A Day in the Life of a Sister
(continued)
...Before I leave for work I do the usual morning things like shower, eat, and check the weather so I know what the day might bring. No wise teacher goes into the classroom unarmed with prayer. I don’t either. Before leaving, I pray Morning Prayer from our Franciscan Prayer Book.
Teachers and students go to Mass every morning which is a nice way to start the day. I stay after school for an hour to help any students needing assistance with their homework. My goal is to help them become life-long learners. Frequently, on my way home I make stops to buy treats or supplies for my students and crickets for the fire belly toads in my science lab.
When I finally get home about 5:00, I usually wind down a little by watching ESPN (I’m a sports nut!) unless it’s my turn to cook dinner. My preferred way to cook is to fire up the grill when weather permits. I cook simply and keep dirty dishes to a minimum.
During the evenings I may do any number of activities: check papers, check sport scores, phone family and friends, mow the yard and water flowers, (I love plants and working with earth!), shovel snow, clean my room, do laundry, plan school Masses, watch some of my favorite programs like The Mentalist, and check e-mail. I also read community newsletters and keep updated on current issues and topics in the Church and religious life. The last thing I do religiously every night is skim the ESPN headlines and check on all the St. Louis sports teams.
Three of us Franciscan Sisters live in a duplex. Besides me, one Sister is a Director at a Retreat Center and the other Sister is Vice President of Mission Integration for a health system. This style of community enables us to share recreation, meals and Evening Prayer. We are also there for each other during times of joy and struggle. We participate in programs at St. Joseph Parish and volunteer often at the overflow homeless shelter.
A key part of my daily life I really appreciate is living in a community of Sisters who give me support in all I do. Not many people can say they have a hundred Sisters to help them out, or in my case, keep them in line!
Being a Sister is wonderful! As a Franciscan Sister I can bring a special spirit to students, faculty, neighbors and parishioners. That spirit is our unique community charism and mission.
