VICTORY NOLL CENTER
1900 W. Park Drive
Huntington, Indiana 46750
(260) 356-0628

UPCOMING EVENTS
Click on an event for more information

MORE ABOUT
VICTORY NOLL CENTER

Download the current PDF version of Visions by clicking on the link below (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader):

Visions Spring 2009
Visions Winter 2008-09
Visions Fall 2008

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Sisters' Stories

My Most Memorable Journey

By Sr. Callista Ley

I'm over 90 years old now, and I've made many journeys across our beautiful country. The one I remember best was my very first journey as a Missionary Catechist more than 60 years ago. I call it my "Make Haste Slowly Journey."

Back then we were called "Catechist" because our mission was to bring the beautiful truths of our Catholic faith by "word of mouth" to people everywhere, especially the poor, isolated or forgotten.

Our custom then allowed; the Catechist, after her first vows, a ten≠day visit to her family home. Catechist Gertrude and I went by car first to my home in Pittsburgh; after which we received our mission assignments. I was to go to Ely, high in the mountains of Nevada, and Catechist Gertrude to EI Paso, Texas. In those days, both places seemed to us almost beyond civilization. We were eager to go. However, we stayed ten days in Catechist Gertrude's home in Uniontown, PA.

Returning to Victory Noll, we expected to go immediately to our mission assignments. But, I was told, "You can't go yet. Another Catechist needs a companion for her home visit." Patience I So we went by train to Chicago then to Pueblo, Colorado. We were met by Catechist's relatives, who took us to an unfurnished house. Her family had just moved into a

house which stood in a vast treeless expanse of onion and melon fields. There was no electricity or water indoors. My companion and I shared a room with a bowl and water pitcher for our bathing needs. The days were hot and dusty and seemed very long to me. Patience!

I entertained myself by dragging a big horseshoe magnet on a rope round and round the unfinished house, picking up nails.

After ten days we boarded the train crossing Utah into Nevada - but not to my mission. We went to my companion's mission in Elko. We arrived toward evening. More than anything else, I wanted a bath. The small convent did have a bathroom and tub, but since there were already five Catechists living there, I sensed a bath might have to be negotiated. When I asked if this were possible, they hesitated, then said, "I don't know if we have enough trash. II I didn't get the connection. "We need to heat water and we can't afford to use our bottle gas for that, so we wait until we have enough trash to burn." Yes, there was enough trash. Oh Joyl

The next morning I was eager to be on my way. But patience I The bus station was thirty miles away. No one could take me that day because they were busy decorating a float to enter in the annual Labor Day Parade. So I spent the day stuffing paper napkins into the chicken wire of the display. It won first prize.

Finally, I was on my way to my mission. We made the bus connection in a little town called Carlin. Then. another two hundred or so miles over vast stretches of unpopulated territory, mountains and valleys brought me at last, to Ely.

No fanfare or marching band to herald my arrival. No indeed, just a sound scolding for being so late.

MORE STORIES
COMING SOON

Our Lady of Victory Missonary Sisters is an American Missionary Congregation founded in 1922 — serving the poor and oppressed in a personal, non-institutional way

+ Proclaiming the Gospel
   + Working for Justice
      + Empowering the Laity

MORE ABOUT
Vowed Membership
Associate Membership

OLVM BLOG from Victory Noll Sisters

MONTHLY REFLECTIONS from Sr Martha Wordeman