Sister Roberta

On July 11, 2019, Nadia Barnett spoke with Sister Roberta from the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, based in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Muenster, TX – a German farming community, alive today – Sr. Roberta grew up as one of 10 kids during the Great Depression in the United States. She entered as a Sister in September 1952. She spent more than 30 years as a missionary Sister in Africa; it was during this time that she encountered the people of Rwanda both before and during the Rwanda genocide that occurred in 1994. This was the primary subject of the interview. Diane Murray – a lay woman – who grew up in Fort Worth is an Oblate of the Sisters of St Mary of Namur assisted Sr. Roberta during the phone interview, which lasted approximately an hour and 15 minutes.

“Be with” is a recurring phrase Sr. Roberta uses to describe and cement the significance of personal encounter and accompaniment throughout her overseas mission as well as now, as an 85-year-old Sister in Texas. Hers is a powerful story of encounter and compassion.

What lead you to become a religious Sister?

{The following is a response Sr. Roberta answered in writing prior to phone interview}
Sacred Heart Parish [was] the center of our spiritual life and human needs in Muenster, TX. My parents, both coming from large families married in 1925. They purchased a small farm, worked the land, cultivating a garden and fields of grains that would be sold for family needs. We loved the family the neighbors and our friends at school, and the Parish. On Sunday we came home from Mass with the paper: Our Sunday Visitor. I was in the fourth grade and enjoyed reading it. One Sunday there was in it a picture of the Child Jesus that caught my attention. I felt He was looking straight at me. I lowered my eyes and read: I seek you. I kept my secret from others. Our life took a different turn.

The “Depression” was a common word among the uncles and neighbors. We had to sell our home for we could not make the payments. We liked our new rented farm and home, neighbors. I was different.

In December 1943, just before Christmas my older sister died. The death certificate had the word Leukemia. The following May, the ninth child, a boy, was born. My mother still in mourning, rejoiced at this beautiful blue-eyed baby boy. Three weeks later my mother died of a heart valve condition. My father’s sister Dora took the youngest baby. Another sister, Theresa took the 1 ½ year old girl. She, who never married lived with her two bachelor brothers!

Needless to say, their lives also changed.  We continued our life through the goodness of my father and his sisters as well as our mother’s sister who visited us often. The youngest brother, Robert developed Cancer in his eye. At six months he had to have his eye removed. Radiation followed. He suffered intensely for some weeks. Then he began to gain his strength. He was surrounded with love and laughter. He grew in this atmosphere and was happy. When he was four years old the cancer returned.  The treatment did not help, even after removing the second eye. Generalized cancer took his life. He was so brave. He received all the Sacrament that the priest desired to give him. Again, I heard: I seek you!

I finished my freshman year at school in of May 1948. My father was ill. I refused to continue school. During the years to follow I learned what it meant be in a farming community and a loving Parish. On October 6, 1951, my father died. At the evening wake, the house was filled the farming community. The priest came to do the wake service. He put his arms out wide looked at us and said: “You poor children” as he silently wept.

Later that evening, we three girls were together in the back bedroom. One of my sisters said: Why did Father say: “you poor children?” Another answered: “maybe because we don’t have a mother or father.”  My youngest sister said: “Doesn’t he know that we have each other.”
The next six months are a blur. During Lent and Easter, I again heard: “I seek you!” I visited the Benedictine Sister Jonesboro, AK. What a beautiful group of women. They taught in Sacred Heart School.

I had an interview with the sister in charge of the young sisters. She listened carefully and then asked what I felt in my heart. I said Jesus is seeking me. She asked me to ask the parish priest what he thought since the family has young children. I always got the same answer from him: Not now, your siblings are young.

Some months later a friend of mine asked me if I knew Sisters other than the Benedictines. I had a cousin with the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur in Fort Worth, TX. She asked me to write for her asking what was needed to enter!

The response was: “Come and see.”

On a given date in August we boarded the train in Gainesville for Fort Worth. This was our first train ride. Our excitement grew by what we had seen.  As the train, slowed down and stopped, we saw two sisters waving, I knew one on the left. The weekend flue. It was time to return home. There was a man from Muenster who was visiting his daughter at this convent. He offered to take us back home. We were so happy for the free ride. As I was getting into the car, the Mother Superior stopped me and asked: Do you want to be a Sister? I replied: I can’t. She motioned me to talk in private. I told her about my visit to Jonesboro, and the reply of the Pastor. She encouraged to ask the Pastor again.  On the way home I prayed a little, hearing “I seek you.” I had a feeling that the priest would present an option!  I felt at peace and prayed the rosary.  He driver asked me if he could take me home.  I replied that I would like to go to see Father at the priest house. I posed my question again. He knew me from other meetings. He simply said, “You can go if you find a place for your younger brother and sisters. I knew my Aunt Theresa, with the two bachelor brothers, would accept my siblings! I asked for his blessing. I found the driver still at the same place. He saw my happiness and took me home.

I entered with my friend on September 1952.