Sister Lucy Nigh, SSND

Professed in 1968

The beginning of God's call to live in community as a School Sister of Notre Dame was not dramatic or clear, but I believe that both my family and my experience in grade school, with the SSNDs as my teachers, nurtured the seed of this call. From little on I liked to go to church. When I stayed with my grandmother in the summer I went with her to daily Mass. When the sisters encouraged us to come to Mass on Saturdays and during the summer-especially after I could sing in the choir-I would get up early to go to church. I loved to sing in church! I knew from little on that my parents would support the idea of my becoming a sister, so when the opportunity came, when the invitation to enter was before me I felt I needed to TRY it. I was not certain, but at least I would test it out. The test turned into 38 years as an SSND.

These have been years filled with many opportunities to serve: as a grade school teacher (in Marshfield and Superior, WI); as a youth retreat director at TYME OUT; as a director of vocation ministry; as a chaplain at both Children's Hospital and St. Michael's Hospital; and as a community leader. Life in community has both challenged and supported me in my personal growth and development as a woman of faith. Each community experience was rich with sharing in the joys, struggles, learnings and blessings of everyday life.

I am in the midst of a special sabbatical time, living with our sisters in Latin America, learning Spanish in order to use another language in future ministry. Right now I am finishing a two-month stay with our community in Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay. We are a multi-cultural group-from Paraguay, Argentina, Peru, and a lay volunteer from Germany!

My risk to test out a call to religious life opened me to adventures and experiences beyond my imagination. Next year I will have the privilege to further my appreciation of the cultural diversity within our congregation by living in Rome, experiencing the present-day multi-cultural expression of the spirit of our foundress Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger in a special program for our younger members.