Sister Dorothy Rasche

Sister Dorothy, formerly Sister Rose Martin, is a native of Jasper, Indiana. She has two older brothers.

She attended Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Jasper before entering the Providence Juniorate. She graduated from there in 1959 and entered the postulancy in July of that year on the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene.

She said she was missioned to Saint Joan of Arc in Indianapolis in January 1964 to replace Sister Joseph Anthony, who had been missioned to the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Infirmary.

“It was the best class ever – all 52 (students) – thanks to Sister Joseph Anthony, who prepared them for a first-time teacher,” Sister Dorothy said.

She also ministered as a first grade teacher at Saint John in Vincennes, Indiana, Saint Andrew, Saint Malachy and Saint Joseph in Indianapolis, and Sacred Heart in Terre Haute, Indiana.

“Sister Marie Paula, Principal at Sacred Heart, asked me to design a Religious Education Program for the public school families, which I directed while teaching first grade in the catholic grade school. After two years, I was hired full time to direct the Religious Education Program. This was in the days before there was a title or job description for this position.”

She also ministered as Director of Religious Education at Saint Lawrence in Indianapolis, before ministering in McAlester, Oklahoma, as part of a team of three sisters and three priests who served the Diocese of Tulsa.

“That is where I was introduced to the prison ministry,” Sister Dorothy said. “After getting my CPE certification, I went to Seelyville, Indiana, to serve as the resident Pastoral Associate and Chapel Contractor at the Federal Prison in Terre Haute.”

Sister Dorothy has also ministered in California and Texas.

While in Texas, she and Linda Nunez began a ministry in the county jail with the women who were being held for deportation.

“Linda continued this ministry after I left for many, many years until a new sheriff was elected and closed down the program,” Sister Dorothy said.

Currently, she ministers as the Director of The Connecting Link in West Terre Haute, Indiana, a ministry she was asked to begin in 1997 at the request of then General Superior Sister Ann Margaret O’Hara. She also ministers as a Catholic Spiritual Guide for the Women’s Correctional Facility in Rockville, Indiana.