Holy Spirit leader visits second home

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Oct. 11, 2007

The international leader of the Holy Spirit Sisters is presently visiting in the Diocese of Sioux City. The native of India is no stranger to Iowa, however, as she spent five years in Sioux City from 1970 to 1975.

"When I come back to Sioux City, I feel like I'm at my second home," she said.

Sister Mary Sosamma, who presently serves as the community's superior general at the international headquarters in Germany, pointed out that she was among a group of women from India who came to this diocese to receive formation to enter the Holy Spirit Community. They lived and studied in the old St. Anthony's Home in Sioux City, which has since been torn down.

"The Holy Spirit Community was started in Germany in 1950," she explained. The founder of the community was a cousin of Bishop Joseph Mueller. He invited the Holy Spirit Sisters to the diocese in 1962 and in 1968 the sisters opened Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City because of their love of the elderly. The Diocese of Sioux City assumed ownership of the retirement home in 1984.

Sister Sosamma pointed out that she and other young women from India had to come to the Diocese of Sioux City for formation and training to enter religious life because her country's government would not allow foreign missionaries to obtain visas for more than six months. The Holy Spirit Sisters from Germany could not go to India to train them so the Diocese of Sioux City served as a host for this training.

"There were two German sisters living here - our superior and our formation mistress," said Sister Sosamma, who added that one American Holy Spirit Sister was also part of the team and many diocesan priests taught the women. "Candidates were brought here to prepare them to become Holy Spirit Sisters."

Sister Sosamma was received into the Holy Spirit Community by Bishop Mueller and Bishop Frank Greteman was the main celebrate for her first dedication. While she studied, she worked part-time at the nursing home in Sioux City. In 1975, Sister Sosamma went back to her native country and began the Holy Spirit Community in India.

"I am very grateful to the diocese, the bishop and the priests who helped us build up the community in India and our missionary activities there," she said. "In India, we now have 180 sisters and about 40 candidates in formation. The seed that was planted in Sioux City is now flourishing and bearing much fruit."

For several years, there were no Holy Spirit Sisters in the Diocese of Sioux City as they were building up their own community in India. They were invited to come back in the 1990s to work at the nursing home in Sioux City and in 1994 Sister Sosamma had the chance to accompany the first sisters who came to work here. When more sisters came in 1996, again she made the trip. A few years later, additional sisters came to serve in the Carroll area.

Presently there are 17 Holy Spirit Sisters serving in the Diocese of Sioux City. Four sisters from India live in Sioux City and seven live in Carroll. Another six Holy Spirit Sisters from Africa live at Willey and work in Carroll. Three more sisters serve in Webster City.

The Holy Spirit Community's connection with the diocese continues in other ways as well as diocesan priest Father Tom Flanagan is serving in Germany as the community's rector. Father Jim McCormick of Carroll had previously held that position and that's why he arranged for the Holy Spirit Sisters to serve in Carroll. He serves as the spiritual director for the Holy Spirit Sisters who are in the diocese and he visits Sioux City on a monthly basis for Mass, Bible study, lunch and sharing. The priest also helps the Holy Spirit Sisters with the visa process.

"I think it's very valuable for the diocese," said Father McCormick of the service of these sisters. "Bishop DiNardo (former bishop of Sioux City) talked about how it is so good for the people to have an international experience of the faith. There is a cultural exchange."

He pointed out that about 14 of the diocesan priests belong to the Holy Spirit Community's secular institute.

The Holy Spirit Community consists of five communities: religious sisters, diocesan priests, lay people, religious priests and single women.

In addition to the Holy Spirit Sisters, there are two Holy Spirit priests who serve in the diocese - one in Carroll and another in Fort Dodge. A third Indian priest also serves in the diocese but he is not a member of the Holy Spirit community.

Of the 17 sisters in the diocese, all but two work in nursing homes.

Sister Rose Nadackal has served here since 1996. For her first three years here she was a certified nurse assistant (CNA), but was then trained as a med tech.

"The people are so good - especially the management, Pat Tomscha and Virgene Bessee who is director of nursing," she said. "I owe this place a lot because the staff, the residents, the management and the families are so good to me."

Eventually, she will go back to India to do nursing there.

The sisters explained that the reason Holy Spirit Sisters serve in the diocese is two-fold. First, the sisters earn money that is sent back to the community and second, they provide spiritual presence in their work with the elderly.

"It is radiating God's love through my actions," said Sister Rose, who added that one of the benefits of working there was the availability to attend daily Mass in the chapel at the home. "We are giving them the love of God and love of neighbor by being with them and caring for them on their journey to the last breath."

Father McCormick said, "They will not stay here forever, so when they go back they will have skills that they will be able to use in their own community with the aging sisters. They will also be more conscious of the world view, which is a big benefit for their community."

While the sisters tend to work in nursing homes, they explained that back home families care for the elder members. In India, the sisters run schools, medical clinics and teach catechism in the parishes.

"Unlike here, we cannot teach religion in the schools because it is a Hindu country," explained Sister Sosamma, who added that they teach traditional academic subjects in the schools because there is a need for education. "We teach religion in the parishes on Sunday."

She continues to be impressed with Holy Spirit Retirement Home and the welcoming and loving environment it provides.