Franciscan Sister Daniel Wolf’s call to consecrated life begins in Oshkosh, WI.
Family Background
Marion Wolf was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Emil and Sabina Wolf.
As a baby, Marion’s Mother took her to the Blessed Mother’s altar and offered Marion to the Blessed Mother. Marion was often dressed in blue for the Blessed Mother. Her family almost always prayed the rosary each day: “Dad would call us in from playing, to settle down, and to pray the rosary.”
Marion had one sister, Dolores, who was 2 to 3 years older and whom she has loved dearly all these years. Their mother always wanted 12 children, but adoption would have been the only way to have more children. Marion attended all eight years of grade school at Sacred Heart Parish School with a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity teaching her in each grade. Sister Cecil Melchoirs was very influential in her life and was the first to be told of Marion’s hope to go to the Convent.
The Sisters often walked down past the Wolf home in Oshkosh and would stop to visit. They also came to the picnic in the Cemetery Park and the families always brought enough food to include the Sisters. The Cemetery Park was full of Hickory nuts they would pick up and share among the families living in that area.
Individuals Important to Her Call
There were no other relatives that became priests or religious in her family but Marion’s single desire was to be a Sister. She never thought of what she’d do as a Sister, just to be a Sister. She came quite young. Her mom and dad were supportive; her mom didn’t think she would last. Her father was not a Catholic. But as a construction worker, he had worked with Fr. Schmidt a great deal at the Parish. This was a good influence in his becoming a Catholic. Coming to the convent Marion knew You are the Lord, my God. Fr. Schmidt would say: “He is the Lord your God and He gave up everything for us. So remember you owe Him a lot. His Father gave Him to us, now you give yourself to Him.” Marion has done this all of her life.
How did Sister get the name, Sister Daniel? Sisters serving in Oshkosh suggested the name ”they thought it was better than Sabina which was my mother’s name.
Ministry as a Sister
Sister Daniel’s main apostolic work was teaching primary grades. Her most rewarding experience was caring for the boys at Guardian Angel Boarding School, Oneida, Wisconsin and then later out West at St. John’s Indian School at Laveen, Arizona. Sister Cyrilla Jackels and Sister Daniel worked well together at Guardian Angels: We prayed for the boys and the boys called my dad, Pa, and my mother, Mom.
Dogs were a special part of her life especially out in Arizona-a creation of God. Sister reminds us: GOD spelled backwards is DOG and vice versa.
In always wanting to be a Sister, she would encourage a young girl discerning a vocation to pray and to learn obedience, a sense of what God is asking of them.
Is God calling you to be a Franciscan Sister? We invite you to our August 18-20 discernment weekend. Click here.
