Sr. Julia Wilkinson

Sr. Julia Wilkinson, OSB, 80, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kansas, died Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at the monastery. Mass of Resurrection will be Friday, November 10, 2006 at the Mount St. Scholastica Monastery at 10:30 A.M. Interment will follow in the monastic cemetery. A vigil service will be Thursday, November 9th at 7:00 P.M., also at the monastery. Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home, Atchison, is in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions are suggested to Mount St. Scholastica. Online condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, September 29, 1926, Sister Julia (and her twin, Jeanne) were the children of Edward B. and Mary Nelle Murphy Wilkinson. Sister Julia spent much of her life in study, teaching, counseling, and spiritual direction. She entered Mount St. Scholastica in 1954, having earned her Bachelors degree in sociology and Spanish and been a certified social worker for the Jackson County, Missouri welfare office. She transferred vows to Benet Hill Priory, Colorado Springs, between 1965-1969, and taught in Walsenburg and Antonito High Schools, in Colorado. When she returned to Atchison, she taught sociology at Bishop Lillis High School, Kansas City, Missouri and then joined the Benedictine College sociology department, Atchison, Kansas. She was named Teacher of the Year in 1978, and professor emerita when she retired from the college. She was a member of the American Sociological Association and supervised sociology internships and seminars. Sister Julia earned the Masters in sociology from St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, studied at Menningers, Topeka, Kansas, for work in marriage counseling, and took a sabbatical at the Jesuit Graduate School, Berkeley, California, to become a certified spiritual director at Sophia Center, Atchison. Sister Julia was a sought after spiritual director, directed the monasterys oblate program, and incorporated the twelve-step program in her retreats and direction. Her parents and her sister, Jeanne predeceased her. She is survived by her nephew, Tom Huckins, Topeka, KS, and two nieces, Cathy Bredahl, Topeka, KS, and Amy Schad, Castle Rock, CO and her monastic community.