Sister Dolores Hodapp, SSND

Mankato Mortuary 1001 N. Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 388-2202 Just eight days after celebrating her ninetieth birthday, our beloved Sister Dolores (M. Romana) Hodapp, 90, died peacefully at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2014, in Notre Dame Health Care, Good Counsel Hill, Mankato, Minnesota. She thoroughly enjoyed the celebration of her birthday, but her health declined seriously in the days following. Her sister, Arlene, SSND, and several other sisters were with her when she died. The funeral Mass for Sister Dolores, with Father Eugene Stenzel as presider, will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 16, in Good Counsel Chapel, Mankato. Burial of her cremains in our cemetery will follow on December 20. The vigil service will be at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. We extend our sympathy to her sisters Arlene, SSND, and Marge (Bill) Shaw, her nieces and nephews and their families, her friends, former colleagues and students, and her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roman and Mary Ann (Ziegler) Hodapp, and her brother James on October 17, 2014. Sister Dolores was born on December 2, 1924. In the autobiography she wrote as a candidate, she showed the flair for words that characterized her life. She wrote about her birth in the third person, "Winter winds of December 2, 1924, sent the little snowflakes beating fast and furiously against the window panes of St. Joseph's Hospital, Mankato, Minnesota. Fast and furiously in syncopated rhythm with the scurrying flakes beat the hearts of Mr. Roman Joseph Hodapp and his wife Mary Ann Ziegler. The reason? To them was born on this second day of December a little black-haired baby girl. After five years of waiting, God had blessed their union with the birth of their first child." The Hodapps lived in North Mankato, where Holy Rosary Parish had just been established; because the church and school were not completed, Dolores was baptized on December 7 in the hospital. For the first four years of her life, she was an only child. When she was five, her sister Arlene was born, and Marge joined the family eleven months later. Dolores attended kindergarten at SS. Peter & Paul School in Mankato because Holy Rosary did not offer kindergarten classes. She did not like school that first year, but as a first grader at Holy Rosary she "became a great lover of school life." The remark of her first grade teacher, "Someday I know you'll carry on my work teaching His little ones," stayed with her throughout her school days. Dolores experienced great joy on her First Communion day, April 23, 1933. She had been praying for a little brother and felt especially that day that Jesus could not refuse her request; her brother Jim was born the following January. Following eighth grade graduation in 1938, she continued her education at Good Counsel Academy. Her years at Good Counsel nourished her vocation, but in a roundabout way. She had wanted to be a teacher ever since first grade, but the thought of being a sister frightened her, even though she felt attracted to the religious life. During her junior year she confided her fears to one of her teachers, who helped her understand the joy of following a religious vocation. When Dolores discussed this with her parents, her mother refused to consent. As a senior, Dolores developed a strong devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, which helped her at this time. She also credited the interest and direction of Fr. Alton Scheid, the Good Counsel chaplain, as a source of strength as she tried to obtain parental permission to become a sister. Finally, two weeks before entrance day in August 1942, she did receive her parents' approval, and she became a candidate on August 28. As a second year candidate, she happily taught "little ones," fulfilling the prediction of her own first grade teacher. Dolores was received into the novitiate in July 1944, and given the name Mary Romana, derived from her father's name. She later returned to her baptismal name. At the time of her reception, both parents truly shared her joy. She wrote, "Now, just as nineteen years ago, their hearts beat fast with pride and joy." Sister Dolores professed first vows in July 1945 and was assigned to teach fourth grade at St. Agnes, St. Paul. A serious illness caused her to be hospitalized, and following her release, she substituted at various missions, returning eventually to St. Agnes, where she taught seventh graders. She continued to teach upper grades at several Twin Cities schools: Sacred Heart (1946-47); SS. Cyril & Methodius (1947-48); St. Francis de Sales (1948-49); St. Agnes (1949-52); and St. Matthew (1952-57). In 1957, she moved out of the metro area to SS. Peter & Paul, Blue Earth, where she taught until 1960. She then taught at St. Mary, Worthington (1960-65) and Columbus High School, Waterloo (1965-71). Her service in Waterloo was interrupted by a year of study at Viterbo College (1966-67). She had earlier earned a B.A. degree from St. Catherine's College (1954) and an M.A. degree from Creighton University (1960), both in the field of English. In 1971 Sister Dolores was elected to provincial leadership for the Mankato Province. The student newspaper at Columbus paid tribute to her, stating, "Only those who have worked with Sister Dolores on any one of her many extracurricular activities can recognize and appreciate the creativity, vitality and womanly concern she has. The Compass staff owes a great deal to Sister Dolores because she has worked so diligently and faithfully." While serving two terms in provincial administration, she immersed herself in province activities and programs. She also attended the 1972, 1974 and 1977 General Chapter sessions in Rome. She wrote, "I value my experience at three General Chapters as some of the most enriching and mind stretching of my life. The interchange of culture, hopes, visions and faith sharings, in spite of language barriers, was phenomenal." Following her leadership term, Sister Dolores served as director of Ad Sum, a personal growth program in St. Cloud, for four years. In 1983 she returned to her first love, education. She was principal and teacher at Holy Spirit School, and then St. Mary's Cathedral School in St. Cloud until 1999. She commented, "Teaching is so open for creativity; there are so many ways to teach the same subject." She also became a proponent for strengthening the Catholic School community by creating a new vision of Catholic education - one that integrated service and knowledge based on a personal relationship with Jesus and concern for others. To emphasize this vision, billboards in St. Cloud proclaimed the message, "Our students learn life's lessons by heart - the NEW Catholic Schools." A joy-filled teacher, she had a tremendous impact on her students, and continued to receive Christmas cards and other greetings from many former students. Sister Dolores also combined her love of teaching and love of English as she directed sisters in choral reading presentations for province liturgies in the summers. After Sister Dolores enjoyed a sabbatical year, she became the facility director for the Good Counsel Education Center in 2000. In 2004 she began a new role of community service. An article at the time of her sixtieth jubilee in 2005 stated, "The sisters at the provincial house now enjoy having Sister Dolores in community as she relishes the semi-retired life. She spends her days visiting sisters in health care facilities, many of whom consider her their spiritual companion." As her sight began to fail, she experienced the outreach of others. An avid reader, she so appreciated those who read to her. She fully participated in meetings and activities in Notre Dame Health Care for as long as she was able - and really loved a good celebration. Having descended from the pioneer Catholics of Mankato - Philip Hodapp, her great grandfather, came to Mankato in 1854 and was instrumental in bringing School Sisters of Notre Dame to Mankato in 1865 - Sister Dolores is a link in the 150-year history of SSND in Mankato. Sister Dolores chose "dance" as the theme for her funeral liturgy. A poem found in her folder reads in part, "Once again, I became willing to let God lead." May she now, with full vision, be led by her Heavenly Dance Partner in a lively celebration of eternal life! Sister Mary Kay Ash, SSND