| Notes |
- Charlene Schafer SSpS (daughter of Michael John Schafer and Barbara Marie Fix) was born 14 Jul 1923 in Grant County, North Dakota, and died 12 Apr 2007 in Techny, Illinois.
Includes NotesNotes for Charlene Schafer SSpS:
Journey: From Dakota to Ilinois and beyond!
July 14, 1923, a Saturday, I was born on the Doolittle Farm, in Grant County, North Dakota.My four year old brother Leo, and two year old brother Otto, had already come to the very humble homeof Barbara Fix Schafer, and Michael J Schafer, young homesteaders.Mother's younger brother, Joseph, 10 years old at the time, told me later that he remembered the day I was born.He was there on our farm, helping my father and mother, enjoying vacation from school in Garrison, ND, where he ususlly lived with Grandma Fix.
On July 22, I was baptized at St. Lawrence Church, Flasher, ten miles from our farm.My godmother was Monica Scholl, a good friend of the family; my godfather, a cousin of Mother's, Anton Wilhelm.They named me Caroline Monica.
My first memories are of my two brothers to whom I looked with awe.My brother Leo, was a loving teaser!He called me "Carolina Moon keep shining!", and when I was learning to talk, he'd pretend to be shocked, saying, "Who put a nickel in You?"
Meanwhile we all grew in age, wisdom and grace.Leo and Otto went away to boarding school in Fallon to prepare for First Holy Communion.Sts. Peter and Paul school was taught by Benedictine Sisters among whomwere our paternal aunts, Sister Magdalen, and Sister Pia, ( who later changed back to her baptismal name: Sister Rose).When they came to visit I loved to watch them, and remember vaguely wondering what it would be like to be a Sister.Once they put a long "habit", coif and veil on me so we could see how I would look as a Sister.I had no experience of being drawn then.Later I met other Benedictine Sisters in Summer Catechism School.Still later, at St. Mary's Centeral High in Bismarck, Benedictines were my teachers in my Senior year.Sister Mary Gertrude, OSB, helped me to finalize my vocation aspirations, affirmed that she belived I did have a CALL.
ONE VERY PRECIOUS MEMORY stands out:While kneeling by Mom's side at Benediction at our parish church on Sunday, I looked with amazement at my Mother's glowing face as she gazed at the Monstrance.Her FAITH was literally SHINING and permeating me as well, though I did not at the time, yet "KNOW" Jesus, as I do now.My wondering was rewarded soon.On the farm, something happened that frightened me.I went to my room where there was a statue of the Sacred Heart, and looking at it, said, (or rather thought) "I don't think YOU hear our prayers, or care, or watch over us as Mom says YOU do, because look what happened!Indelibly etched into my memory is HIS reply: "I do hear you and I do care... You are my own precious own...It made wonderful sense!In hindsight, I know that from that moment on I have known that Jesus is alive, here, and always would be with me whereever I am.And that whatever happens, whatever, it somehow is part of a great plan of HIS. very well planned for the good of all concerned.This has been a pattern in my whole life.There really are no words to describe the Joy and confort of this Blessed Assurance Policy that Jesus gave me then, and HE has reiterated it millions of times since.
Life goes on.My next clearest memory is of the funeral of our Grandpa Schafer.I was five years old (1928)I remember Grandpa in the coffin, sleeping peacefully, it seemed to me, and I wondered why everyone was so sad. (I enjoyed the ride to St. Peter & Paul Church, in Fallon; we followed the horse-drawn hearse carrying Grandpa).
