Mary and Dale Foskett 

On my bedroom wall is a plaque by L.L. Lawton that says, “I shall pass through this way but once … If there be any kindness I can show, or any good I can do for my fellow men, let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.” That has been a driving force all my life.

My life’s journey has taken several twists and turns to this Jubilee Year. The greatest influence was my mother, who was deeply religious. The family recited the rosary every night on our knees. Her love for the sisters at the parish at St. Cloud, Wisconsin, was evident in sharing fruits and vegetables from the farm. I have vivid recollections of her mending clothes on the sewing machine for the family of 12. So today, at our parish of St. Matthias, we are sewing sleeping bags for the homeless.

Having been a School Sister of St. Francis for 20 years, I have developed a love for teaching. Doing child care after school is a natural for me.

A major twist in my journey was meeting my husband, Dale, also an Associate. Since we were unable to have children, the next option was to adopt through Lutheran Social Services. Our social worker presented us with information on 12 children waiting for adoption. Dale and I reviewed the information that we were given, discussed our personal wishes for beginning a family, and chose Jay, a two-year-old child. We were pleased, and after several years, we decided to adapt Maria, who was six years old at the time. These children opened a whole new world for us.

As Associates, we became very aware of the number of sisters from India who were coming to the United States to be either a sacristan in our chapel or nurses at Sacred Heart to minister with our retired sisters. At one point we were reading our community’s Alive publication and noticed a picture and article about the great need for clean water in the retaining tanks. After visiting India in 1997, there was no turning back for Dale and myself. For us, the School Sisters of St. Francis prompted a new mission: We had to make every effort to finance the digging of wells to supply fresh water and support schools in India.

This gave birth to the Easter Basket project that our family, other associates, and sisters have supported these past 20 years. Each year, we gather baskets and items to fill each basket to prepare these for sale at parishes and other locations.

As Dale and I remember these past 25 years, our hearts are full of gratitude for God’s blessings on this Jubilee Year.

Dale and Mary, we congratulate you on 25 years as associates, and thank you for your service to our School Sisters in both the United States and in India.