Our Nuns

by Sr. Cecilia Hellmann, ASC

The community of St. Teresa School in Belleville, IL, celebrated Catholic Schools Week in a very special way on January 29. They gathered for Mass that day in “Faith Families” and invited their ASC Prayer Sister to join them, if possible. When the school year begins at St. Teresa’s, students are formed into ‘faith families’ comprised of children from preschool to eighth grade, who gather once a month to get to know one another and do projects together.  One teacher is assigned as ‘head’ of the family.

The ASC connection is unique and remarkable. Last May, Barbie Duncan, a teacher on staff at St. Teresa’s and niece of Sr. Mary Sax, ASC (deceased), happened to see a brochure about the ASC Junior Associate Club that Sr. Cecilia had sent to a student. She reached out to Sr. Cecilia and Sr. Jan, inviting them to a June lunch with her and another staff member to see if there might be creative ways to involve the spirit of that club among the students. This meeting resulted in ASCs being invited to serve as Faith Family Prayer Pals. Thirteen were able to accept the invitation to attend the school Mass on the 29^th. 

When Father Joseph Oganda, the pastor, asked the student group what was special about this gathering, one young lad answered loudly that “our nuns are here!”  That spirit of belonging and gracious welcoming delighted the ASCs present, as their ‘faith family’ surrounded them. Father Joseph spoke of the Gospel story of the “seeds” sown, and he also mentioned the many seeds planted by Sisters for generations through Catholic Education.  Many adults in the congregation understood that special legacy.

Each Sister Pal of St. Teresa’s School has exchanged several letters and has received a picture of her special ‘Faith Family’. Now they have met them in person. At this Mass, they also received a St. Teresa T-shirt and an invitation to wear it when they join their Faith Family at a special Field Day of fun in May. Meanwhile they continue to pray for the children and wonder what creative connection might be next!

We thank the staff of St. Teresa and the students who so joyfully welcomed these ASC Sister Pals as “their nuns!”