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Sister M. Helene Galuszka - 60 years in religious life
Sister M. Helene Galuszka
Sister M. Helene Galuszka was born on August 19 in Chicago. She entered religious life on January 27, 1963, while she was a student at Madonna High School in Chicago and professed her vows on August 12, 1965. Sister entered the ministry of education in 1966, where she was assigned to teach third grade at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr in Chicago. From 1967 to 1971, Sister Helene taught science to all grades at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr and taught science at St. Florian in Chicago every Thursday during the 1967-68 school year.
Sister was then promoted to assistant principal at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr (1969-71) and served as the program director there for CCD classes on Sundays. Sister Helene was transferred to St. Pancratius in Chicago in 1971. She taught sixth grade (1971-73), and then science, religion, reading, and physical education to all students (1972-73), and then taught reading, spelling, and music to seventh graders (1973-74). She also served as the science teacher for grades three through eight from 1973 to 1974. Sister taught CCD classes at St. Pancratius and served as the local treasurer from 1971 to 1974.
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Sister Helene began teaching at Madonna High School in 1974. She taught biology, algebra, chemistry, and physiology until 1984. She also was involved with the science club (1975-76), was the division moderator (1977-84), a member of the student-faculty senate (1979-80), science fair chairperson (1981-84), and taught computer science (1982-84).
Sister Helene has a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the College of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. She also obtained her Master of Science degree in biology and animal physiology from St. Mary College in Winona, Minnesota, and a Master in Business Administration degree from St. Louis University, in St. Louis, Missouri.
In 1986, the Sisters created the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation (FSCSC, later renamed Franciscan Ministries), which was established to manage and operate all facilities and ministries sponsored by the Sisters. Sister Helene was the only Sister working directly with the sponsored facilities until a lay president was engaged. She became the General Treasurer of FSC while also holding various financial positions at FSCSC. At the time of her retirement from FSCSC, she was the Treasury Manager. She also served as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator at St. Joseph Village in Chicago in 1989, and became a Trustee for Christian Brothers Risk Pooling Trust in 1996. Sister served as a consultant at NRRO from 1998 to 2004. After 33 years of service, Sister Helene retired from Franciscan Ministries in 2019. Currently she continues her work in leadership with the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago. She was elected General Councilor in 2013 and re-elected in 2018 and continues in this position. Congratulations to Sister M. Helene Galuszka on 60 years of religious life!