Sister Agnes Marie celebrates 75 years

Sister Agnes Marie Tengler celebrated 75 years of profession of vows as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament with a Mass at Incarnate Word Convent, Oct. 12. 
 
Sister Agnes Marie (Margaret Christine) Tengler was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Oct. 22, 1926, the daughter of August John Tengler and Agnes Cecilia Whelan Tengler.  She was educated by the Incarnate Word Sisters and belonged to Cathedral Parish. After completing high school at Incarnate Word Academy, Margaret entered the convent as a postulant on Feb. 2, 1944. Sister Agnes Marie made her first profession of vows on Aug. 6, 1945.
 
Sister Agnes Marie earned a bachelor's degree from Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, a master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and postgraduate work at the University of Texas in Austin. She has a long history of administration in both the congregation and school. She served as Superior General from 1968-1976 and then as Assistant General from 1976-1984. She served as principal of Incarnate Word Academy from 1962-1968, and then as registrar from 1976-1984, and again as principal from 1984-1992.
 
As Superior General, she was active in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, serving as secretary-treasurer for Region X11 in the seventies. She was appointed the Bishop’s Representative for Religious in the Diocese of Corpus Christi in 1976 and the Bishop’s representative to the Diocesan Development Commission, where she served as Chairperson. She also served on the Diocesan Pastoral Center Commission and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. In 1984 she received the Papal medal, Pro-Ecclesia El Pontifice, for outstanding service to the Church.
 
During her administration as principal, Incarnate Word Academy was named one of 64 private schools in the nation to win a United States Department of Education Excellence in Education Award. Sister received an award from the National Catholic Education Association in 1989 for her contribution to Catholic secondary education.
 
Her past involvement in the civic and diocesan communities includes membership on the Board of Directors to the Coastal Bend Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Red Cross Advisory Council, Educational Development Office, and Governance Task Force, Mission 2000.
 
Sister Agnes Marie has been dedicated to teaching CCD to public school students, coordinating programs, and teaching at Our Lady of Refuge, Refugio, St. Paul the Apostle, Corpus Christi, and Holy Cross Parish, Corpus Christi.
 
Sister has served on the Incarnate Word School Board of Directors in Corpus Christi, the Incarnate Word Academy Advisory Council, Brownsville, Region X11 Conference of Religious Treasurers, and Texas Coalition for Responsible Investment, Villa Maria Senior Citizen Community Board, and was president of the Corpus Christi Council of Religious.
 
An avid supporter of the Notre Dame football team, Sister Agnes Marie enjoyed watching the games and comparing notes with her brother, Monsignor Alvin Tengler. They both enjoy visiting over a game of cards with other sisters. She and Sister Catherine helped him host a New Year’s Party for the sisters every year. Her devotion to her only brother was most evident in the loving care she gave him in his final illness. Her devotion and service to her Sisters in the community was accompanied by a great sense of humor, a sharp mind, and willingness to help in any situation. Many Sisters in the community have known her as teacher, principal, registrar, formation director, superior general, secretary general, treasurer general and local superior, and appreciated her Incarnate Word witness in each of those roles.