Victory Noll Sisters
1900 W. Park Dr.
P.O. Box 109,
Huntington, IN 46750-0109
phone
260-356-0628 - fax
260-358-1504

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Our founder, Father John Joseph Sigstein, was a man of prayer, vision, and action with great love and compassion for poor and oppressed peoples. He was driven by his sense of being part of God’s Mission, and by his devotion to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Victory.

While visiting in the Southwest, he was distressed by the poverty and by the many problems and needs of people that were not being addressed by any existing religious congregation. Fr. Sigstein founded Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters to meet some of those needs in the areas of religious education, social services and health care among the poor from a personal non-institutional perspective.

This ministry called for creative, daring and innovative women who knew how to translate dreams and prayers and visions into actions. It all began in 1922 with Julia Doyle and Marie Benes, our first two members, and continues today into the twenty-first century.

Growth of the new congregation was advanced by Archbishop John Francis Noll, through the national publication he founded and published, Our Sunday Visitor. Through his generosity the Central House, Victory Noll, was built in Huntington, IN, and named for Our Lady of Victory and Archbishop Noll. Both John Joseph Sigstein and John Francis Noll shared responsibility for the founding and growth of the community of the Victory Noll Sisters, each in his own way.

Victory Noll, Huntington, Indiana

One of Fr. Sigstein’s favorite mottos was:

“Meet modern needs with modern means.”

This motto has shaped our evolution as a congregation from the way we dress, to the way we live in community and minister among the “people of God.”

Will Frey, a friend and co-worker of Fr. Sigstein in Chicago, assisted our first Sisters in New Mexico. He was a versatile handyman and shared his gifts and talents with the Sisters and the people among whom they lived and worked. Will was our first Associate, working in partnership with the Sisters and the people, working together to continue the mission of Jesus.

Since working with the poor was a priority of this new congregation, Fr. Sigstein set up a network of Associates across the country who were to raise funds that would help the Sisters with their own survival needs. These groups of Associates would also send food, clothing and religious goods to be distributed among the families and children in need.

From the beginning Father Sigstein was an image breaker with his resistance to the traditional habit. Our original dress was referred to as a uniform, without traditional rosary hanging from the belt, veil completely covering hair or hem to the floor. Many attempts were made to change the image of Victory Noll Sisters to bring them into line with a more conventional picture of women religious. 

Criticism and objections that the Sisters met with in the 1930’s and following decades – that they could not be real religious because of certain externals that were innovative – sounds quaint and trivial now; but remember this was still long before Vatican II.

Vatican II called for a return to the original spirit of the founder, guided by the changed conditions in the Church and world. What was obsolete, irrelevant in the modern world, was to be discontinued.

Father Sigstein and Archbishop Noll are buried in the cemetary at Victory Noll. Usually Bishops are buried in their Cathedral but Archbishop Noll felt that he would get more prayers here. This photo was taken by Sister Martin Ksycki, OLVM.

More of Father Sigstein’s mottos:

“Pioneers as we are in the work of our Blessed Lady of Victory,
we must blaze a path that is straight and true. . .
faithful to our original foundation.”

“Remember to keep yourself always in the Presence of God.”

“All for Jesus through Mary.”

“Have a smile for all even when your own heart is heavy.”

“Go to the poorest first. Always have preference for them.”

“Always keep your first fervor.”

The Habit
by Sister Melanie Persche, OLVM

More often than you think, we are asked why we gave up wearing the habit. Even after thirty-five years of not wearing a habit, it is still a topic that stirs interest.

This photo, circa 1950, shows the Apostolic Delegate (left), Archbishop Noll (right) and the Leadership Team.

Way back when, habits did not start out as “habits.” Most congregations of women were founded to fill an evident need of the times. They saw orphans on the street, girls not getting an education or sick who couldn’t afford medical care. There were many needs that no one was addressing, so they formed groups of dedicated women who did the work. They usually wore simple clothing. There was nothing that distinguished them from other women of their day.

As we know, fashions change. Keeping up with the styles was not a value for these women. They kept on wearing their simple clothes and so, over the years, these clothes became habits. That is a brief history.

In the eyes of the faithful, habits became signs of dedication and were recognizable symbols. Many congregations could be identified by their unique veils. Sisters were recognized in public places, held in esteem and often given preference (free tickets, best seats, etc.). On the other hand, the clothing could also be a barrier, keeping people at a distance because we were so “different” or considered more “holy.”

With the renewal in the Church, Sisters were among the first groups to change. We returned to the simple dress of the people, did not ask for preferential treatment and wanted to be approachable. If clothing or unrealistic schedules were a barrier, we did away with it. Most Sisters kept some sign of dedication. For us, it’s the medal of Our Lady of Victory. We did not abandon everything. The basic values are still important to us: simplicity of life, love of God and service of God’s people. We do this as a group, supporting each other and trying to be faithful to God’s call.

The 2004-2008 OLVM Leadership Team in modern dress. Left to right,
Sisters Melanie Persche, Jeanette Halbach, Mary Jo Nelson and Lucille Martínez.

Editorial Comment: Since our founding our habits have differed from most congregations. "'They can't be real Sisters,' people would say of the Catechists. 'Their hair shows, they don't have a rosary hanging from their belts, they use their family name, they go around visiting homes when other Sisters are in school. They even drive cars!' These were some of the criticisms that the Sisters met with in the early days of their existence." Excerpt from The Story of Victory Noll.