Sister Louise Michele Sommer, CSJ
75th Jubilarian
Sister Louise Michele Sommer, baptized Rosemary, was born in St. Louis. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1949 and was received into the novitiate in 1950. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Fontbonne College (now University), St. Louis in 1962 and a master’s degree in English from St. Louis University in 1968.
In the 1950s, Sister Louise Michele taught at Notre Dame School de Lourdes Grade School in Wellston, Missouri, and at St. Patrick School in University City, Missouri. In the 1960s, she taught at St. John the Evangelist Grade School in Valdosta, Georgia; Academy of Our Lady in Peoria, Illinois; and Valle High School in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
She then spent 11 years in Atlanta, teaching high school at St. Pius X. In 1977, she returned to St. Louis and started her term at St. Joseph’s Academy as associate principal.
After studying at Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Boston, Massachusetts from 1984 to 1985, she served the next 12 years in religious education. In Atlanta, she was the adult religious education director at Holy Cross Parish from 1985 to 1990 and was the director of religious education at Immaculate Heart of Mary parishes from 1990 to 1997.
From 1997 to 1998, she was a clinical pastoral education resident as a chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital in Atlanta. During that year, she also served with Mercy Care at the Edgewood and Imperial Hotel. There her ministry was with HIV and Aids patients.
From 1998 until her retirement in 2019, Sister Louise Michele was the pastoral associate at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Since her retirement, she has resided at Nazareth Living in St. Louis where she carries out her mission of prayer and presence.
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