The seventh of 11 children, Sister Shirley had an inner call to join a religious community for as long as she can recall. “It wasn’t hard to hear the voice of God in 1944 when I came to the Scholasticate at the age of 13,” she said.

Although she taught in elementary schools for 12 years, in three different dioceses (the Archdiocese of St. Paul, St. Cloud and New Ulm), most of S. Shirley’s ministry was in administration. She served as Diocesan and Community Supervisor of Schools from 1963-1977, and the next 15 years as director of student teachers in the College of Saint Benedict.  S. Shirley names Hutchinson, Minn., where she taught from 1960-1963, as her favorite assignment. “We were young, energetic teachers (seven Sisters and one lay person) and the people were education-minded,” she said. They grew close, partly because the Sisters had no car or television, and they traveled to few meetings.

In 1993, S. Shirley moved to Saint Scholastica Convent where she is currently director of volunteers, among other duties. With ample time to listen and pray, S. Shirley has found a renewed commitment to religious life.  “As I get older, I recognize that trust in the Lord is what is truly important,” she said.