Dorothy Helbling was born on June 17, 1928, in St. Anthony, North Dakota. Her grandparents were homesteaders. The family came from Germany then migrated to Odessa, Russia. From there, they came to America. Her parents were Anton Erasmus and Matilda Helbling.
She was the second of four children. She had an older brother, Jack, a younger brother, William and a younger sister, Rose Marie. Dorothy was baptized on June 17, 1928, at St. Anthony, and was confirmed on May 9, 1937, at the same church.
Dorothy attended St. Anthony School and was taught by the Ursuline Sisters in elementary school. While in high school, she decided to enter the Ursulines. On July 2, 1946, she joined the Ursuline Order in Belleville, Ill. She spent three years in formation learning the mission and ministry of the Sisters. She studied vows, theology, scripture and prayer. On July 26, 1949, she made temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Later, on August 6, 1952, she made her final profession.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (1952), a master’s degree in education (1956) and a certificate in theology (1975) from St. Louis University. She also earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame (1962) and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis (1992).
Sister Dorothy taught at St. James School, Millstadt, Ill., (1952-1953), and Holy
Rosary School, Fairmont, Ill., (1953-1954). She taught in North Dakota at St. Mary High School, Bismarck (1954-1958), and Bishop Ryan High School in Minot (1958-1974).
From 1975-1983, she served as provincial superior of the Ursuline Sisters of Belleville, Ill. She was again elected superior of the community from 1983-1989 and again from 1995-2005. The Ursulines of Belleville merged with Mount Saint Joseph in 2005.
She was also in ministry as a retreat director at King’s House Retreat and Renewal Center, Belleville (1978-1986) and was on the staff of Liguori Publishing in Liguori, Mo. (1993-2003).
In 2011, Sister Dorothy moved to Mount Saint Joseph to retire. She prayed for sisters on mission and continued to help in any way she could. During her last years, she lived in her memories. She would talk about superior’s meetings and when asked how she was doing she would say she was on her way to a meeting.