Grateful for Nano, for my Sisters, my family, the people I minister with and to
Sister Susan Richert
As I joined the Sisters one September many moons ago – I had every intention of returning home at Christmas. I did go home, but then told my family that I hadn’t really got “it” out of my system and needed to go back – not quite sure for what – but anyway. That was 51 years ago! I’m still here and not regretting one moment of it – though there have been some hard and challenging times. There were also occasions when I felt maybe this isn’t for me – but I stayed with it and here I am knowing that I am deeply happy, at peace, fulfilled, serving others and where God wants me.
I was born in Bolsover. My dad, who was from a large Polish family, had arrived in England during the war and ended up as a miner in Bolsover where he met my mother who was English. She converted to Catholicism after marrying my dad. I have a younger sister and had a brother who died when he was 40. We had a great childhood and we were taken to visit our family in Poland – several times. My mum used to tell the story that when I got home from my first day in school in Shirebrook, I told her “I’m going to be one of those”. “Those”- referred to the Sister who was teaching me in first class in primary school.
The Presentation Sisters has started the school six years earlier. From there, I went to the Presentation Convent High School in Matlock. My mother had told the Sisters that there was no way they could pay any fees; Sr Pauline answered, we don’t want your money, we want to educate your daughters. They organised a scholarship for us and helped with uniform and meals. At the end of my secondary school, the thought of becoming a Sister was still with me. I decided that I would “go and see” after a friend said to me that if I didn’t give it a go, I would spend the rest of my life wondering whether I had done the right thing. At least entering Religious Life gave me time to “test the waters” and I could come back and get on with my life!
What attracted me to the Sisters was their hospitality, generosity and kindness – I just felt “at home” with them. I did visit a few other Congregations and stayed for weekends – but it just wasn’t the same. The Presentation Sisters had given their lives to drawing out the giftedness of the children and young people that they encountered and that was what I wanted to do as well. Their way of being with, and being accepting of, people is remarkable.
I trained to be an RE Teacher and loved every moment of it – except for the marking!! I taught at Presentation Convent High School, Matlock and at St. Mary’s High School in Chesterfield. They were great days and I always feel so privileged when even now, I meet people that I taught and we “catch up”. I am still in touch with a good number of my past pupils. They are always so appreciative and I feel, like Nano Nagle at times when she said “my schools will never get me to heaven.”
I was heart broken when I was asked to hand in my resignation and take up another ministry. A very steep learning curve but it taught me a huge amount. During that ministry, I was able to visit our Sisters in other parts of the world and see the impact and difference they were making to peoples’ lives. It confirmed to me that I was “in the right place”. After having a sabbatical on the beautiful coast of Northumberland, I returned to the love of my life – school. However, since I hated marking, I needed to have a different role and so went into chaplaincy. I loved my time in this ministry in two secondary schools and feel very blessed to have been able to serve staff and students. Upon retirement, it wasn’t long before I realised my love of history by working in our archive and heritage centre. I also work for the Diocese as Vicar for Religious which enables me to visit all the different Religious Congregations in the Diocese to support them. I do a little chaplaincy in my old primary school next door to where I live and some parish ministry. I just love being with and among God’s people.
However, my primary ministry is being a Presentation Sister, living in community with my Sisters and knowing the Lord as friend and soul-companion.
What I would want to say to those of you wondering what to do with your one wild and wonderful life – is listen to where your heart is calling you and go try – there is no failure, it’s all experience that adds to you becoming the person God wants you to be in the place where God wants you – because if you don’t do it, it won’t be done and others will miss out. I would never have had the experiences or grown to be who I am today, without Nano Nagle and her Presentation Sisters – and I am so grateful to God – for Nano, for my Sisters, my family, the people I minister with and to. I have been and am being, so blessed.