At St. Boniface School, Edwardsville, principal Sister Anna Flanigan and Sister Kathleen Ann Mourisse, visit in the lower hallway. EDWARDSVILLE

- St. Boniface Parish is celebrating the return of religious sisters' presence at St. Boniface School at a reception on the church plaza after the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Oct. 6. The celebration, just two days after the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, is to welcome two Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception (Heading Avenue Franciscans from Peoria) to the parish, in addition to welcoming Father Jeffrey Goeckner, who became St. Boniface's pastor July 1.

Sister Anna Flanigan is principal at St. Boniface, and Sister Kathleen Ann Mourisse teaches art and is director of religious education at the school.

Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ taught at St. Boniface from 1905 into the 1990s, but their numbers had decreased in recent years, and the convent had been converted into the parish office. The school has not had a nun as principal since 1978.

The Franciscan sisters live across the street from the school in the former rectory, which has two bedrooms. Father Goeckner moved to a smaller house a few blocks away.

"I like living this close to the school, because if I want to come back and check on something, or have a quick look see, I can," said Sister Anna. When she was an undergraduate at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, majoring in physical education and playing intercollegiate sports, the Meppen native lived in a house just a few blocks from St. Boniface. "This was my home parish when I was in college," she said.

Renovation work at St. Boniface School in Edwardsville included removing drop ceilings in classrooms, revealing the original stained glass tops of the transom windows. The sisters came to St. Boniface from ministry at the Newman Center at the University of Illinois in Champaign. "I really credit Sister Kathleen Ann for helping me break into the classroom scene. She was the eighth-grade teacher, when I was a sixth-grade teacher my first year as a teacher," said Sister Anna.

Sister Anna replaces Robert Mehelic, who retired after 13 years as principal at St. Boniface. "It was the second time he has retired as a principal. He first did so in the public school system, and then became principal at St. Boniface," said Sister Anna. "Mr. Mehelic, the school staff, and the parents - they were more than welcoming. I didn't start until Aug. 1, the same time all the teachers were coming back. I had to jump in and swim."

Renovation work at the school was still going on when she arrived, with workmen in the building up to Aug. 19. "There are still things in progress, like the wiring for smart boards," said Sister Anna. She said parents had initiated the school's renovation.

"They did a lot of the grunt work themselves," said Tom Reiser, associate director for property and buildings in the diocesan finance office.

In classrooms, cloakrooms were torn out and replaced with shelving units; false ceilings were removed, not only lightening the rooms considerably, but revealing the stained glass tops of the transom windows. Teachers were able to choose their room colors. Hallways were painted, flooring updated and stairwells refurbished. Renovating classrooms for the lower grades is the next step in the project.

"We're happy to be here, respectful of the school's history and look forward to what we can do to assist Father Jeff. There is a great line in the school's mission statement, which addresses this. It says: ‘St. Boniface is a Catholic school, not a private school. Together we create, learn, live, laugh and play in God's image.'"