About Community: A Group Conversation
Four sisters talk about living together in community
How do you experience community life?
Sister Maureen: When I lived in Portland, I was an outsider because I did not live at Providence Portland Convent. I found this a very supportive community and didn’t know what I would have done without the sisters there. They did so much for me. The sisters always took care of me and included me on all their feast days and dinners. They were very gracious and generous. Sister Judi: I was new to this community and I found the sisters to be very welcoming. We all had different schedules, yet we all scheduled our meals around each other. We all helped each other, too. If it was my turn to cook and I was working late, I knew I could call and ask Sister Germaine to put something in the oven. Community is about helping one another. Sister Germaine: I think I could say the same thing. I’ve been here more than 35 years. I’ve always been a nurse but now I am retired. I’m still very busy though with the ministry of hospitality. We have a lot of visitors and enjoy that very much. The sisters are always very helpful. I’ve always been happy as a Sister of Providence. Sister Jeanette: I think that an important part of community is spending time together and sharing. We make it a point to have vespers and have a meal together six times a week. After dinner we watch the news and discuss the events of the day. We always celebrate a feast day, jubilee, birthday or some special event.
Do you keep close contact with the other sisters in the area?
Sister Jeanette: Yes. We provide hospitality so are often called on to host groups of people, or other sisters who come to Portland. We’ve had Providence Associates come for meetings, as well as Provincial Council members. It’s a gathering place. Sister Germaine: The sisters on Irving Street (nearby) are very good about helping us out if we need a ride or something. They often offer to drive us and vice versa.
What are some of the challenges of community life, and how do you resolve them?
Sister Germaine: If we have a problem, we ask the opinion of the whole group on how to resolve it. Sister Jeanette: I think the challenge is not with the people, but with time and balancing that between a very busy ministry, community and family. I try to do justice to each one of them and it can be a struggle. The other sisters have been very supportive and I try to do my best. Sister Judi: Because the sisters are very busy, it was sometimes a challenge when we wanted to schedule something to do together. It was difficult to get our calendars out and find a time that was convenient for everyone.
After you entered, did you have any difficulties with the transition into religious life?
Sister Germaine: For me, the biggest challenge was after I made my novitiate in Montreal. I was asked to come to this country and didn’t know the English language. A lovely sister in Seattle helped me with my English, but it takes time to learn the language. Another thing for me that was difficult was we couldn’t visit our family until 10 years after we entered. This was the policy at that time. Sister Judi: The hardest transition for me was in the method of making decisions. I had been on my own and raised two kids alone, so I was the decision-maker. I never had to ask anyone when I did things. In community, things don’t work that way. It was a different way of operating and a way of being. Decisions take a little longer than when you’re on your own. So it took some getting used to. But I’ve found the value in that because you get a lot of input from other people. We need to listen to how God is speaking to us. Sister Jeanette: I think the way we make decisions in community now has changed, but we struggled so long to get where we are today. Discernment is a wonderful way to make decisions, especially when it’s in a prayerful atmosphere. We all talk to each other and discuss important matters. It’s prayerful, peaceful and wonderful.
Is communication pretty open here?
Sister Judi: People express themselves differently. So you get different points of view. Sister Jeanette: When we discern as a community the question is how will this decision affect the mission of our community? This is especially true when we make financial decisions. That’s important for us to keep in mind.
What do you enjoy the most about being a Sister of Providence?
Sister Germaine: I have always been happy as a sister. I enjoyed nursing – love the patients and people in healthcare. Sister Judi: I really enjoy the opportunity to share on a spiritual level with others. You can’t always do that in an everyday setting. You always have someone around who has the same charism. I have always fit and felt at home with the Sisters of Providence. When I visit other Sisters of Providence I can always feel that special spirit and charism there and it’s absolutely wonderful. Sister Maureen: One of the things that was wonderful was when I was teaching and was sent to the College of Great Falls. I got to know a lot of sisters from the (former) St. Ignatius Province. We were all very close. We celebrated together, did square dancing for our recreation!
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