Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration celebrates Golden Jubilee

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Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Georgia (Mary Howard) Christensen

La Crosse, Wis. – Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Georgia (Mary Howard) Christensen, a native of Utah, is celebrating her Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of vowed religious life.

Sister Georgia entered the FSPA community at Saint Rose Convent in La Crosse, Wisc. She began as a teacher for two years at Saint 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 Palo Alto, Calif., and received her Ph.D. in 1995.

From 1995 to 2000, Sr. Georgia worked with Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference and Arrupe College in Harare, Zimbabwe. She also served as a consultant and educator with the Tertiary Sisters in Cameroon, West Africa, from 1999 to the present.

Since 2000, she has ministered in several educational roles in La Crosse, including Viterbo University’s director of assessment and evaluation, director of institutional research and dean of graduate studies and adult education.

Sr. Georgia also served as a consultant for three years for the National Center for Accelerated Schools out of the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Currently, she serves Viterbo as an associate professor in both the religious studies and philosophy departments and the Master of Arts Servant Leadership Program. On July 1, she began serving the FSPA as congregational secretary.

A jubilee celebration for Sister Georgia was held at St. Rose Convent on June 16.

Based in La Crosse, Wisc., the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration consist of more than 290 women religious engaged in furthering the work of the Catholic Church and the Gospel. The sisters work in the United States and internationally in varied ministries, creating innovative approaches to healing, teaching and praying.

Visit FSPA online at www.fspa.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/franciscansisisters and Twitter at www.twitter.com/FSPAtweets.

Courtesy of Jen Pick, communications associate for the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.