Celebrating Sister Karen Durliat’s Golden Jubilee

This past June, the Sisters of St. Benedict gathered in joyful celebration as Sister Karen Durliat marked her Golden Jubilee of Monastic Profession, celebrating 50 years of faithful Benedictine life.

During the Jubilee liturgy, Sister Karen renewed the vows she first professed five decades ago, reaffirming her lifelong commitment to seeking God through prayer, community, and service. The celebration beautifully reflected her ministry and the people she has served over the years. Hymns were sung in both English and Spanish, and the Scripture readings were proclaimed in both languages, honoring the Hispanic communities that have been such an important part of her life’s work.

Sister Karen entered the Ferdinand Benedictine community in 1974 after being drawn to the warmth, hospitality, and spirit of the Sisters. Over the past 50 years, her ministry has taken her to classrooms and parishes throughout Indiana, as well as to Guatemala, where she spent more than two years immersed in the language, culture, and faith of the people she served.

Her time in Guatemala deepened a calling that had long been on her heart—a desire to minister alongside Hispanic communities. The experience shaped her ministry for decades to come and strengthened her appreciation for the many ways different cultures enrich the Church.

After returning to Indiana, Sister Karen served in Hispanic ministry for the Diocese of Evansville, eventually becoming its Director of Hispanic Ministry. Today, she continues her mission as Director of Religious Education at St. Patrick Parish in Indianapolis, where a congregation that is more than 90 percent Hispanic gathers to worship. There, she accompanies children, families, and adults as they prepare for the sacraments and grow in their relationship with Christ.

Whether serving in a classroom, a mission community, or a parish, Sister Karen has always approached her ministry with compassion, openness, and a genuine love for the people she serves. Her willingness to embrace new cultures and build meaningful relationships has touched countless lives over the past five decades.

As we celebrate Sister Karen’s Golden Jubilee, we give thanks for her remarkable witness to Benedictine life and for her unwavering commitment to sharing God’s love with others. Her 50 years of faithful service remind us that a life rooted in prayer, hospitality, and community can have an extraordinary impact across generations.

Please join us in congratulating Sister Karen on this wonderful milestone and thanking God for the many blessings her ministry has brought to our community, our Church, and all those she has served.