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Sister Judith Frederick grew up with Sisters of Notre Dame in her school and parish in Fremont, OH, so when she heard the call, there was no question where she belonged. She entered Sisters of Notre Dame in Toledo, OH after high school. “I was familiar with the Sisters of Notre Dame and admired the…

Sister Bernadette Schafer’s oldest sister was a Sister of Notre Dame. With a 10-year age difference, however, Sister Bernadette says she didn’t know her very well. She was only three when her sister left for the convent. When Sister Bernadette was in the eighth grade, her teacher asked her if she wanted to be a…

SOAR! recently spoke with Sister Mary of the Redemption, a founding member of the Sisters of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in Corpus Christi, Texas. She shares her story below.   What attracted you to become a Sister and how did you come to be a founding member of the SOLT community?   I met…

When Sister Diane Brin, CSJ reflects on her 66 years as a Sister of St. Joseph of Concordia, Kansas, she sees a lifetime filled with service and compassion.   “What first drew me to religious life was the example of my very religious mother and the influence of the Sisters of St. Joseph,” she said.  Those early inspirations led…

Father Richard Walz, OSB always knew that he wanted to be a priest. “Incredibly, I was blessed to reach that goal,” he said. “However, the longer I have been a monk, the more I realize that what I really wanted was to be a religious in a community. I have been doubly blessed to find…

For Sister Donna Otter, the call to religious life came early, and never wavered. “For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a Sister,” she said.   Sister Donna was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph from first grade through college, and her two sisters had already entered the congregation — it seemed like that was her natural path.  But then her…

SOAR! recently had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Sister Margaret about her years in religious life as a member of the Sisters of Charity of New York.  What attracted you to become a Sister? As I recall my many years as a religious and reflect on what attracted me to become a Sister, so…

Teacher, principal, campus minister and chaplain. Award-winning writer, photographer, organist and world traveler. All are part of Sister Mary Francis Gangloff’s experiences during her 67 years as a Sister of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. “The kindness of my elementary and high school teachers inspired me. They were Sisters of St. Francis,” she says….

Sister Joachima Mystkowska is a Missionary Sister of St. Benedict in Huntington, NY (above).  She grew up in a family grounded in faith, prayer and action. “We would pray the Rosary together,” Sister Joachima said, “and my mother always showed us the importance of being helpful and caring for those who had less.”  She shared…

Born and raised in San Francisco, CA, I was the oldest of four children. As a youngster, I attended Catechism classes (then known as CCD) and I appreciate the Sisters who, along with my family, encouraged my faith and helped me learn more about Jesus and his ministry. At 14, I entered the minor seminary…