The Impact of Sister Leontius Schulte

Catholic Sisters Week - March 8-14, 2023

How Sister Leontius Schulte Impacted My Life

“Preach the Gospel always – and if necessary, use words.”

This profound saying is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi – and has been lived out by countless Rochester Franciscans. This is how three of these Franciscan Sisters – Sisters Eone, Edmund, and Leontius – made an impact in my life without saying a word.

– Carol Swanson, College of Saint Teresa, Class of 1978

That radiant smile! It was the first thing you noticed about Sister Leontius Schulte.

A brilliant mathematician, Sister Leontius was born in 1901 into a large German farming family in eastern Wisconsin. A 1923 College of Saint Teresa (CST) alumna, she took her vows as a Rochester Franciscan Sister in 1928. She completed her graduate studies in mathematics at the University of Michigan – earning Masters and Doctorate degrees – all while teaching math at CST from 1928 through 1975. She continued to live on campus through 1979: tutoring students, leading the Legion of Mary, and sharing her joy with others. Returning to Assisi Heights, she continued to minister to others until her death in 2000 – just shy of her 100^th birthday.

So esteemed were her insights as a mathematician, that her doctoral dissertation (written in 1935!) was published as a book in 2015: Writing the History of Mathematical Notations: 1483–1700. You can still buy it on Amazon today!

While our worlds only intersected in passing while I attended CST, her joy in Christ and prayerful dedication to Our Blessed Mother were an inspiration to me.

There is a wonderful painting at Assisi Heights of several Franciscan Sisters under umbrellas in the rain. One of these women is unmistakably Sister Leontius. Her bright smile invites us all into a deeper faith life to possess the joy and peace of Christ.

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Sister Leontius is portrayed above, second from the left, with her radiant smile!

Reflections from College of Saint Teresa Alumnae

The College of Saint Teresa (CST) was a Catholic women's college in Winona, Minnesota. Previously a women's seminary, it became a college in 1907 and was operated by the

Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota until its closing in 1989.

In recognition of Catholic Sisters Week, we asked several alumnae to share their memories of the Sisters serving at CST and the impact it made on their lives.