During this season of Resurrection joy, Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Patricia Sevcik reflects on her call to Consecrated Life. It is a good story of God’s presence amid service and relationships. Is God calling you in much the same way today?
On a lovely Sunday in the summer of 1959, help was needed at the burger booth at the Holy Rosary Parish Picnic held in the County Park of Kewaunee. Wisconsin. I offered to cut onions and spent some time crying as a result of the “fumes” rising from the onions. Later, two classmates who had graduated from grade school with me in June, said that Father Mike (pastor) offered to take them to Holy Family Convent to tour on the following Sunday. They asked if I would like to go along. I said, “Yes, I would.” We were met by several Sisters there who were college students. By the end of the tour, they dropped us off at the office of Sister Una. Soon, she was measuring us for uniforms, and giving us lists of things to bring on our entry date to Holy Family Academy in September. This was a surprise since I had never told my parents I wanted to go to the academy and then enter the Community.
Sister Michael Majeskie was my first-grade teacher. She was so loving and kind that the small seed of a vocation to Religious Life began to grow in me. God had some special plans for me. I had just one Lay teacher during Grade School. The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity were such a good example for me, I had no doubts about entering the Convent. My Mom was surprised when I told her of my desire as she was preparing supper one evening. She was quiet for a while but I knew she and Dad would be supportive. Though I was 13 years old, I would turn 14 in September.
Many times, as the years flew by, I thought of how God was close to me through all of my education, life in Community and the Ministry I enjoyed over the years. I was privileged to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, Chaplaincy training, and an alcohol and drug Counselor. There were times of fear and apprehension at various times of new beginnings at different missions and periods of loss. It helped to pack up my sense of humor, trust and love of God, and to remember that there was a lot to learn yet in life, even to coping with cancer. Annual retreats, daily Mass and the Sacraments, periods of quiet and prayer, drew me closer to God and my Sisters.
The opportunity to spend time with my siblings, visit with them here, and spend home visits with them for a week or two, helped me to get to know them so much better than when we were all younger. My love for each of them keeps growing. Happenstance brought me to become a resident of St. Rita Health Care Center. Here, we all receive wonderful care from all of our staff. Medical and Dental care are provided as well. God has helped me in so many ways over the years. His providence gave me inspiration in many tight spots in life. These 60 years of vowed life have given me the opportunity to accept and share many blessings with others an important part of my current mission is to pray for everyone, to lift them up for their spiritual, physical, emotional, mental and social needs.
Hopefully, you like the photos included here, smile and remember the “Good Ole Days.” There are so many happy memories in my life and I am thankful to each of you, my family, my Sisters in Community and God for every good memory and event. May God continue to add good health and wonderful joy to each and all of us as we celebrate life going forward! God bless you all!
[See image gallery at fscc-calledtobe.org]
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