Sister Agnes Kaczmarek
Shelter Assistant at St. Martin's Hospitality Center (New Mexico)

I was what you would call a full-blown hippie. I protested the Vietnam war. There was a period in my life when I even stopped going to church. I believed in God but the institutional church had no place in my life. I was questioning everything. Then Pope John XXIII convened the Vatican Council II. Bishops from all over the world gathered in Rome and changes began to happen in the church. The role of laity became prominent in the church. Personally, I began to understand the meaning of my confirmation. I seized the opportunities for ministry and became an active Catholic in the church. I became very involved in my parish in Detroit as a youth minister and was living in a covenant community. I was in my late 20s, very active, had boyfriends, but knew that marriage wasn't for me. I was looking for something else. Because of my work I had contacts with sisters of different communities. Yet, I was always drawn to the simplicity of the Franciscans. My parents and godparents had devotion to St. Francis and were very active in the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) so Francis was always a part of my life.

I didn't know any Franciscan communities so I simply copied addresses from a directory. Sight unseen. I wrote letters to several communities and finally went to visit one. I connected with one of the community's vocation director. However, when she moved from that position I felt that God closed the door, and I didn't know what to do.

During this time, I went on weekend retreats and began exploring what direction to take with my life. A sister friend of mine in Detroit told me about her friend, a Sister of St. Francis from Millvale Pennsylvania. I wrote to her and to the community' vocation director. In 1978, on Easter Monday, I landed at Mount Alvernia. When I walked into the Motherhouse, I felt a sense of peace. During my short stay there, I asked for papers to begin the process of affiliation with the community. When I went back to Detroit and told my friends of my decision, they were happy for me. No one discouraged me.

When you believe that God will provide and trust with all your heart, it will unfold. It gets a bit scary, but when I take a risk, I am blessed. The following Junem after my visit to Mount Alvernia, I bought my one-way ticket to Pittsburgh.

I know that God called me over 20 years ago. All through the years what has driven me is my goal to work with the poor. During my early years in the community, I was a teacher but the strong call to social justice remained. This call led me to serve in Adams County, one of the poorest counties in Ohio. There I ran the thrift shop and worked in the rural parish with another sister form my community. We were the only sisters in the county. After a number of years I returned to work in our hospital's finance office. I found ways to be with and work with the poor always having the Gospel and my community mission statement as my standard bearers.

Then God opened another door. I had the opportunity to participate in a program that integrated contemplation and social justice. This led me to St. Martin's Shelter, a day-time shelter in New Mexico, where I serve as a resource person. I try to help low income working people and the homeless to rise above their present condition. I try to be an advocate for them.

God ha given me the graces to do things I never thought I could. You've go to trust the Lord. Every day I give myself time for quiet contemplation. God is the love of my life. I am conscious of the beauty of creation around me. I have to be aware that I am a steward of my gifts. Even though I'm geographically removed from my congregation, I feel very supported by them. I thirst for community life and keep connected to my community.

I believe that when God directs you and you walk in the way of the Gospel, you can't go wrong. God keeps opening doors that are so exciting for me.