Jubilarian fulfilled three childhood wishes

From the idyllic setting of the St. Joseph Retreat Center in Baileys Harbor, Sr. Lorraine Aspenleiter looks back over 60 years as a School Sister of Saint Francis with thanksgiving.

"I'm incredibly grateful for all that has been, and I look forward to each new day," she said.

Born in Milwaukee in 1924, Sr. Lorraine knew from early on that she would spend her life in religious life.

"God has always been the most important part of my life," she said. "I first saw our convent when I was in third grade and was certain it would be my future home. I knew it was what God wanted me to do. I never shared that with anyone until I graduated from eighth grade, and even my parents were unaware of my intense desire to enter the convent. Although my parents were 'good Catholics,' we did not have devotions at home, nor did my parents attend church, so I went alone."

After receiving an education degree in English from Alverno College, she was sent to Menomonee Falls to teach second and third grades. While there, she took college classes each Saturday. Later, she helped start St. Benedict High School in Chicago. In 1963, she received her master's degree in sociology from Notre Dame University and was appointed to teach at Alverno.

In 1974, Sr. Lorraine left teaching. About the same time, a novice asked her to become her spiritual director.

"I didn't know how to go about it," she said, "but soon others began asking me as well. So I took a one-year program in spiritual direction at the Institute of Spiritual Leadership in Chicago. I practiced this ministry at the Motherhouse in Cardoner Center for eight years. I spent summers at St. Joseph; then Br. John Monek, asked me to join the retreat ministry here fulltime."

St. Joseph Retreat Center is a ministry of the Sacred Heart Fathers and the School Sisters of St. Francis, Sr. Lorraine's community. For more than 20 years, she has served as a resident staff director at this Door County retreat.

Here, retreatants are invited to "recognize the glory of God revealed through creation." Set on a mile of shore, the 440-acre working farm offers trails through woods, cozy nooks and spots for reflection both indoors and out, a spirituality library, and even an art gallery.

"Back in 1975, mostly only priests participated in spiritual direction," Sr. Lorraine said. "When I started, I wondered who would want to come to me, but people came! I started a retreat for the Sisters, and it just grew! Now all kinds of people participate in spiritual direction -- priests, sisters, lay people, Catholics, Protestants. God speaks to all of us. We just need to be open and listen to his Spirit in our own lives."

Spiritual direction focuses on the individual, while retreats tend to involve groups. Sr. Lorraine says that, while she doesn't enjoy giving presentations, she finds her teaching background helpful. Also, she finds joy in how each group differs from another.

"Spiritual direction is the ministry to which I feel God has really called me," she said, "and it is true to my whole person. The entire lifestyle here is part of the ministry: the activities of spiritual direction, the hospitality, the environmental tasks, and keeping everything in creation in right relationship."

As a young girl, Sr. Lorraine had three dreams that were never far from her heart. One was to have a chest full of beautiful remnants of fabric. The second was to be a missionary and travel. The third was to live on a farm.

"Now, many years later," she said, "God has fulfilled all these dreams. I have studied in and traveled to many places in the world, and even gave a retreat to our Sisters in Guatemala in 1997. Since 1982, I have lived on this farm in Baileys Harbor, directing retreats and accompanying people in their journey to God. And, since I have moved up here, I have been given many pieces of beautiful fabric by women around here, because I have become a quilter. I am doing all of my favorite things right now -- gardening, sewing, crocheting and living contemplatively. It seems all my dreams have come true. God is good!"