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United States Province
Homecoming Memories
Sister Shirley Forbes
Class of 1949
After our first year in the Novitiate, it was "house-cleaning" time. This happened in May before retreats began. Sister Chiara and I were assigned to a fourth-floor bathroom. After scrubbing the floor we proceeded to spread newspaper on the floor of the bath compartments. Having just completed a "cloistered" first year, I was keenly interested in a comic section, which I enjoyed reading -- on my knees! Loudly, I said to Sister Chiara while I was laughing, "Chiara, isn't this funny? It's real too!" No response! Then I peeked my head out of the compartment and I saw black shoes! From the bottom up, I looked into Sister Archelaus' eyes. Fortunately, she thought I was pretty funny, too! And I knew why Chiara was silent!
I was one of the first group of sisters to experience the "Living Aware Program." Because I had six years of Latin and four years of French, I was told that it would be easy to learn another Romance Language. One week remained before I was to leave for Costa Rica. For five days I went to the motherhouse for two hours daily and I was given a Spanish dictionary. Classes began at 6:30 a.m. in Santa Clara but the day of classes ended at 1:00 p.m. It was only then that we had the opportunity to eat. This schedule was a huge difference from that at Pius XI High School! To say the least, I was famished by 1:00 p.m. After the students were gone I rushed up the stairs to the convent. As I passed a few teachers on the way I said, "Estoy HOMBRE" and someone responded "en su casa?" I said "si" and continued running upstairs. When I arrived in the dining room, the sisters and lay faculty were roaring with laughter! I thought "Estoy Hombre" meant that I'm hungry. I actually said that "I have a man in my room!" And so I learned "Estoy Hombre" means I have a man and "Estoy HAMBRE" means I'm hungry.
Sister Mary Jane Wagner
A Formation Story from the 1960s
When I became a postulant (at age 23) in the fall of 1966, along with 62 other young women, I wondered how I would deal with the restrictions of this new way of life for me. I had just completed a year of study in Europe during which time I was free to travel as much as my Fulbright budget allowed. While I was eager to embrace this life choice, I felt some trepidation about the transition it required of me. At our first “house meeting,” the directresses – Sisters Francesca and Modesta – told us that our life together would have just one rule: “To love one another as God has loved you.” Hmmm, thought I and as I soon found out, many others wondered as well. The understanding was that if any problem or difficulty arose, we were each responsible to bring it forward to the group. Through discernment about the problem or difficulty we would come to agreement about how to deal with it. My experience of postulancy was amazing. We learned a lot about community life. We sang a lot. We prayed in an array of ways, both personal and communal. We cried too. We grew in friendship and through struggle. Besides the regular academic work, we had weekend studies about social justice, prayer, the church and especially the meaning and ramifications of Vatican II, ministry and mission. Oh yes, that fall a new rule of life came out: Response in Faith. And soon thereafter, the Tau cross, designed by a sister from our European province. These were exciting times and I was happy.
Sister Ruth Brings
Remembering Novice Life
When we were novices, we would be talking when we were supposed to be quiet. The novice directress, Sr. Angeline (Mary Dickman) would come long and rattle her beads (to let us know she was coming). The novices would suddenly start praying out loud #6 - Hail Mary, full of grace…#7, - Hail Mary, full of grace… pretending we had been praying along.
A Story from Sister Rosetta Knaus “It was my privilege to become a waker – a person who brings the whole community to life early each morning. I would get up around 3:30 a.m., dress and wake up the head cooks. Early one morning, I tipped the big bell calling all the sisters, novices, postulants, and aspirants to prayer. What was I to do? I just couldn’t get it back. I ran for a ladder and a hammer for the opening prayer taps. What an experience!”
This story was submitted by Sister Ruth Brings on behalf of Sister Rosetta who died on February 6, 2009.