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Sister Madonna Helmer of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand
Sister Madonna Helmer of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Indiana, died at 3:30 p.m.
on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at the Monastery in Ferdinand.
Sister Madonna was born Carolyn Ann Helmer on October 8, 1937, in Evansville, Indiana, the oldest
of four children of John E. Helmer and Lillian Ann (Schenk) Helmer. She entered the Sisters of St.
Benedict of Ferdinand in 1954 from Saint Boniface in Evansville, and made her monastic vows in 1956.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Judith Rose (Helmer) Debes, brother-in-law Elmer
A. Debes and brother-in-law Archibald C. Forman; her sister Mary Elizabeth (Helmer) Brenner and
brother-in-law Norbert H. Brenner; and her brother John Antone Helmer. She is survived by her nieces
and nephews and her religious family.
Sister Madonna earned her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Saint Benedict College in
Ferdinand, Indiana, and her Master of Music in Music Education from Catholic University of America
in Washington DC.
Sister Madonna worked for decades as a music teacher in schools across Indiana, including our own
Academy, and served as an organist and pianist at many of those schools as well. She served in many
different ministries with the Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, including the Vestment Department,
switchboard, as a mail clerk assistant, as a chauffeur, in the Gift Shop, and of course, in music ministry.
This year marked Sister Madonna’s 70 years of monastic profession.
Public visitation will be held in Marian Parlor at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand,
Indiana, on Thursday, September 3 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. EDT, and on
Friday, September 4 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EDT in the monastery church. A Vigil Service will be
held in the monastery church on Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Funeral Mass will be held on
Friday, September 4 at 4:30 p.m. EDT followed by burial in the monastery cemetery. The public may
view the Vigil Service and Funeral Mass at funeral.thedome.org. Rainey Funeral Home in Dale is in
charge of the arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand.