Up “The Hill”

As you walk into my office you see a sign on the front of my desk:  GOD BLESS ALL WHO ENTER HERE.  So feel blessed as you enter into this Blog with me.  I used to just take that sign for granted until some folks told me that as they go by my room they just step in for a minute to “be blessed”. The door is always open unless I am meeting with someone.  Then I started thinking of all the times I walk in and out and realized I too am very blessed.

My name is Sister Rosemary Schwalbe a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.  I have been called daughter, sister, student, friend, Postulant, Novice, Sister, Teacher, student again (always), sister-in-law, aunt, great aunt, listener, Spiritual Director-mentor-companion.  I could go on, as I’m sure you too could give a list of names that describe you.

My family lived in Wisconsin but when it came time for me to be born, late one night, my parents needed to drive over the Mississippi River to the hospital in Minnesota.

After that grand entrance into the world we lived in Nelson, WI with my brother and two sisters.  Nine years later we moved across the Mississippi to settle in Wabasha, MN.  Whenever I drive near the Mississippi Valley I feel like I am coming home.

When I graduated from St Felix High School I entered the community of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato, MN and completed college there.

After many years of teaching – even though I loved it – I was encouraged to go on for graduate study in Christian Spirituality at Creighton University, NE.  It opened up a whole new world for me.  I have been graced to be allowed into the inner most being of many, many people.  It’s an awesome gift to be trusted with that. I have also helped mentor others of many faiths to become Spiritual Directors. I never quite knew who learns more in that process: them or me.

For almost 30 years I have been living with MS.  It’s been an awesome journey.  It’s a daily challenge but the graces I have received with it far out weigh those challenges.

I daily know I’m not independent and perhaps can be more aware of the ordinary graces we all receive. I will share some of those with you as we journey along the way.