(1935-2018)

She had the Dominican charism. That was the foundation of everything in her life.

The connection between retired Diocese of Lansing Bishop Carl Mengeling, who spoke those words, and Sister Dorita Wotiska, to whom he was referring, stretched back more than twenty years. In November 1995, he was new to the diocese, and after the press conference introducing him, the diocesan staff lined up to meet him. One of those present was Sister Dorita, who by that time had already been superintendent of schools for the diocese for nine years and associate superintendent for four years before that. And the new bishop quickly discovered her ability, as he put it, to “tell it like it is.”

“She looked right at me, and looked at me right in the eyes … and she said, ‘I’m from the Chicago area too, and I don’t want you to disappoint us, because I’ll be watching you,’” the bishop told those gathered for Sister Dorita’s memorial Mass on February 2, 2018.