Local Ministries Religious life

Sisters, Servants of Mary continue to care for the sick despite the pandemic

Sister Lidia Ortíz, left, and Sister Silvia Juárez of the Sisters, Servants of Mary leave the Sisters’ convent in Kansas City, Kansas, and head out into the night to give care to those in need. The Sisters continue to go out nightly despite the threat of coronavirus. LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

by Joe Bollig
joe.bollig@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — When it became apparent that the deadly coronavirus had suddenly reached the United States, the family of Jose Ramirez Sr. was very concerned.

That’s because Ramirez lives at home alone and is bed-bound — paralyzed from the chest down. He receives care from a caregiver during the day, then from the Sisters, Servants of Mary three nights a week.

Family members were concerned that the coming and going of caregivers would make Ramirez more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease.

“We actually had a meeting at his house to discuss that very thing,” said the patient’s son, Jose Ramirez Jr.,  a member of Our Lady of Unity Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. “I think God answered our prayers right away.”

The caregiver was so concerned that she offered to move the elder Ramirez  into her own home temporarily. So, they did.

“When we called the Sisters and told them because of this pandemic we were moving my father to the caregiver’s house,” said Jose, “the Sister said, ‘OK.’

“They were still willing to come and see him on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.”

Since arriving in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1917 (a year before they nursed patients through the 1918 global flu pandemic that saw some 2,300 deaths in Kansas City alone), the Sisters have gone to the homes of the sick and cared for them there at no charge.

For those who fear what will happen to their frail and ill family members during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, having the Sisters provide care in the relative isolation of their homes has given them peace of mind and soul.

The Sisters also provide care two nights a week for Estelle Yonkos, the mother of Janet Petit, a member of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Kansas City, Missouri.

“It means a lot to us and our mother,” said Petit. “My mother was a very faithful person. They pray the rosary with her, which is very important to my mom. She has dementia and there are some nights she can’t remember the next bead, but the Sisters are very patient with her.

“My mother gets very excited when I tell her I’m going to go get the Sister, and you can see a big smile on her face.”

Having the Sisters means Petit and her husband can have at least two good nights of sleep each week.

The Sisters are still doing the work they always have done, the only difference being that they are more vigilant because of the pandemic.

“We are more aware of whether there are any symptoms we can observe in patients, drivers and all the people we come close to,” said Sister Lucero Garcia, local superior.

“We [Sisters] live very close to each other,” she continued. “We’re together all the time — for prayer, meals, recreation, everything. So, it is very easy for us to detect if something isn’t going right with any of us. . . . It would not escape our eyes if any one of us gets sick.”

So far, none of the patients they see are infected with the coronavirus, and neither are their families. For the most part, their circumstances tend to isolate them anyway.

None of the Sisters has been infected either.

The Sisters are following established, standard practices of nursing. They have cut back on their noncritical outings — only shopping and seeing doctors when necessary.

And social isolation is nothing new to them — it’s their lifestyle anyway.

One new thing the Sisters are doing is spending more consecutive nights with patients rather than sending a Sister back and forth between patients on alternating days.

They maintain good hygiene, washing hands and using gloves when called for. When they go back to the convent, they change out of the aprons they wear and their shoes. These are washed. At the time of this interview, there had been no need for additional measures like masks, but as CDC recommendations change, so will the Sisters’ practices.

“People are very concerned and nervous about [the coronavirus],” said Sister Silvia Juárez. “They really need to talk about it, even though we can’t do much to help out but to listen to them. For us to be there for them is a blessing. . . . Of course, we offer them our prayer and reassurances.

“We keep them in our prayers. I feel like they are more open to their faith and God at this time. There is not one person who doesn’t talk about it when we are riding with them from our convent to their home.”

The Sisters have always cared for the soul as well as the body. They pray with their patients and the families, but also in their own chapel.

Since the canceling of public Masses, the Sisters are very aware of the pain people experience at not being able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist or participate in eucharistic adoration, said Sister Lucero. The Sisters have responded by increasing the time and intensity of their prayers.

“We don’t usually have prayer before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, but we have exposed the Blessed Sacrament for three times a day,” she said.

They keep in touch with friends, family and members of their community, reassuring them with their prayers. They are also participating in the various prayer initiatives of Pope Francis.

