Sr. Mariellen Phelps, OP, 98-years-old, a native of Wooster, Ohio, celebrates her 80th Jubilee as a Consecrated woman religious this year. She made her perpetual profession on August 26,1945, and served as an educator for almost 50 years. Following her ministry as a teacher, principal and religious educator/consultant at schools and parishes in Ohio and Colorado, she helped run children’s programs at Crown Point Ecology Center, a Dominican Sisters of Peace ecological ministry, for 20 years. Sr. Mariellen has always reverenced and treasured Earth, which is also one of the Dominican Sisters of Peace chapter statements, developed at their Chapter celebration in 2022.
Sr. Mariellen’s love for Earth was instilled at an early age by her family, “I was taught by my father to respect God’s creation, and I took this value to my vocation in the Dominican Order.” During her time as an educator, she initiated a program to help clean up trash in the Denver area, demonstrated against harmful policies that damaged the environment, and launched a recycling program in Akron, Ohio that high school students embraced and later managed.
Sr. Mariellen made her way to Crown Point in Bath, Ohio, in 1995, where she helped run children’s programs, including gardening, craft-making, and teaching young people to respect wildlife and the contributions they make to Earth.
“During my earlier days as a schoolteacher, many of the actions I was involved in to protect the environment weren’t widely accepted. I remember derogatorily being called a “tree hugger.”
“What I can say now, in 2025, we, as a congregation, are known and respected for our ecological ministries. We are moving past the days of only being known for developing schools. Now, we have many other ministries such as Crown Point, Shepherd’s Corner, and the Dominican Learning Center, where I also served as a tutor. I am fortunate to be a part of the continuing development of the Dominican Sisters of Peace.”
Sr. Mariellen continues to do her part to help. “I am still supportive of all the ministries and especially the ecological ministries – I contribute now by praying for them. All Sisters whose ministry is in prayer and presence are a mighty force. We pray for the success of the continued development of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, and we are hopeful for the future good things to come.”
Sr. Mariellen received her bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College in Cleveland and her master’s degree from the University of Colorado.