Religious women played key role in history of Hispanic faith
This spring I will be spending several days at the motherhouse
of Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters (Victory Noll) in
Huntington, Ind. Because they played a key role in the history
of the Hispanic Church in the 20th century and in the history of
my family, I accepted their invitation to help them write about
their early years. My late mother loved them, and I can think of
no better way to honor her on Mother's Day than to help the
sisters. One of the first things I will do when I get to
Huntington is to visit the grave of their founder, a Chicago
diocesan priest named Father John Sigstein. I will thank God for
the vision, strength and perseverance he gave that dynamic
priest. His major work, the congregation he founded, has
enriched the faith of millions of poor people all over the
nation and Latin America. Father Sigstein had profound reverence
for our Blessed Mother, who, as Our Lady of Victory, guided him
throughout his life. He also had gre