Sister Connie Krautkremer
Current Ministry Location: Maryknoll Sisters Center-Maryknoll, NY
Sister Connie was born December 2nd, 1943 in New Prague, MN to Mary Neisen and Alvin Krautkremer; she has two brothers and one sister. In 1961, she graduated from Montgomery High School, Montgomery, MN.
Sister Connie then entered the Congregation at the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO on October 18th, 1965. Within the same year she graduated from St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul, MN, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology. She pronounced First Vows June 24th, 1968 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll NY and Final Vows July 30th, 1977 in Tanzania.
Assigned to Tanzania in 1969, Sister Connie taught young women from the rural areas at Rugambwa Girls School in Bukoba and Nangwa Girls School in Babati. Her appreciation of Tanzanian women, their culture, and the intimate ties they have with nature prompted her to study culture and creation spirituality.
In 1986, Sister Connie returned to Sisters Center where she was named director of the Maryknoll Mission Institute from 1986 – 1990. During that time, she earned a Master of Arts, Culture/Creation Spirituality from Holy Names College, Oakland, CA in 1991.
In 1991, Sister Connie returned to Tanzania and spent the next 10 years working with women’s groups to enhance their self-awareness and empowerment skills. During this time, Sister Connie was also a member of the Maryknoll Sisters Vocation Team in Tanzania. Early in her mission career, Sister Connie served as secretary to the 1968 General Assembly and has been actively involved in inter-assembly and planning meetings since then.
Sister Connie was elected to serve as a member of the Maryknoll Sisters Congregational Leadership Team in 2002 at the Sisters Center. She welcomed the challenge of her new leadership role, hoping to continue to find ways for women to connect with women in solidarity, sharing both vulnerabilities and strengths.
Having completed her six years on the Congregational Leadership Team, Sister Connie returned happily to Tanzania on June 4th, 2009. She discerned a new ministry with the Sisters and agreed with another Sister to open the new mission of Dodoma. Her ministry was primarily with women and adolescent girls in rural villages, engaging them in topics like self esteem, justice for women, and relationships. Sister Connie also worked with adolescent orphans living with AIDS, offering seminars and religion teaching at the high school level. Widowed women living with AIDS was another group with whom she continued to meet.
In 2016, Sister Connie returned to the Sisters Center, Maryknoll NY and became Co-Coordinator of the Rogers Community.