“We need to pray more intensely for the people who are sick and suffering the consequences of this disease, and for the families, and for the whole world,” said Sister Lucero.

“Every time the archdiocese gives us something they want us to pray about, we include extra prayers,” she added. “And of course, we have a prayer list for people who call and want us to pray for them.

“People are in great need of someone to pray for them and with them. . . . They need God in their lives.”

About the author

Joe Bollig

Joe has been with The Leaven since 1993. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in journalism. Before entering print journalism he worked in commercial radio. He has worked for the St. Joseph (Mo.) News-Press and Sun Publications in Overland Park. During his journalistic career he has covered beats including police, fire, business, features, general assignment and religion. While at The Leaven he has been a writer, photographer and videographer. He has won or shared several Catholic Press Association awards, as well as Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara awards for mission coverage. He graduated with a certification in catechesis from a two-year distance learning program offered by the Maryvale Institute for Catechesis, Theology, Philosophy and Religious Education at Old Oscott, Great Barr, in Birmingham, England.

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7 Comments

  • Sister Sylvia is my Favorite. She took care of my Grandmother are her lasting weeks here on earth, and also came to see my mother several times when she was sick. When she left the New Orleans area we were all so sad. Hope you are doing well Sr Sylvia and WE ALL MISS YOU SO MUCH> Love Maryann Cole’s daughter ~Staci Frilot Guidry~

  • I grew up in KCK and went to Bishop Ward High School which is located next door to the Sisters servants of Mary convent. I passed by that building every day for 4 years but never realized who those nuns were or what they did. Then sometime during the ’70s, my mother got involved with the Women’s Guild that helped support the sister with their fundraisers. Since my mom was an excellent seamstress, one of the Sisters asked her if she would make “nun dolls” dresses in the habit of the Sisters Servants of Mary? Mom was never someone to say “No” especially to a nun! So mom spent weeks, working at night after she came home from her day job, to make approximately 50 nun dolls dressed EXACTLY like the Sisters Servants of Mary! The dolls were raffled off at the festival and were a huge success. Maybe some of you are lucky enough to still have one??
    If so, you can thank my mom, Sally Kovich!!

  • The Sisters Servants of Mary have been true angels to my family and I. They took great care of my dad who had ALS, got him closer to God and also ministered to our entire family. Our faith is stronger because of them. We love them very much and pray for their health and protection daily.

  • Prayers for SSM and the entire Community. The Sisters deserve the Nations Love and Respect.

    Peace be with you.

  • With this gospel message, begins the life of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick.  The Sisters, Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, are a religious congregation founded in Madrid, Spain, in 1851 by Maria Soledad Torres Acosta–who was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1970. From the Holy Spirit, Mother Soledad received the charism of compassionate care for the sick, poor, and dying. Her main apostolate was meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of these suffering children of God by going to their homes and being by their bedsides.  As Women Religious and nurses, they worked in Spain during cholera epidemics and wars, and later in Mexico during revolutions.  Today, they have 128 convents in 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia as well as North, Central, and South America. They minister in six U.S. cities: Kansas City (New Orleans, New York City, Los Angeles, Oxnard and Newbury Park).  Although the majority of their work continues to be in patients’ homes, they also work in hospices, orphanages, hospitals, out-patient clinics, visiting nursing programs, dispensaries, skilled nursing facilities, and homes for chronic and convalescent patients. They make no distinction between social status, race, religion, or illness. They also serve as missionaries in Africa, South America and the Philippines.  More than 2,000 Sisters, who are contemplative in action, minister throughout the world. They have dedicated their lives to bringing love, compassion, and peace to others. They aren’t only witnesses of Christ to societies, but also see Christ in the people they serve. The Sisters’ Mi cca nistries is independent and receives no financial support from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Sisters do not receive monetary compensation for their services.  Could Jesus be calling me to be a Servant of Mary, Minister to the Sick? Come and See. Please contact the Servants of Mary in Oxnard: 

  • Heaven has a branch location in Kansas City, Kansas…the Sisters Servants of Mary are truly living saints. May God shower them with His grace and love.

    • They are the most beautiful souls that I have had the pleasure of meeting. God bless you sisters and the families you serve