Sister Marcine Schirber

sister Marcine Schriber

BORN AUGUST 13, 1895
PROFESSED JULY 11, 1921
ENTERED ETERNAL LIFE JUNE 4, 1982

Sister Marcine (Cecilia) Schirber, 86, died at St. Scholastica Convent on Friday, June 4, 1982, at 10:30 a.m. from a massive stroke the previous Friday.

Sister was born on August 13, 1895, the seventh child of Edward and Martina (Kuich) Schirber, in rural Millerville, Minnesota. Sister attended grade school in West Union and Millerville and came to St. Benedict's Academy for high school. She left at the end of her freshman year to attend Northern Normal and Industrial School in Aberdeen, South Dakota, then returned to St. Benedict's to enter the Scholasticate on December 1, 1919, after teaching four years in the public schools of South Dakota. She received the habit on June 16, 1920, made first vows on July 11, 1921, celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1971 and Diamond Jubilee in 1981.

With the exception of two years at St. Louis University to obtain her M.A. degree in English, Sister Marcine spent the entire time of her religious life at St. Benedict's. After receiving the B.A. degree in 1927 from the College of St. Benedict, Sister taught English and speech in the high school and college until illness in the late 1960s prevented her from continuing. She was principal of the high school from 1940 to 1944. Besides her classes and school plays, many students of St. Benedict's will remember Sister Marcine directing the choral reading for the annual pageant to introduce college freshmen to Benedictine history.

Sister Marcine retired to St. Benedict's infirmary in 1971 and transferred to St. Scholastica Convent in 1978. She lived her religious vows with a strong sense of community and generosity. Her talent for acting and directing were used generously in producing plays and programs for convent jubilees and celebrations. Infirmary rooms were brightened with her gifts of flowers.

Sister Marcine is survived by one sister, Mrs. Mary Brandner, Herreid, South Dakota, and one brother, John Schirber, St. Cloud.

A wake was held at St. Scholastica Convent on Sunday, June 6 and a wake service at St. Benedict's at 7:30 p.m. the same day. The Mass of Resurrection was celebrated on June 7 at 4 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel with burial in the convent cemetery.