Benedictine celebrates 104th birthday; she has been nun for 85 years

Published: 2007-12-24

FERDINAND, Ind. (CNS) -- When Benedictine Sister Carla Mitchell was 8, she had diphtheria and a doctor told her parents she would not live through the night. But she beat that dire prediction -- and then some -- when she marked her 104th birthday Dec. 21. Sister Carla, formerly Sister Mary Charles, made history Oct. 28 when she became the first Sister of St. Benedict of Ferdinand -- and likely the first Benedictine in the United States -- to celebrate the 85th anniversary of her religious profession. For 79 of those years, Sister Carla taught school in Indiana, North Dakota, California, Louisiana and Arizona. She taught at all levels of education -- kindergarten, elementary, secondary and college, and in prison ministry. Before beginning her teaching career in 1922, she went to the courthouse in Jasper, Ind., and paid $1 to take tests for a teaching license. After passing every test she took, she was licensed to teach English, French, math, Latin, history and many other subjects. She continued teaching through 2001, when she tutored a French exchange student at Forest Park High School in Ferdinand.

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