My next memory is of coming home from Fallon where we picked up Leo and Otto who were going to school there in preparation for their First Holy Communion.As we neared home on the farm, Mr. Danzeisen, our neighbor, met us and said, "Mike told me to meet you and tell you to go to Aunt Elizabeth's house, because your house has burned down!Aunt Elizabeth was driving, so we turned and went to Crown Butte.We stayed with Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Matt Vogel until Dad had fixed up our granery for us to live in while the new house was being built on the site where Adam & Helen now live.At Aunt Elizabeth's, my main memory is of playing tag with Leo and Otto, and cousins Emma & Margie when suddenly I fell unconscious because I had run into a barbed wire fence that I did not see because it was dusk.My throat was badly torn.When I woke up I was all bandaged around my head and neck and wondered what had happened.
When it was my turn for "First Holy Communion" instructions, I went to live with Grandma Fix in Garrison, ND., and came to know and love Aunts Margaret and Rosie, and Uncles Nick, Louis, and Joe.At home on the farm, by this time, little brothers Adam, Peter, and Johnny had arrived.I missed them all a lot, so Grandma and family were extra wonderful to me to stave off my homesickness.Uncle Joe contracted diphtheria, and we were all quarantined.It was nearing my First Holy Communion date:April 3, 1931, and I worried about not being with my class for the great event.My worry was another occasion for God to "visit" me and renew The Blessed Assurance Policy!I fell asleep feverishly, with a sore throat.I "dreamed" that a thick cloud was swallowing me!Then I heard the VOICE I recognized saying: "Lose yourself in ME, and you will be alright!"I slept soundly, and in the morning the doctor came and pronounced both Rosie and me well enough to go back to school.The others all had to stay in quarantine!First Holy Communion Day dawned, and what a MEETING.......That afternoon we left to return to the farm with Mom and Dad and the little brothers!Back at the "Little White Schoolhouse" I became a "celebrity" because the Sisters at St. Nicholas had let me skip second grade, promoted me to third.
At school, my one classmate from third through eighth grades was Donald Weeks.When Miss Lanson, or Miss Malmberg, or Mr. Peters did not require my help with the first or second graders, I read most of the books in our tall corner library bookcase after I had finished my assignments (and helped Donald with his!).My best friends in school through the years were Lois Grimm, Leanor Weeks, Mary Wright, our cousins, Julia and Maggie Schafer, and Ellen and Jane Lammsies.On rare occasions I stayed over night (pajama parties) with them.
After receiving my 8th grade diploma in the mail, I joined Otto at Flasher High School.We boarded at Mrs. Evanson's mini-hotel, where we did our own cooking.I remember Mrs. Evanson writing in my autograph book, "Stay as sweet as you are now the rest of your life and you'll make some man a wonderful wife! I remember thinking, I hope so, because that MAN is going to be Jesus!I knew since third grade that no one else would do!In my senior year, wanting to get acquainted with Sisters, because I wanted to be one, I asked and received permission to go to St. Mary's Centeral In Bismarck, where Benedictine Sisters taught.
During high school I loved journalism and Latin best of all my subjects.I loved helping with the school newspaper.I loved following the Hit Parade tunes, knew most of them by heart, singing them to Jesus as my prayers.A couple of favorites were: "Because Of You, Theres' A Song In My Heart, Because Of You, My Romance Had A Start, Because Of You The Sun Does Shine, The Moon And Stars All Say You're Mine, Forever, Never To Part......"and "I Tell Every Little Brook, To Them My Heart Is An Open Book, Why Haven't I Told You?"I was not by any means an angel.One day, Julia, Maggie, Edith Jensen, and I went for a walk early in the morning in the hills outside Flasher instead of going to school!In essence we played hookey!The next morning the ohter three were called upon to make amends by standing in fron of the assembly in study hall!I, having anticipated this sort of thing had stayed home with a headache.Otto told me he was disappointed in me for not taking my punishment as I deserved.He admired the others for owning up and taking the consequences.I was properly humiliated!
GentleSister Mary Gertrude guided me to pray for the grace to know where God called me to serve HIM.I was graduated in May, 1942.Having written to several convents for information, I waited for the next sign.
