A Faithful Servant
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20-21
Her name is Sister Rose Mary Sam, but her friends call her Sister Rose. I’m lucky to be one of those friends. Her presence in my life has had a profound influence on me, and she has become my “faith hero.”
Sister Rose is a Catholic nun, a member of the order of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She has a very strong faith in God and has relied on her faith to carry her through many rough times.
Sister Rose was the second-oldest child of Lebanese parents who had immigrated to Detroit. Her father ran a small grocery store, while her mother stayed at home to raise five children. She told me that her family was very close-knit and that her parents stressed three things: work, family, and faith in God.
Unfortunately, her family suffered the loss of her beloved father, who died of brain cancer at the age of 50, when Sister was only 14 years old. Her mother succumbed to a lung infection four years later, leaving her young family without parents. Since her older sister had already married and left home, it fell to Sister Rose to care for her three younger siblings. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she took up where her parents left off and raised them. She was only 19 when she took full responsibility for their care. But she likes to say that she was not alone in that endeavor. She feels that God was there for her and her family every step of the way.
Sister Rose has also suffered from problems with her legs, causing her to have a great deal of difficulty walking, even with the use of a walker. Again, instead of being discouraged, she has simply kept going without complaint. She taught high school French for many years, played viola in the Grosse Pointe Symphony for 30 years, and continues to watch over her family. I have been lucky enough to play in a weekly string quartet with her for many years. Sister also travels to Lourdes, France, usually once a year, to serve as a volunteer to the many disabled people flocking there for healing. In fact, the last time I spoke with her she told me that, because of another fall, she was unable to leave the assisted living facility where she now resides. However, she told me that she let her doctor know that she still plans on taking a group of nursing students to Lourdes this year. Did I mention that she is 86 years old?
Sister Rose is very precious to all who know her, including me. She is one of those people who always lives her faith with kindness, humility and love. I’m usually greeted with something like, “Darling Jan. Aren’t we blessed to be able to play music together. I love you.”
Jan Versical
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