by Sr. Regina Siegfried, ASC
They probably had little awareness of Budweiser beer, the Little Bighorn, the telephone, or the nation’s centennial. While some of their names are lost in the mists of our history, all of their stories and spirits are woven into its fabric. The former Ecclesiastical College of the Sacred Heart quickly became their new home, even as they missed Piopolis, Illinois, and their sisters who remained in O’Fallon, Missouri. By 1877, they began a long history of ministry when they began teaching at St. Patrick’s School, a short walk down the road.
From those early beginnings, our work spread through southern Illinois, Kansas, and New Mexico, and expanded to Pennsylvania when other Adorers arrived from Croatia. Teaching, schools, hospitals, and the care of orphans filled our days and hearts. The courage, dedication, and pioneer spirit of the band who arrived in Ruma in 1876 characterized the first Adorers as well as all who are heirs to that gift. It impelled us to serve in the United States and spread to missions in China, Brazil, Guatemala, Korea, Liberia, and Vietnam.
By 2022, trying to maintain the Ruma campus with its aging buildings became a painfully evident issue we needed to address. It was time for another move. On April 7, 2022, Sisters Raphael Ann Drone and M. Evelyn Nagle were the last two sisters to leave and join the rest of the Ruma community, who had recently moved to Benedictine Living Community on the grounds of the Shrine in Belleville, Illinois. Our ministry continues in a new home.
Four years later, we sold the property building and 33 acres to Books for All, a nonprofit organization that establishes community libraries with free resources and free research materials. Contracts were signed on May 8, 2026.
Other pioneers then moved into Ruma shortly after May 8, led by Claire Cook and her group of dedicated members of Books for All. Like the ASCs, they respect and cherish the land and will nourish our heritage and legacy. It is a match that was worth waiting for. The pioneer spirit at 2 Pioneer Lane continues in a new and exciting form.
Books for All staff on the front steps at Ruma
Sisters Raphael Ann Drone and M. Evelyn Nagle leaving Ruma