Community life not optional for sisters with local ties who are serving in Rome

Sister Cindy Weber SSND and Sister Ruth Ann Klauser SSND are serving on the School Sisters of Notre Dame General Council in Rome

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Sister Cindy Weber SSND is secretary to the School Sisters of Notre Dame’s General Counsel, and Sister Ruth Ann Klauser SSND is general secretary for the congregation. 

Both reside and serve at the SSND Generalate in Rome and are living under Italy’s stringent quarantine measures for slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

“We are safe,” said Sr. Cindy, who previously served at St. Joseph parish in Westphalia. “We cannot go out anywhere because of the lockdown.”

Sr. Ruth Ann previously served as principal of Mary Immaculate School in Kirksville.

The SSND Generalate has two wings, one for the 15 sisters who are members and staff of the General Counsel, the other for the SSND novices, of which there are currently 17.

None is allowed to go anywhere.

“March 7 was the last time I went off this property,” Sr. Cindy stated.

The sisters and the novices have separate dining rooms but pray in the chapel as one community.

“Probably what unites us the most is our prayer together,” said Sr. Cindy.

This includes a special daily prayer for an end to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It does give us hope,” she said.

The sisters’ routine has not changed very much. They plan to add more time for prayer during Holy Week.

Sr. Cindy said not being able to participate in Mass the way they normally do “is poverty for all of us.”

“We have stayed very close to what Pope Francis has prayed,” she said. “We have watched him on TV. We will do this during Holy Week also.”

The sisters share some of the common duties around the house, since they have no lay staff.

Two sisters prepare their 1 p.m. meal, known in Italian as “Pranzo.”

On weekends, sisters take turns preparing brunch and other meals.

“We enjoy our time at meals together,” said Sr. Cindy. “We usually sit at the table for around 45 minutes.”

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