May 5, 2010

Memorial Liturgy to Be Held at Briar Cliff University

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The public is invited to a special memorial liturgy at 11:55 a.m., Tuesday, May 11, in the Chapel of Our Lady of Grace on the Briar Cliff University campus. The Mass will be held in memory of Sister Mary Elsbernd, OSF, and Sister Mary Lenz, OSF, former faculty members at Briar Cliff who died recently in Dubuque, Iowa. 

Following Sister Mary Elsbernd’s graduation from Briar Cliff, she taught high school French and religion at Aquin Catholic High School in Cascade, Iowa, and at Wahlert in Dubuque. She also taught theology at Briar Cliff. Later, she studied at Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, where she earned a master of arts and a doctorate degree in religious studies and an ecclesiastic degree in theology.

After Sister Mary Lenz completed a Ph.D. in English at Notre Dame University, she taught at Briar Cliff for 19 years. While at Briar Cliff, she also was chairperson of the English department and the director of the Weekend College, a program for non-traditional students.

Enrollment at Briar Cliff University is over 1,100 students from 28 states. Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care, compassion and openness to all. For more information, please visit www.briarcliff.edu.

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