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 Sr. Ruth Caspar, OP
(Sr.
George Marie)
Golden Jubilarian
50 years (July 9, 1957)
Celebrating 50 years as a vowed Dominican, Sr. Ruth Caspar (formerly Sr. George Marie) has served the Church in a life that has embraced the Dominican Order's value of study, contemplation, and sharing the fruits of those efforts with others.
In the several years after her first profession of vows, Sr. Ruth was a junior-high level teacher, serving in the Columbus Diocese at St. James the Less, Christ the King, and St. Mary of the Springs Academy and in the Pittsburgh Archdiocese at St. William. Upon earning a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 1968, she joined the faculty of Ohio Dominican College (now University) where she served in the Department of Philosophy until her retirement in 2003. She chaired the department from 1973 through 1992, was granted tenure in 1975, and was named Professor Emeritus of Philosophy in 2003.
While she enjoyed teaching college, Sr. Ruth also appreciated her sabbatical periods, when she had more opportunity to study philosophy and publish in the field. During one sabbatical period, her work focused on bioethics, a relatively new subject in secular society at that time but with a rich history in the Catholic tradition. Her interest and expertise in the field grew over time and she soon began work as a consultant in bioethics. From 1983 to 1996, she worked in that capacity with Mt. Carmel Health in Columbus and today she continues her work on the Ethics Committee of Mother Angeline McCrory Manor. In addition to her publications and speaking engagements on bioethics, Sr. Ruth has also served on the Ethics Committee and the former St. Francis-St. George Hospital (Cincinnati, 1983-92), the Medical-Moral Committee of the Catholic Conference of Ohio (1984-96), and the Human Subjects Review Policy Coordinating Committee at Ohio State University (1984-86, 1990-96). Her background in the field has also served her well as a member of the Board of Trustees for both Mohun Health Care Center (1999-2006) and St. Joseph Home in Westerville (1979 to present).
In addition to her undergraduate teaching and expertise in bioethics, Sr. Ruth also is known for her promotion of Dominican charism and spirituality. From 1996 to 1998, she helped create a video series in conjunction with Barry University, Miami, highlighting the lives and values of various Dominican saints.
Now officially retired, Sr. Ruth continues to serve St. Mary of the Springs in various roles. She recently edited and published a history of the congregation and is currently working on a collaborative project with Dominican Sisters from elsewhere in the country. |
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