Aunt Rosie wrote and asked if I could come take care of her little boy, Gary, because another baby was coming soon.She and Uncle Larry Fugere lived in Minneapolis.Dad put me on the train... and was so busy talking with another passenger, that the train started to move with him still on board.Mom, sitting in the station, was waiting for him to come back.He had to stay on the train until Jamestown, some 100 miles down the track!Aunt Rosie gave birth to Diane, and I had the great joy of being her godmother when she was baptized.It had been fun to cook for an keep house for Uncle Larry and little Gary, but then I was eager to get back to the farm.
When I returned to the farm, awaiting me were several letters from the convents I had asked for information.One of my requests was in answer to an almost "negligable" smallad in the Sunday Visitor that invited:"Be a Missionary": Write to Mother Provincial, Techny, Illinois.The reply to my letter was a personal letter from Sister Lillian, SSPs, which warmly invited me to send her more information about me, and included a questionaire to fill out.This letter made my choice very easy.The other convents had sent just brochures, information, not especially welcoming.I wrote to Sister Lillian, received an answer immediately to seek the Pastor's recommendation and a few other things to get together.Father Poetgens' most kindly gave his Blessing in writing, and the documents required birth and baptizmal certificates, and I sent them on.Mother Provincial Margarethis sent her Blessing and acceptance and welcome letter, and on August 31, 1943, I was on my greyhound- bus- way to Techny!
July 6, 1946, I made my first temporary vows, receiving the blue veil of a professed Sister.I began summer survey courses at De Paul University, to be continued for the next fourteen summers, until I had earned the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy.
September, 1946I went to my first Mission in Meridan, Mississippi where I taught second grade.Thorough four years there I enjoyed the antics of and loved every moment with about 240 little black 7-year olds.I also took care of our 13 member community's 90 chickens, and was sacristan, and Holy Childhood Moderator and Altar-boy instructor.On free days, Sister Gregory and I visited the county hospital and brought treats and clothing, etc., for the poor.Those were happy days!
January 6, 1952, I made final vows, receiving the "Wedding Ring" of Espousal to Jesus Christ Our Lord.A few days later I was back in The South, this time in North Little Rock, Arkansas, to teach third grade.For the next four years...Then to Meridian and Greenville, Mississippi and to Girard Pennsylvania, Iron Mountain and Norway Michigan, for a total of twenty years of primary school classes.
June, 1991 "Silver Jubilee" celebration.Many of the family were in Techny for this day and have delightful stories of their own to tell, about the fun they had.
Much, very much history, or "herstory" has happened since, far too much for this instance of the telling, for I want to leave plenty of space for the rest of our trully blest and wonderful family.Let me just begin to conclude by saying that I know myself to be incredibley BLESSED by not just one family, but many families:my Pen Pal "family" in Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Singapore; many, many beautiful Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit all over the world, very many of whom come for studies and cross-cultural experiences, as well as Fathers and Brothers of the Society fo the Divine Word and Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration,, all having been founded by the one Founder:Blessed Arnold Janssen.In May, 1995 we will have the great joy of seeing our Mother Foundress, Helena Stolenwerk also beatified by Pope John Paul II.Rejoice with us.
Thank you, God!By your grace, your"Carolina Moon"keeps on shining--shining for the ONE who waits for her home-coming!
More About Charlene Schafer SSpS:
Baptism: 22 Jul 1923, St. Lawrence Chruch, Flasher, ND.
Fact 6: RELIGIOUS NUN.
Fact 7: PRAYING, SINGING, WRITING, & READING.
Fact 8: TECHNY, ILLINOIS.
Fact 9: ROMAN CATHOLIC.
Fact 10: 24 May 1942, GRADUATED FROM ST. MARY'S BISMARCK.
Fact 11: 03 Sep 1943, ENTERED THE CONVENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Fact 12: 06 Jul 1944, FIRST VEIL.
Fact 13: 06 Jan 1952, FINAL VOWS.
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1923 - 2007 (83 years)