession and enrolled at St. Mary’s Nursing School, Wausau, Wisconsin. It was there she met the Sisters of the Divine Savior. She decided that she would be a better teacher than nurse and more than anything she wanted to be a woman religious.

On June 28th, Sister Clarice Steinfeldt, SDS, will celebrate her 60th Jubilee of religious profession. Harvest of Service—Others Will Follow is the 2008 theme of Salvatorian men and women marking their Jubilees. A Mass of Thanksgiving will be offered at an 11 a.m. Mass at Mother of Good Counsel Parish, with a reception for family and friends to follow at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee.

“Wherever I was, I loved it. The students were great and we had excellent parental support,” she said. Sister Clarice served as a teacher and principal at Mother of Good Counsel (MGC) and St. Pius X Parishes, both in Milwaukee, and as a teacher and principal at St. Mary’s Parish School in Landover Hills, Maryland. She also was the principal of Divine Savior High School (now Divine Savior Holy Angels) in Milwaukee, from 1964-69. “In the 1950s and 1960s, we had huge enrollments. When we look back, we know that we were able to do it all because of God’s grace and we were all young. At MGC, we had over 2000 students at one point and we taught all subjects. In the beginning, the Sisters also lived on the second. floor of the original short building,” she pointed out.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from Alverno College and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Marquette University, both in Milwaukee, and a Master’s of the Science of Administration (Finance) from Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana.

Sister Clarice also served her Congregation as a member of provincial leadership teams and provincial treasurer and consultant. “Being on the SDS International Finance Commission brought me abroad where I had the opportunity to visit many of our Salvatorian houses in Europe—Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and in Israel. All of these opportunities helped make our internationality real,” she explained.

“Each day of my life as a woman religious I have gone to work and looked forward to it. In my retirement, I am a full-time visual artist. This art ministry helps me to participate in God’s great creative energy and powers," she added.

Sister Clarice began her art ministry in 1991 and in 1995 officially began paper cutting. She numbers, names and describes each piece, size, price and date completed. To date, she has completed 1,730 matted and framed pieces. Her cuttings are shown for sale at the Art Studio, on the third floor of DSHA, 4257 N. 100th St., Milwaukee, and the Jacksonport Craft Cottage in Jacksonport and at the Carriage Haus, Mayville, both in Wisconsin. In addition, Sister served on the board of directors for the Guild of American Papercutters for four years. She also designs and carves quality candles for weddings, Baptisms, etc.

“My desire to become a woman religious as a Salvatorian has enabled me to give my life to God through service in teaching, administering schools, financial work and art ministry. I have become more than I would ever have imagined and have traveled innumerable places because of my various ministries. If I could do it all over again—I would choose this lifestyle as a Salvatorian. I have been incredibly happy and satisfied wherever I have been and whatever I have accomplished.”

Visit Sister Clarice's website at: http://www.dsha.k12.wi.us/clarice/