The fourteen sisters who live at Marian Convent in Chicago Heights, Ill., strive to do what we say in our 
Constitutions, the document that guides our life together and our ministry. There we say that we “preach the Word out of the depth of our communion with God and with one another.” Our documents continue “We desire to enflesh this Word in our world, a Word we contemplate and celebrate with joy, study attentively, live in community and proclaim in ministry.” We live our Dominican charism as we minister in a variety of ways at Marian Catholic High School, which is sponsored by the congregation, and in other ministries away from the school. Sisters who serve at Marian are involved in teaching, tutoring, administering, staffing the finance office, working with parents, sharing in support services, serving in campus ministry, and working in development. One sister is a full-time student at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Another teaches religion once weekly in each grade at St. Kieran’s School, Chicago Heights.
The works we do are energized by the life we share in community. During the school week, rising and private contemplation are quite early; we gather in the Chapel at 6 a.m. for Morning Prayer and for the Eucharist. In doing so, we “enter the paschal mystery which we are called to preach and to live,” as our Constitutions say. Spiritually strengthened, we share a quick breakfast and direct our attention to our ministries.
As the school day ends we return to the convent to prepare for the next day’s classes. Or, we might do housekeeping, read, or just relax. Evening Prayer is sung at 5 p.m. Supper follows. Five days a week a cook prepares our main meal. During supper, we share the events of the day and catch-up on personal news. We all pitch in to clean up the kitchen and dining room after dinner. Depending on our responsibilities we might return to school for evening commitments, or stay home for conversation or our other favorite past times, card games, puzzles, studying, or watching TV.
Before long, we drift off to our rooms for private prayer and preparation for a restful night. Individually and spiritually we grow as we support one another in community so as to better give our talents and labor for the service of the church.
