Serving Scott County for
More Than 104 Years!

Catholic Nuns Return Home after Serving Scott County for 28 Years

Jason McCarty
Staff Writer


Sister Janice Koziolek and
Sister Maria Exner

Scott County said thank you and farewell to Sister Maria Exner and Sister Janice Koziolek July 2, after 28 years of devoted service to the people of this area.

Sister Janice joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame of the Mankato Province in 1941, and Sister Maria joined the same organization in 1946. The two are members of an organization of more than 4,400 vowed women within the Catholic Church whose mission is “to promote justice and educate with the conviction that the world can be changed through the transformation of persons.”

Before coming to Scott County in 1978, Sister Janice taught in Catholic schools for 35 years, mainly in  Minnesota and Iowa. Sister Maria also taught school for 30 years in Minnesota and in the state of Washington.


Sister Janice seated in a
lounge chair

“Going into this type of service was just a calling,” said Sister Janice. “Sister Maria and I had a feeling that this was God’s will, and if we can fulfill God’s will, then we would be happy. Just like young married girls, when we entered the convent, we gave ourselves completely without knowing what was to come.”

After 30 years of service, the next long chapter in their book of unselfish commitment would be written here in Scott County. Even though it was a Catholic, Patrick Hagan, who gave Dungannon its name after his hometown in Ireland, the Appalachia region was not home to many Catholics. Nonetheless, many people respected Hagan for his genuine kindness. 


Sister Maria, age 7

In the 1939, an organization called the Glenmary Home Missioners was founded near Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission was “to bring a Catholic presence to the small towns and rural areas of the United States.”

The missioners put together a quarterly publication called the “Glenmary Challenge,” which frequently called the Appalachia region “No Priest Land.”

When Sister Janice and Sister Maria arrived in Dungannon in 1978, they came in contact with a population which was in large part unfamiliar with Catholics.

“When we first arrived,” said Sister Janice. “We went out and attended other churches to see how others worshipped God, and I think that really helped us to get to know people. When first came, there was more bigotry towards Catholics, but now many of those walls have come down.”


Sister Janice with
her dog, Princess

“Having joining a society called the Glenmary Home Missioners, I was interested bringing the Catholic Church to the rural areas of America,” said Father Rollie Hautz of St. Patrick’s and St. Bernard’s. “When I became the pastor here in Dungannon in 1998, I found that Sister Maria and Sister Janice had been doing that for 20 years.”

During her 28-year stint in Scott County, Sister Maria taught Developmental Classes for Mountain Empire Community College. She helped many students earn their GED and many of those classes were taught at the Depot in Dungannon.

“I served in the educational field because that is what I really enjoy,” said Sister Maria. “I am not only a teacher, but also a learner. The people here have really taught me a lot about goodness, kindness, and love.”

Sister Janice served as a Case Manager for the Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Community Action Outreach Worker and Director of Displaced Homemakers.


Sister Maria, Raja Kumari from
India, and Sister Janice

“I had many opportunities to serve people and help people without wanting anything in return,” said Sister Janice. “However, what I got in return was the love and friendship of those I helped.”

“What Sister Janice and Sister Maria have done cannot be calculated,” explained Father Rollie. “They have done things from the heart, and they have done that because they are filled with the spirit of Jesus, who did the same.”

On July 2, nearly 200 people gathered at the Depot in Dungannon to say farewell to the two women have made such an enormous impact on the lives of so many. Last week, Sister Janice and Sister Maria returned to their Motherhouse in Mankato, Minn., where they received their training.


Sister Janice, 1928

“We have loved being here and calling this our second home,” said Sister Maria. “We have always been welcomed in every home, and we are going to miss the friendliness of the people.”

“I have been here for nearly 30 years, and it has been a dream fulfilled,” added Sister Janice. “It has really been a cultural experience, and I feel like I’ve learned so much.

“We are returning to our Motherhouse in Mankato; we call it home.”

Although the two are moving from Dungannon, they have no plans to quit serving their fellow man.

“We are not retiring so to speak,” concluded Sister Janice. “We will just be starting a new career. I don’t want to be a couch potato, because we can still serve by volunteering our time back in Minnesota.”

Even though they won’t be living close to the county, their efforts and loving touch will be remembered by those who came in contact with them for a long time.

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