Sr. Patricia Hauser, IHM
The desire of a religious vocation began when I was a student at St. Wendelin's School in Pittsburgh. Our second grade teacher, a Franciscan Sister, asked our class this question, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" I thought about the answer and said, "I want to be a Sister."
I read the book Bernie Becomes a Nun, a story about a girl who wanted to be a Maryknoll Missionary. It was an interesting book and I enjoyed reading and re-reading it again and again. I was very attracted to the Maryknoll Missionary Community, but God had other plans for me.
When I was in fourth grade, our family moved to West Mifflin, a suburb of Pittsburgh. I attended Holy Angels' School in Hays. That is when I came to know the I.H.M. Sisters. I felt very attracted to them and I really wanted to become a Sister.
I attended St. Rosalia's High School. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters were our teachers and they were excellent teachers. They would give us extra help, if needed. The Sisters really cared for us and wanted us to learn. We would stay after school to help the Sisters in the classroom. We often washed the chalkboards and dusted the classroom book shelves. The Sisters seemed to have had good community, they were women of prayer and good works. They really cared for us as friends.
In high school, we had a vocation club entitled "Sacred Heart Preparatory Club." The Sister in charge would teach us how to pray and meditate. "Prayer and meditation were very important for girls who wanted to become Sisters", Sister said. Sister taught us how to meditate using God's Holy Word.
After I graduated from St. Rosalia's High School, I worked for two years, then I entered the I.H.M. Sisters Community in Scranton. I entered the convent on September 8, 1965.
I have been an I.H.M. Sister for 45 years and I thank God everyday for my vocation because it has filled me with deep peace, great joy, and a love for God and others. I am so happy to be doing God's will and serving the Lord in this congregation as a Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Sister Patricia currently serves on the support staff at the IHM Center and Our Lady of Peace Residence, both located in Scranton, PA.
Pictured above are the sisters involved with the Enthronement Sacred Heart Guild of the Diocese of Scranton; L - R: Sisters Celesta Sinisi, Romaine Krug and Pat Hauser.
