Sr. Annie Killian, OP, Assistant Professor of English at University of Notre Dame, made her final profession on August 3, 2025, at the Columbus Motherhouse Chapel, surrounded by family, friends, and students from Ohio Dominican University, where she once served as assistant professor. As she prepared for her Perpetual Vows, Sr. Annie envisioned a letter that her late mother would have given her on this special day. Her father, Dr. Thomas Killian (pictured right), read this letter to Annie as a blessing during the ceremony.

“Take courage, daughter, and boldly affirm the dignity of every person, gently insisting upon equal justice for all. In giving your whole self to God, may your life be a blessing for others, bringing peace and the sure knowledge that God Who Is Love truly dwells among us.” 

She wrote about the events leading up to her profession for Global Sisters Report, “I choose vowed commitment because I am ever more deeply aware of my own need and desire for transformation. Living the vows is the way I can most authentically listen, love and serve.”

Sisters Paula and Terri (left with Sr. Pat Twohill) made their first profession in the Motherhouse Chapel on August 17, 2025. Their families added a personal touch to the Eucharistic ceremony. Sr. Terri’s family members offered a song, and Sr. Paula’s daughter, Janelle, along with Sr. Terri’s young nieces and nephews, presented the offertory gifts.

The two sisters entered the Congregation as candidates in 2022.

Sr. Terri's vocation to religious life started with God's call, but she found a way to live a consecrated life and honor her love of the land. Sr. Terri says, "I yearned to live close to the land in a radical, communal way…I was drawn to the cultural diversity at the Dominican Sisters of Peace, the Congregation’s commitment to building peace, a focus on creativity and the energy that exists towards the future of religious life.” Sr. Terri now ministers as the Director of the Shepherd's Corner Ecology Center.

Sr. Paula says, “When my daughter was finally independent, I felt free to pursue the religious vocation that had always been a part of me...I was drawn to the Dominicans because of their joy, their ability to recognize the signs of the times and their ability to change to accommodate the needs of the times.”

After their professions, these sisters moved forward in their different ministries to enthusiastically live out the Dominican Charism, preaching the Gospel of Christ and spreading peace.

Each offers a rich life experience that will become part of the future of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, proof of the ongoing vitality of the Congregation and of Dominican Life.