We invite readers to send short stories about the ways in which their lives have been personally blessed by the life and work of priests and religious in our diocese.

By Karina Fabian

Born Carol Johnson on Jan. 5, 1945, in Roswell, N.M., Sister Eileen Marie grew up in Lansing, Kan., three miles from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth motherhouse.

After entering the SCLs in 1963, she made her first vows in 1965 and final vows in 1971. She has taught third grade, worked in child care at Mount St. Vincent’s Home and taught girls’ physical education/health and theology on all levels at Butte Central High School for 13 years.

Sister Johnson is youth minister, music minister and liturgist at Anaconda Catholic Community, where she has been missioned since 1986.

Her ministries also have taken her to Kansas, Missouri and Colorado, and Tijuana for a week every summer since 2000. She especially loves the trips to Tijuana to build houses for the poor with Esperanza International, an organization founded by Bob Morris, who is originally from Anaconda. “The poor are so very grateful for all that we do for them. How could I not go back to take part in such a rewarding ministry?” she said. “The common response to us who build their houses is ‘Mi casa es su casa’ (my house is your house.)”

Sister Johnson describes her 40 years as a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth as “incredible years.” She admits, however, that her first 10 years were rough ones and helped her grow strong in the midst of many struggles.

She loves God, people, music, the stars and moon and the person she is becoming. She also loves her religious community and her work. “There cannot be a better combination of who I am and what I do at this point in time.

“I have certainly been blessed in my ministries, especially in Montana and the Diocese of Helena,” she added. “I love the mountains and starry night skies, so my Montana assignment was and is wonderful; the real blessing is being privileged to serve God’s beautiful people here.”


Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 19, No. 3, March 21, 2003.