On December 9, 1904 I opened my eyes to man-made light about 12:15 a.m. in my parents home in Akron, Ohio. And on December 18, I was born into the kingdom of God. Alice Callista was born to Joseph Charles Bresson and Lucy Ellen Guenther Bresson in a family of five children, three brothers (one a Benedictine priest), and one sister (a Franciscan).

My first experience of Clyde was through our magazine, which my mother subscribed to since I was old enough to take notice. She used to ask me, “Would you like to go to Clyde?” And I would say, “Well, I didn’t know yet.” But ever since I knew about Sisters I wanted to be one. My sister and I used to dress up as nuns, putting towels over our heads. She had her convent on one side and I had mine on the other. We just grew up in an atmosphere of our wanting to enter the convent.

Having attended only two years of high school, she began thinking seriously about entering a convent. Two of her older cousins were also considering religious life and planned a trip to Clyde in 1920. I told my mother I wanted to go with them; so we came for about a week. When 1 came home I told my mom that I wanted to go to Clyde; and entered a few months later. I was not quite sixteen at the time, and the sisters hardly knew what to do with me. They thought I was just a child, so they sent me over to our Academy. After a few months they sent me to our printery, where I was initiated in setting type... one letter at a time in the stick.

Sr. Juliana was enthusiastic to learn any and all tasks set before her, and she was very aware of our ministry through the printed word. She mastered various tasks, and worked to improve the manner in which each was performed, advancing as machinery changed. More than once she had to engage Fr. Lucas regarding upgrades for the department - which he was reluctant to supply. But because of her shrewdness and determination to do things well she persuaded him. Not only that, she was willing to sacrifice herself and her time to learn how to operate new equipment.

Before leaving this work, she learned to set type in three different ways: by hand, with an intertype, and with an IBM composer. After this she was assigned to library work, which augmented her love for literature. I read one time on the title page of a book that working in the library is a great source of education. That is where I got my education. She acquired not only book knowledge, but also skill in each stage of record keeping advancement, including computers. Another change the community underwent during this time was from having the library locked up and accessible to the sisters only during certain hours, to having it flung open twenty-four hours a day.

Additionally, Juliana worked in the Sacristy, Correspondence Department, and as an in-house dental assistant for nine years, where I learned to take, not only dental x-rays, but also pictures of lungs, hands, feet, etc. Later she also served as Portress, welcoming guests and providing for their needs. Her favorite story recounts the time when two bank robbers who had escaped from federal prison came to the door one day. Professionally dressed and knowledgeable about buildings and banking, they were hosted by the superiors who consulted them about Congregational finances and served them dinner. Within days, an article in the newspaper carried story of eight escapees, including these two bank robbers.

A highlight of her life came during her golden jubilee year - a gift beyond my wildest dream, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We saw Athens, Cairo, Memphis (where I even rode a camel), Jordan, and from there, into the Holy Land. Every minute spent in that holy place was an inspiration.

Not only did Sr. Juliana love to pray the rosary, she devoted herself to making rosaries, for the Missions and for sale in our monastery gift shops. Link by link and bead by bead, she extended her life of prayer through many hundreds of rosaries - fashioned by her loving hands. Foreseeing the day when she could no longer do such intricate work. she encouraged the interest of a younger member to carry on this service of prayer.

In her last years, Sr. Juliana gained fame because of her longevity, not only passing the centennial mark, but also doing so with a good degree of health, mental astuteness and interests. She loved to walk on the convent grounds and did so up until the last years of her life. For many years it didn’t matter how hot or cold it was outside, I walked a mile and a half nearly every day as I prayed my rosary. I’ve been known to walk outside on days when it was only two degrees. When she was no longer able to walk distances, she learned how to operate an electric scooter, which she drove from our health care facility to the main monastery, where she worked in the library.

Sr. Juliana herself was an inspiration, besides being a wealth of knowledge and history in the Congregation. Knowing some of the earliest generations of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, and having lived through many periods of cultural and religious change, she held a distinct position in our midst. She was gracious, practical, wise, interested, caring, gentle, self-sacrificing, loved and respected by all. Sr. Mary Juliana, as well as her love for the Lord and fidelity to monastic life and adoration, is now part of our rich patrimony.

Sister M. Juliana died on October 17, 2007.