Why Childhood Clothing is a Special Keepsake for Catholic College Student

Paul Keggington

September 13, 2010

One Catholic college student’s childhood dresses are a special keepsake in memory of Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Stanislaus Kosmicki.

Dress is College Students's keepsake from Franciscan Sister Stanislaus

Catholic college student, Melissa Chambers holds childhood dress made by Franciscan Sister Stanislaus Kosmicki.

Melissa Chambers, a transfer student to Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, Manitowoc, WI,  this fall, was a child in the George Lodel Family (father was an engineer at our Motherhouse for a significant amount of time) who was helped by Sister Stanislaus Kosmicki many years ago when she was a little girl. 

In the pictures, Melissa is showing off two dresses that Sister Stanislaus made for her when she was a child.  She not only has kept them all these years, but plans to have her own daughter wear them when she is of age. 

In asking Melissa what she remembers most about Sister Stanislaus, she said that she and her nine brothers and sisters called her “Sister Santa Claus” (as they could not pronounce Stanislaus).  Melissa also remembers that Sister always had candy in her pockets to give her – even when she arrived unexpectedly.

Melissa is a junior in college, and transferred from the UW-Manitowoc this fall.  She plans to be a secondary teacher with a major in Biology and minors in Integrated Science and Mathematics.  She lives in Two Rivers, WI, with her three children.

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A few more tidbits about Sister Stanislaus…

  • born on June 13, 1880 in Posen, Poland and died February 7, 1981.
  • boarded with our Sisters at our convent in Ashton, NE before her First Holy Communion so she could attend school
  • spent a year teaching Polish to students in Manitowoc, WI
  • worked in the Motherhouse laundry for many years and was the official morning ‘bell ringer’ for the Sisters
  • had a special 100th birthday party with the George Lodl family including cake, flowers and family pictures.

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