Notre Dame Sister Stephanie Matcha Celebrates 60th Jubilee of Religious Life : Notre Dame Sisters

Notre Dame Sister Stephanie Matcha Celebrates 60th Jubilee of Religious Life

For Immediate Release (June 11, 2025) Omaha, NE – The Notre Dame Sisters announce the 60th Jubilee of Sister Stephanie Matcha, a woman whose life of faith, compassion, and service has touched countless lives in Omaha and beyond.

Born on March 3, 1944, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Louis and Stella (Mucha) Matcha, Sr. Stephanie was raised in the vibrant Czech community of Assumption Parish in South Omaha. It was there—in a home known for sheltering both people and stray animals in need—that her vocation took root. Inspired by the faith and service -oriented Christian values of her family, parish priests, parishioners, and the example of the Notre Dame Sisters who taught her at Assumption Elementary, Sr. Stephanie chose a path of dedicated religious life marked by love, service and advocacy.

Over her six decades as a Notre Dame Sister, Sr. Stephanie has served in a variety of ministries as:

Teacher of biology, religion, and art at Notre Dame Academy, Roncalli Catholic in Omaha, and Neumann High School in Wahoo
Associate Director of the Omaha Archdiocesan Urban Permanent Diaconate Program
Coordinator of Lay Ministries and Pastoral Minister at Mary Our Queen Parish
Program Director for the Notre Dame Sisters Renewal Center
Counselor for the Boys Town National Hotline
Member of the Notre Dame Sisters Provincial Team

Perhaps most notably, Sr. Stephanie has spent some 30 years ministering at the Siena Francis House Homeless Shelter in Omaha, where she continues to volunteer in her retirement. Her deep faith that God hears the cry of the poor and what we give will return to us has been affirmed through countless moments of grace throughout her years there, including the now-legendary “Blanket Story.” It happened on a cold winter afternoon when an elderly man came to the shelter requesting a blanket to use in his frigid apartment. The staff member in charge refused to give him a blanket, reasoning they only had 47 blankets and the staff had to bed down 150 homeless residing in the shelter that night. Sr. Stephanie responded to the staff member that they were out of blankets because they were not giving them away when someone was in need. She explained that it is God’s job to supply more blankets. Reluctantly the staff member gave the man a blanket. It was 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon and the staff member informed Sr. Stephanie that more blankets would be needed at 8:30 p.m. when he “bed downs” the guys. Sr. Stephanie responded with, “God has six hours to get us more blankets.” During this transaction the phone rang, and the caller, a Lutheran Minister, asked for Sr. Stephanie. He stated that his Church had just completed a blanket drive. He asked Sister if the shelter could use 250 blankets. God did certainly hear the cry of the poor that night!

Sr. Stephanie’s commitment to those experiencing homelessness and addictions has earned her numerous accolades, including:

The Good Neighbor Spirit of the Midwest Award (1990) from the Omaha World-Herald and Knights of Aksarben
The Horace Award for Outstanding Service to the Community (2018)
The MACCH (Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless) Servant Leadership Award (2019)

In reflecting on her life’s journey, Sr. Stephanie shares, “For the past 60 years as a Notre Dame Sister, I am grateful for sharing life in community with prayerful, dedicated women. We continue to live our Founder’s Charism—reaching out to the poor, the marginalized, and those with unmet needs. We are women of faith who are making a difference.”

As she celebrates her Jubilee, Sr. Stephanie stands as a witness to the Notre Dame Sisters’ mission and the call to serve where the needs are greatest.

About The Notre Dame Sisters
We are a group of consecrated Catholic women dedicated to serving God, each other and our world. Through our service and ministries, we strive to meet the unmet needs of those in our community and throughout the world. As we continue to respond to the call of Christ as women of faith and prayer, we commit ourselves to building a world Christian community in joyful, loving service to others. We have served in Omaha for more than 100 years, mostly as educators, nurses, and social workers.