News Release

IHM Sister inducted into UDM's Hall of Honor
Oct. 24, 2011

IHM Sister Frances Mlocek, one of the first woman certified public accountant in Michigan, was recently inducted into the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) Hall of Honor.

The Hall of Honor recognizes those individuals associated with the College of Business Administration at the University of Detroit Mercy who have exemplified the mission of the college, demonstrated the Jesuit and Mercy traditions of service to others and have distinguished themselves in their careers and personal lives. The honorees have made enduring contributions to their professions, to society and to the college. In addition to Sister Mlocek, others inducted this year include Roman S. Gribbs, former Mayor of the City of Detroit; Samuel J. Logan Jr., publisher, Michigan Chronicle/FrontPage; and Marcellus "Marc" Stepp, United Auto Workers (UAW).

After passing her CPA exam in 1959, Sister Mlocek served as an accountant for the IHM congregation and as an internal auditor for the Archdiocese of Detroit before moving to Washington, D.C. There, she was the assistant to the executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), attentive to the financial issues of 600 women's religious communities throughout the United States. She was instrumental in drafting the first uniform accounting manual for religious orders within the Catholic Church.

She later became the finance director for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/U.S. Catholic Conference (NCCB/USCC), serving as a consultant to the bishops on financial issues and helping develop guidelines for socially and ethically responsible investing practices. Sister Mlocek served as president of the District of Columbia Institute of Certified Public Accountants and also played a major role in establishing the Tri-Conference Retirement Project, a joint effort of the bishops and men's and women's religious communities.

She has twice testified before a United States Senate committee regarding Social Security benefits for religious communities. In 1972, she presented the case for including religious orders in the Social Security system. In 1981, she urged the committee to postpone the effective date for eliminating minimum Social Security benefits for 10 years for the religious communities that had only recently entered the system.

In 1994, Sister Mlocek was elected chief financial officer for her congregation, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Monroe, Mich., a position she held until 2006. She currently ministers in the Monroe County Guardian Office.

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