Anita M. Caspary, IHM (November 4, 1915 in Herrick, South Dakota – October 5, 2011 in Los Angeles, California) was an American former religious sister and later the president of an ecumenical Christian community. Under her leadership as Mother General, over 300 sisters relinquished their canonical status as Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and formed the new Immaculate Heart Community of California. Caspary and her former IHM sisters organized the new Immaculate Heart Community as an independent religious entity. They are a religious community without any official church affiliation. The majority remained lay Catholics. In addition to her leadership role with the Immaculate Heart Community, Caspary was president of Immaculate Heart College (1958–63), English professor, popular teacher and lecturer, published author and poet. Acknowledged as a transformative leader in the post Vatican II Catholic Church, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine, February 23, 1970. Biography An excellent teacher, advisor, and mentor, Anita quickly was selected for graduate studies. She received a master’s degree in English from the University of Southern California (1942) and a doctorate in English from Stanford University (1948). Graduate studies introduced new worlds to Anita. Learning the art of reasoned argument, experiencing a diversity of opinions, prepared her well for the life of a college professor. One student wrote, “her observations were of great value as I plotted my life's path, and her insight into where I might fit in life was right on the mark, as it turned out.” Returning from Stanford she rose quickly in the ranks of academic leadership to chair of the English department (1950) and graduate dean of the college. She envisioned a scholarly life in English literature and Catholic intellectual life in the IHM community. In 1957, Anita was appointed president of Immaculate Heart College. Known for excellence in the liberal arts, IHC was considered the progressive Catholic college in the west. Under her leadership and with a young and energetic faculty, IHC gained a national reputation for creativity and innovative methods. She attended the Presidents’ Professional Association Management Course for Presidents and received a certificate of participation in 1964. In 1966 she received a certificate of completion from the American Management Association’s Executive Action Course. In both management training programs, she was a rare women participant In 1963 Anita was elected Mother General of the Immaculate Heart Sisters, and led the community in the renewal