Sisters say goodbye to North Little Rock and to the diocese

Published: October 31, 2009

By Malea Hargett
Editor

Malea Hargett

Choir members Sister Sylvia Provost and Sister Carol Nishke, SSND, sing the opening song, "Woke Up This Morning," during their final Mass at St. Augustine Church in Little Rock Oct. 24. The sisters have served the parish for 25 years but were reassigned to their motherhouse in Mississippi beginning this week.

Malea Hargett

The celebration to mark Sister Carol Nishke's 50th anniversary as a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame was tinged with sadness Oct. 25.

During Mass at St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock, Sister Carol and Sister Sylvia Provost also said good-bye to the parish they served for 25 years.

Their departure Oct. 28 from the state also represents the end of the School Sisters of Notre Dame serving in the Diocese of Little Rock. The order arrived in Arkansas 111 years ago and began working at St. Joseph School in Conway and Sacred Heart School in Morrilton. The order was credited with inspiring many vocations from the area. After they left Morrilton and Conway in the 1980s, the order was asked to staff St. Peter School in Pine Bluff. The order left the school in 2004.

In 1984 Sisters Carol and Sylvia joined the St. Augustine Church staff at the request of then-pastor Father Michael Aureli, who attended the Oct. 25 Mass.

Both women held leadership responsibilities in the inner-city parish, which will create many vacancies. Originally the sisters served as pastoral ministers. Sister Carol took over St. Augustine Senior and Children's Services in 1989. Sister Sylvia started a Learning Club for after-school tutoring. Recently, Sister Carol has been the director of St. Augustine Center for Children. Sister Sylvia was the business manager, overseeing the parish's maintenance, finances and liturgy. They both sang in the Gospel choir.

Father Frank DuPreez, pastor since April, said he was impressed with the sisters' commitment to serving the poor and living and working in the neighborhood.

"They were the rocks and pillars that kept our community going," he said during his homily. "You people know how much we owe them for their presence. This is not an easy area to live in. It can be tough, but armed with the Lord's strength, the sisters have lived here and trusted on God's protection."

For Sister Carol's jubilee, Father DuPreez showed his appreciation for her dedication to the parish's day care. Cathy Stripp has been named the new director.

"She hands on a thriving center to her successor," he said.

The sisters are not leaving St. Augustine to retire. While they are moving to St. Mary of the Pines, the motherhouse in Chatawa, Miss., they will continue to work. Sister Carol will be the archivist for the Dallas Province. Sister Sylvia will be the bursar, or financial administrator, for the retired sisters.

"Our provincial called us June 1 and asked if we would consider it," Sister Sylvia said of the initial request to leave St. Augustine. "We just felt like it was time. ... We really need to move. We are too far from everybody ... We know it's time. I can no longer do what is required of me to do."

Sister Sylvia has had several surgeries and gets around with the assistance of forearm crutches and a motorized scooter.

Sister Carol said she will especially miss the 17 employees of the day care staff.

"I think the hardest part (of the Mass) was when my staff brought up the offertory gifts," she said. "Our staff has been our family. It's hard leaving family. There are people who have been on the staff for as much as 18 years. You get really close."

Following the homily, two sisters from St. Louis, Sister Carol Marie Wildt and Sister Charlene Barta, joined Sisters Carol and Sylvia and renewed their vows.

When parishioners and guests entered the church for the Mass, they were given red and blue ribbons recognizing the jubilee and sisters' 25 years in North Little Rock. Each ribbon was secured with a small angel pin. Representatives from the Sisters of Mercy, Holy Angels Convent, St. Scholastica Monastery and Daughters of Charity attended.

"We were really honored by the presence of the other sisters," Sister Sylvia said.