Sister Spotlight-Sister Marie Flusche

Sister Anna Marie Flusche’s career has been marked by her remarkable artistic gifts and faithful ministry. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Sister Anna Marie always knew she wanted to be a sister. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a sister. And my parents encouraged me.” When she began to seriously discern her vocation after high school graduation, she met with another difficult decision—which order to join.

Although she had several great aunts and cousins who were Sisters of the Divine Providence, Sister Anna Marie felt called to do something different. She found the Dominican Sisters of Houston through a mail-order catalogue entitled The Guide to Sisterhoods of the United States. After many long discussions around the dinner table with her family, a visit to Houston, and a meeting with the Mother General, her decision to enter was made. 

Throughout Sister Anna Marie’s career, her creative talents, especially her gift for organ performance, have touched the lives of her students and parishioners. Though Sister Anna Marie had played the piano for years prior, it was not until her time in the Novitiate that she was first introduced to organ music. One day during a piano lesson at the motherhouse, her teacher asked her if she was interested in learning to play the organ as well. At first, she wasn’t sure, but it quickly grew into a lifelong passion of hers. “I thought organists just played for Benediction…. I found out that there is a whole lot more to the organ.”

After making her first vows, Sister Anna Marie began her ministerial career teaching music classes at St. Christopher’s School in Houston, Texas. Just a few years later, she was named chair of the music department at St. Agnes Academy, also in Houston. While at St. Agnes, she assisted in the restoration of the school’s pipe organ. This sparked her interest in organ building. She has since written extensively on religious organ builders, a topic that combines her religious and musical vocations. Throughout her career, she has published several articles on the subject and her book The Life and Legend of Gerbert of Aurillac: The Organbuilder Who Became Pope Sylvester II.

In 1969, Sister Anna Marie earned her bachelor’s degree from Dominican College in Liturgical Music and began serving as an organist at local parishes. She received a master’s degree from North Texas State University (now The University of North Texas), and in 1995, she became the first person to earn a doctorate in organ performance at Rice University. She has also served as organist for St. Michael Church, St. Christopher Church, and Hosanna Lutheran Church, all located in Houston. 

Throughout her career, Sister Anna Marie dedicated herself to her craft. She has served in several leadership positions in the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and has given recitals throughout Texas and in Oklahoma, Florida, and Wisconsin. She has also published several articles and given presentations on her research on religious organ builders throughout the United States. 

Currently, Sister Anna Marie serves as the organist at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Houston. She also assists with liturgies at the motherhouse. In addition to playing the organ and piano at community Masses, she directs the sisters’ handbell choir, which performs on special occasions. When she’s not preparing for liturgies, Sister Anna Marie can be found engaging in other creative pursuits. At present, she is researching and writing a screenplay on Saint Dominic and Bishop Folc of Toulouse. Based on her research for this project, she has also begun a series of talks for the community entitled, “Bet You Didn’t Know This About Dominic!”