Prayer helps Sister Michelle Marie maintain balance

Sister Michelle Marie Kuntscher, IWBS, baptized Elizabeth Ann, was born Nov. 14, 1942, to Frank John Kuntscher and Margaret Marie Remlinger Kuntscher in Riviera, Texas.

Her early education took place at Our Lady of Consolation School in Vattman, staffed by Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. Her education continued at Riviera High School and later at Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi.

She graduated from IWA in May 1960 and entered the convent in September of the same year. During formation years she attended Mary Immaculate College and later graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.

On entering the Congregation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, she joined her great aunt, Sister Mary Ange Remlinger, and her sibling, Sister Mary Julianne Kuntscher. Her paternal aunt, Sister Mary Clement Kuntscher, a Sister of Mercy, was also happy to welcome her niece to the ranks of religious life.

Sister Michelle Marie made her first profession of vows in 1963 and professed perpetual vows on Aug. 14, 1966.

Sister Michelle Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in English/Journalism from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, and a master’s degree in English from Texas A&M University, College Station.

Her ministry experiences include teaching in Catholic schools in the dioceses of Brownsville and Corpus Christi. She began teaching seventh and eighth graders at St. Patrick School in Corpus Christi, and later met her St. Patrick graduates at Incarnate Word Academy, where she taught English, theology and journalism.

In addition to teaching at Villa Maria and Incarnate Word Junior High Schools in Brownsville, Sister Michelle Marie served in diocesan communications there. She supported and served Texas migrants who traveled to Minnesota for summer employment in the sugar beet industry. She fulfilled a dream of being a missionary during her two years of mission work in Oaxaca, Mexico, with the Congregation of the Religious of the Incarnate Word from Mexico City.

On her return from Mexico, she returned to teaching at Incarnate Word Academy and helped with the initiation of the Incarnate Word Associate program in Corpus Christi. She served with Msgr. Louis Kihneman in the diocesan vocations office and was congregational vocation director before her first term as Superior General.

Membership in numerous commissions and committees of the congregation has been ongoing for Sister Michelle Marie. She served as a delegate in many general chapters of the congregation; in 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012 she was elected Superior General of the Congregation of Sisters of the Incarnate Word. Her work on committees and boards include Fannie Bluntzer Nason Renewal Center, Inc. and Incarnate Word Academy (Corpus Christi) Board of Directors; Diocesan Centennial Planning Committee; and the Texas Tri-Conference Committee of Bishops and Major Superiors.

For years she also volunteered support for Metro Ministries, The ARK Assessment Center and the Mother Teresa Shelter.

Sister Michelle Marie describes her responsibilities as congregational leader as trust in God’s plan for the congregation; communication of hope for the future of consecrated life in the Church; appreciation, understanding and articulation of the Incarnate Word charism and mission; stewardship of resources through cooperation, collaboration and solidarity with other religious communities and support and cooperation with the ecclesial and civic community.

“Prayer and closeness to nature helps me maintain a healthy balance in carrying out these responsibilities in a spirit of loving obedience and faith in God’s plan for me and for the congregation,” Sister Michelle Marie said.