Sister Carol Thresher, SDS: My Vocation of Making a Difference
Originally written by Sister Carol Thresher, SDS, November 2, 2015
When people ask, “Why did you become a Sister?” my answer is always twofold. First of all, I turn to my own heart, my own dream. Somewhere, deep inside I’d always known that I wanted to make a difference in the world. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I had a sense I would know the right path when I found it. I knew that somehow God and serving the People of God were part of the journey.
Attending Divine Savior High School (now DSHA) as a typical teenager, I met some significant women religious whose lives showed me that being a sister might well be that path. So, after graduation in 1959, I gave it a try. And, I want to tell you, I’ve never been sorry for that choice, which has become clearer and clearer as I matured into my own Salvatorian life serving as a teacher, a justice & peace advocate, missionary, and community administrator.
That brings me to the second important reason why I not only became a Sister, but why I’ve continued to be one for 53 years. The second part of my vocation story includes the many people all over the world who have nurtured my life over the years. They include folks from all walks of life – from my 18 years in Brazil to the parish and school communities at Mother of Good Counsel (MGC) and DSHA in Milwaukee, as well as Jordan Ministry and Most Holy Trinity Parish in Tucson, Ariz.
Presently, I am a member of MGC and have worshiped there and lived in the neighborhood since my permanent return to Milwaukee in 2003. When I taught there from 1964 to 1968 as Sr. Mary Blaise, I came to love the people of MGC. It’s why I returned there to worship. I am grateful to them for being part of my vocational journey. I encourage each of you to continue to nurture God’s call in the youth of your own parish and neighborhood. They and you can make a difference!