Benedictine Sisters
1910 Maple Ave.
Lisle, Illinois 60532-2164 

Sister Celine Laketek, OSB

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Sister Celine was born in Chicago, the fifth of six children.  She had two brothers and three sisters.  Her parents were both immigrants from Czechoslovakia.  Her family grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago, a community at that time that was closely connected with the church.  Celine’s aunt and a cousin were Benedictines and that’s how she came to be introduced to the monastery.  She was taught by the Benedictine Sisters at St. Vitus School and she attended Sacred Heart Academy, along with her younger sister. 

Sister Celine was attracted to the Sisters’ spirit, kindness, generosity and prayer life and entered the community in August of 1937.  Two of her brothers, Fathers Victor and Gilbert (deceased) were members of the nearby abbey.

Sister Celine earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University and  masters of Library Science from Rosary College.  She taught both elementary and high school in Chicago,  Glen Ellyn, Cicero, and Lisle and she served as principal of Queen of Peace in Wichita Falls, Texas.  Later, she was librarian at St. Joan of Arc in Lisle.  For sixteen years, Sister Celine served as Formation Directress, then as Sub-Prioress and House Coordinator.  In 1981, she earned an LPN degree from Hinsdale Hospital and took courses in gerontology from St. Mary of the Woods College, qualifying her to minister among the sick and elderly members of the community. 

For the past ten years, Sister Celine has been the community Archivist and just loves it.  For the centennial celebration, she created a history of the community in pictures.  She is currently working on a volume called “As it is…” capturing the monastery and grounds prior to the Villa St. Benedict construction and the monastery renovation.  She is also training two of the other Sisters to take over the library and archives work that she so capably manages. 

Sister Celine is involved in the Golden Agers at St. Joan of Arch Parish and enjoys her frequent outings with the Lisle Park District.

She remains hopeful about the future and is particularly pleased that the community’s decision to co-sponsor Villa St. Benedict will mean that Lisle will continue to have the unique four Benedictine corners at Maple Avenue and Yackley.

 

Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery
1910 Maple Avenue
Lisle, IL 60532-2164
(630) 969-7040
Fax (630) 969-4839

webmaster@shmlisle.org.