Marie Beha

Fall of 1942 and the United States was at war; the train I boarded that September night was full of soldiers on their way to basic training. I was embarking on a similar beginning, entering religious life as a Franciscan Sister in Joliet, Illinois. Neither they; nor I, had much of an idea of what lay ahead.

In August 1945, just as World War II was coming to an end, I made first profession and began my final two years of preparation for an apostolate of high school teaching. My next ten years were spent in the classroom teaching Latin, English, journalism, and religion. The days were full and I was happy in my ministry and in my life in community.

During this time I began graduate work in the field of philosophy and theology, studying during the summers at the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University. The courses were challenging and I felt my world expanding. Once I had completed work for my Masters degree, I was assigned to teach college at the University of St. Francis. I liked this even better than high school teaching, enjoyed the enthusiasm of the students and made new friends among the faculty.

After that first year, I was asked to begin work towards my doctorate. I had anticipated that the classes would be demanding; what I had not expected was being the only woman in the program! Women philosophers were rare at that time so I found myself on a steep learning curve for male psychology.

Once my degree was successfully completed I returned to teaching and became more and more involved in college ministry. I also started to do some writing and an article on community blossomed into a well-received book, titled "Living Community".

These were the exciting days of post Vatican II: changes in the liturgy, in the concepts of church, ecumenism and a call for renewal of religious life. I was involved in all of it but especially in the latter, spending summers as part of the renewal chapter of the Joliet Sisters. But even as I worked to bring about external changes that I saw as very necessary, I also found my own interior "landscape" changing. I was happy but also wanting "something more". "More" what was the question? I first directed my search to seeking another form of ministry and began a two- year contract as Associate Executive Secretary of the Sister Formation Conference. This involved setting up workshops, sometimes giving them, serving in a consultative capacity for other religious communities. IN the course of this work, I came to South Carolina to give a workshop for the Poor Clare Sisters in Greenville. I was impressed with the Sisters, their poverty, spirit of prayer and of community. I still am!

When the community requested a second workshop the following year, I was happy to say "yes". I will always be glad I did. Within the first hours of that second visit I experienced a sense of homecoming that I have never forgotten. This was where I belonged; this was the "more" my heart had been seeking. I was so happy I could hardly hold my alleluias in my heart. Somehow I did, finished the weeklong workshop and then spoke with the abbess about the possibility of transferring.

When I returned to Washington, I consulted with my spiritual director as well as contacted my major superior in Joliet. All were supportive and I made plans to enter at the end of the summer. After a preliminary guest period, I began the novitiate, making solemn profession on August 11, 1973, just twenty-five years after I had made final vows in Joliet. I had indeed come home.

In the years that have followed, I have been privileged to serve the community as directress of formation, abbess, and member of the council. Most of all I have had the time to grow into my contemplative vocation. I am so grateful for the rhythm of a life given to prayer, the opportunity to share community life with truly holy women and to serve the church as a Poor Clare Sister. A contemplative vocation is a great gift and I am very grateful for it.