- Our flight arrives early in Wichita, so we mosey over to the Cowtown Museum for a cold sassparilla.
- We arrive at our destination and are greeted by Sister Fran and Lori, the ASC vocation director. The Adorers’ warm hospitality makes us feel at home.
- Sister Mary Kevin gives us a tour of the chapel. We meet the “woman of the New Covenant,” depicted in the beautiful glass artwork of the door leading into the chapel.
- On podcast day, we’re joined in the chat room by people from across the U.S. as well as Peru and Sweden. Our guests, Sisters Tarcisia and Bernadine, are awesome!
- Wichita temp today: 107 degrees. That’s not a typo.
- At 5:30 a.m., we arrive at the Wichita airport for our flight back to Detroit via Chicago. After a big delay, we make it to Chicago. It’s now 7:00 p.m. and we’re still here, due to a huge thunderstorm. Now looking for ice cream.
L: Sister Bernadine Wessel, ASC, was born on her family's farm in Thomas County, Kansas and is number 9 of 11 children. After high school at Sacred Heart Academy in Wichita, Kansas, novitiate and college she became a teacher. She spent 35 years in Korea, besides being a member and giving support to the younger members in community, she served as director of a day care center and kindergarten, tutored groups in conversational English, taught conversational English in college and ministered with the migrant workers. Since returning to Wichita in 2013, she ministers in the congregation's skilled nursing facility in pastoral care.
R: Tarcisia Roths, ASC, Grew up a “farm girl” in Western Kansas, surrounded not only by loving parents and nine siblings but by a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. Following the example of several cousins who had become Catholic Sisters, Sister Tarcisia joined the community of Adorers of the Blood of Christ, and has been a member for 65 years. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education from Newman University and later—after obtaining a PhD in European History—returned to spend most of her life as a teacher and administrator. Since retiring from the university, she now spends time volunteering with organizations that work to help those persons in our society who are forced by circumstance to live on the edges, with limited resources and little hope for a better life. She hopes that in some small way she can bring Christ’s loving compassion to persons who live with little love.
The United States Adorers of the Blood of Christ, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus, are ecclesial women, living in community, witnessing God’s love in Mission to empower others, foster oneness, celebrate life, form right relationships, and walk as compassionate companions.
L: Sister Bernadine Wessel, ASC, was born on her family's farm in Thomas County, Kansas and is number 9 of 11 children. After high school at Sacred Heart Academy in Wichita, Kansas, novitiate and college she became a teacher. She spent 35 years in Korea, besides being a member and giving support to the younger members in community, she served as director of a day care center and kindergarten, tutored groups in conversational English, taught conversational English in college and ministered with the migrant workers. Since returning to Wichita in 2013, she ministers in the congregation's skilled nursing facility in pastoral care.
R: Tarcisia Roths, ASC, Grew up a “farm girl” in Western Kansas, surrounded not only by loving parents and nine siblings but by a large extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. Following the example of several cousins who had become Catholic Sisters, Sister Tarcisia joined the community of Adorers of the Blood of Christ, and has been a member for 65 years. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education from Newman University and later—after obtaining a PhD in European History—returned to spend most of her life as a teacher and administrator. Since retiring from the university, she now spends time volunteering with organizations that work to help those persons in our society who are forced by circumstance to live on the edges, with limited resources and little hope for a better life. She hopes that in some small way she can bring Christ’s loving compassion to persons who live with little love.
The United States Adorers of the Blood of Christ, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus, are ecclesial women, living in community, witnessing God’s love in Mission to empower others, foster oneness, celebrate life, form right relationships, and walk as compassionate companions.
