Diamond Jubilee for Sister Georgia Christensen, FSPA

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Sister Georgia Christensen (Mary Howard)

Sister Georgia Christensen (Mary Howard) grew up in Utah and entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration community at St. Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisc., in 1959.

Having since served in many ministries of education, she began as a teacher for two years at St. Boniface Parish in New Vienna, Iowa, one year at St. John the Baptist Parish in La Crosse and then 11 years at Our Lady of Fatima/All Saints Middle School and Marycliff High School in Spokane, Wash.

After earning a Master of Educational Administration, she was transferred to Palo Alto, Calif. as a principal and then as an assistant superintendent of schools in Monterey, Calif. She began doctoral studies at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and received her Ph.D. in 1995.

From 1995 to 2000, Sr. Georgia worked with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference as a staff development officer and instructor at Arrupe College in Harare, Zimbabwe. She also served as a consultant and educator with the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis in Cameroon from 1999 to 2018. Since 2000 she has ministered in several educational roles at Viterbo University in La Crosse, including director of institutional research and assessment, associate professor in both the religious studies department and the Master of Arts Servant Leadership Program and dean of the School of Graduate, Professional, and Adult Education.

Sr. Georgia also served for three years as a consultant for the National Center for Accelerated Schools via the University of Connecticut, Storrs. For over 20 years, Sr. Georgia has been a consultant-evaluator and team chair for the Higher Learning Commission for accreditation of colleges and universities. On July 1, 2012, she was appointed FSPA congregational secretary, a position she still holds today.

A jubilee celebration was held at Mary of the Angels Chapel in St. Rose Convent, La Crosse, on April 30.

Based in La Crosse, Wisc., Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration is a community of vowed Franciscan women engaged in furthering the work of the Catholic Church and the Gospel. Their partners in ministry, including affiliates and prayer partners, join them in service of God’s mission. Together, they collaborate to minister in areas of greatest need, demonstrating that Gospel living is both contemplative and active.

Courtesy of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration