Meet Sister Regina Albers

Sister Regina realized her childhood dream. She spent 13 years in Chile, first as a teacher and then doing parish work.

My ministry of 40-plus years has been exciting and challenging indeed. I don't regret that I have chosen religious life as my way of serving God. Sometimes it amazes me that I was chosen to follow Jesus Christ in this special way because my life as a child growing up was so simple -- nothing exotic. I grew up on a farm with three brothers and a sister near Minster, Ohio. I think I learned how to meet challenges with the daily chores that farm life demanded.

I also remember wanting to do more. The stories my mother read to us from the Precious Blood Messenger about the Fathers of the Precious Blood in Chile always excited my imagination. These stories made me feel that there were people out there that I could teach and bring closer to God. I loved reading the lives of the Saints, and this ignited my vision of what I could do for others.

When I went to join the Sisters of the Precious Blood in Dayton, Ohio, the first years were a time of checking out whether this really was what God was calling me to do. I'm sure that God urged me on, once I took the step to enter. I now can name many times that God was with me throughout the years saying, "You can do it," "I love you," "keep going."

I started religious life being a teacher and then had the privilege of working in Chile -- my childhood dream come true. I spent 13 years working in Chile, first as a teacher and then doing parish work. Learning the language and culture of the people certainly challenged me and demanded faith and courage. But through it all God held me by the hand and sometimes I know He carried me. God showed me His love through the love so many people gave me. It has amused me thinking of so many that told me "I'll be your Chilean Mom." Can you imagine having seven or eight "Grandmas" all in one parish? I felt God's love touching me.

Then I returned to work in the United States. At present I'm working in St. Mary's Parish in Adrian, MI. I do DRE and pastoral work, with outreach to the Hispanic community. My working in Chile has prepared me to reach out to those who feel lonely and forsaken because of the language barrier, or the feeling of confusion in coming into another culture.

Yes, my life as a religious woman has been anything but boring. Because I heard a call and God has kept His promise by not forsaking me, I know God has walked with me. I can't say I was never afraid or uncertain, but by trying it out I found that those whispers, those subtle feelings of wanting to do more really was a call to religious life; God was really speaking to me. God always has kept His promise. I hope to continue keeping mine.

SPANISH VERSION

Mi ministerio de 40 y màs años ha sido interesante y un desafio. No me siento engañada por haber elegido la vida religiosa como mi manera de servir a mi Dios. A veces me quedo asombrada por haber sido elegido a sequir a Jesu cristo en esta manera tan especial, porque mi vida como niña fue tan sencilla y nada de especial. Fui criada en el campo con tres hermanos y una hermana cerca de Minster, Ohio, y el trabajo del campo me enseñò como encontrar y superar desafios, un regalo que la demanda del campo me diò. También me desarollò el deseo de hacer cosas grandes con mi vida.

Los cuentos que mi mamà nos leyo de la revista EL MENSAJERO DE LA PRECIOSA SANGRE sobre los Padres de la Preciosa Sangre trabajando en Chile, S.A., explotò la imaginaciòn mia. Estos cuentos me hacìan sentir que habìa gente por allà que yo podrìa enseñar y atraerlas hacia Dios. También la vida de los Santos me alumbraron a mi una visiòn para ver lo que podrìa hacer por los de màs.

Pués, entré el convento de las Hermanas de la Preciosa Sangre en Dayton, Ohio. Pasé los primeros años averiguando si ësta vida era la vida a que Dios me estaba llamando. Siento con certitud que Dios me urgiò para sequir esta vida. Puedo nombrar las tantas veces que oi a Dios diciendome, "Tu puedes hacerlo". "Te amo". "Siga adelante".

En el principio yo fui profesora, y despuès tuve el privilegio de trabajar en Chile, el sueño de mi niñez cumplido. Trabajé trece años en Chile, primero como profesora, y despus en el ministerio de la iglesia. Aprendiendo el Español y la cultura de la gente fue un desafio enorme, y demandò fé en mi Dios. Pero, después de todo, Dios me demostrò su amor através de tanta gente que me dieron su amor. Me da sonrisa pensando en tantas senoras que me han dicho, "Yo voy a hacer su mama Chilena". ¿Puede imaginar teniendo siete ò ocho "abuelitas" en una sola parroquia? Siento que el amor de Dios me ha tocado.

Pués, regresé a trabajar en el E.E.U.U.. Ahora estoy en la Parroquia de Santa Maria en Adrian, MI. Yo tengo la responsabilidad de la catequesis de los niños, y el pastoral, con atenciòn a la conunidad Hispana aqui. Mi trabajo en Chile me ha preparado para entender y tocar la vida de los que se sienten solos por la falta de comunicacion, por no poder hablar el inglès, y la confusiòn de entrar en una nueva cultura.

Si, mi vida como religiosa no ha sido aburrida. Oi la llamada y Dios ha cumplido con su promesa de acompañarme. No puedo decir que nunca he sentido miedo, o con incertitud, pero hice el impeño y he encontrado que los soplos, los sentimientos de querer hacer màs, ha sido una llamada a la vida religiosa, y que Dios me estaba llamando. Dios ha cumplido con su promesa. Ojala que pueda sequir con la mia.

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