by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — While the world around them has changed dramatically, two Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick who are marking their 60th anniversaries this year agree that the charism and lifestyle of their religious congregation have remained basically — and gratefully — the same.
With only minor modifications, the habits the Sisters wear today closely resemble those worn by the founding members of the congregation in Spain in the 1850s.
The hours they devote to prayer and the primacy of spirituality in their lives are still foundational to their ministry.
As Servants of Mary are available, they continue their founding mission of providing nursing care for the sick and dying in their own homes during the day and night. Relying on divine providence, they do not charge for their services.
Sure, the Servants of Mary use computers and cellphones for communications related to their ministry.
“But our lives don’t depend on a computer or a phone,” explained Sister Fabiola Fernandez de Leceta, SM. “Nothing deep, nothing affecting the heart of our ministry has changed. Our spiritual life remains the priority for fulfilling our ministry.”
The extent of the Sisters’ ministry has been challenged in recent years due to fewer women entering the community. Sister Carmela Sanz Arribas, SM, acknowledges that the influx of vocations to the Servants of Mary has slowed down.
The congregation also has increasing numbers of Sisters who are elderly and unable to serve. “We are closing convents due to the lack of Sisters,” she said.
To address this shortage of consecrated women religious, the Servants of Mary have invited laypersons to join in their ministry. Lay Sons and Daughters of St. Maria Soledad now fill this important role, directly serving the sick in their homes as the Sisters do.
Ever hopeful, ever joyful, Sisters Carmela and Fabiola trust in God and express gratitude to their religious superiors for their guidance. After all, the two jubilarians have experienced the breadth of God’s goodness and the wisdom of their leaders across their 60 years as Servants of Mary.
Different vocation paths, shared mission
Both Sisters are originally from Spain, but from different parts of the country.
Sister Carmela was the seventh of nine children and from an extended family rich with religious vocations, including four priests and eight women religious. Her own sister and an aunt were Servants of Mary. She admired persons dedicated to religious life.
“One evening, I was coming home with my mother, and I saw a Servant of Mary entering a home to care for a patient, and I was touched,” she recalled. Sister Carmela attended a boarding school to further discern her vocation. She completed her novitiate as a Servant of Mary in Azpeitia, Spain, the birthplace of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Sister Fabiola’s path was somewhat different. As a young girl, she hadn’t thought about becoming a Sister. However, once while preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation, she felt something in her heart — a voice telling her she was going to be a Sister.
“I looked at the tabernacle,” she said, “and told Our Lord that if the priest asked me after confession what I was going to do with my life, I would tell him. If he didn’t ask, I wouldn’t say anything.”
The priest inquired. He had two nieces who were Servants of Mary, and he helped Sister Fabiola and her twin sister with plans that led them to join the congregation. Sister Fabiola completed her studies and made her first profession at the motherhouse in Madrid in 1964.
Sisters Carmela and Fabiola met for the first time in October 1965 in Madrid. They were among a group of Servants of Mary missioned to the congregation’s convent in New Orleans where the two jubilarians subsequently made their final vows.
From there, their paths diverged. Sister Carmela remained in New Orleans to study nursing. Sister Fabiola came to Kansas City for her nursing education. Each continued to care for the sick.
For a brief time in the early 1970s, both Sisters lived at the Kansas City, Kansas, convent, which is also the provincial house for the Servants of Mary in the United States and Mexico. Sister Carmela assisted the young Sisters preparing to make final vows. Sister Fabiola studied nursing, ministered to the sick and served as treasurer for the local convent. As time progressed, each of the two jubilarians spent a year in Rome for theological studies and served in California.
Leading and serving
In 1988, Sister Carmela returned to Kansas City as the provincial secretary for 12 years. She next became the local superior of the Kansas City convent and then was named provincial superior of the Servants of Mary in the United States and Mexico. When her term concluded in 2017, Sister Carmela assumed household duties at the convent — greeting guests, answering the phone, and chiming the bell to call the Sisters to Mass, prayers and meals.
Since 1991, Sister Fabiola has served in Kansas City. For 15 of these years, she was treasurer of the local convent. In addition to her ongoing nursing ministry, Sister Fabiola is the liaison to the Mary Health of the Sick Guild and the Men’s Group, both of which host events to support the charitable work of the Servants of Mary.
Sisters Carmela and Fabiola have embraced their various roles out of obedience to their vows with deep spirituality and commitment to doing God’s will. Earthly rewards and things matter little to them. They trust in God’s goodness and the guidance of their superiors.
“God holds us in the cocoon of his hands and heart,” Sister Fabiola said simply.
