Sister Maura

Sister Maura has been a Dominican Sister for 58 years. Before she came to the Elms, she taught everything from mathematics to literature to her young pupils. She helped schedule the classes for the Elms High School until two years ago, when the pandemic hit. Because of the pandemic, many of the sisters had to stay out of high-risk areas, like schools.  Even through this, she has persisted in visiting the school (with the proper precautions) and is tutoring children in the morning. This is her story.

Interview with Sister Maura Bartel

Interviewer: How long have you been a sister?

Sister Maura: 58 years.

Why did you decide to become a sister?

Well, I didn't really decide to become a sister. I had this gnawing thing here. When I was a senior in high school. Maybe I was supposed to be a sister. I didn’t really want to be a sister. I just wanted to get married and have a family. I’m the oldest of 10, when I was in senior year. We didn’t have Dominicans, we had a different order. This sister asked me about being in their order. I told her if I wanted to be a sister, I'd be a Dominican. Well just because you have an aunt in the community doesn't mean that’s where you're going. Anyway, I worked for a year afterward, and then because I kept having this prompting that maybe I should try it out, in Akron here, and that's how I Never had a good reason for leaving. Now, we all have reasons for giving up on something. Being in a marriage, and engagement, in college, being in anything. We all have reasons, the clue for me was, but for me, there was no good reason to leave the convent, and here I am.

How long have you been a sister at this motherhouse specifically?

Ok, when I first entered here I moved up to Cleveland to go to college and from Cleveland, I went to St. Paul in south Akron. And I taught fourth and first grade. From there I went to orbit Ohio, which is down by Wooster. I was only there one year, and then I went back to St. Pauls. For another 3 years, then I went to St. Vincent elementary school for seven years. Then I lived in those convents while I was there. After St. Vincent, I went to Little Elms, and I taught third grade. So I have been here in the convent for about 41 years because I’ve been at the elms. I was associated with the elms for 41 years, 5 at the elementary and 36 at the high school.

What made you choose to go into the Dominican Sisters of Peace, instead of another order?

Well first of all we weren’t the Dominican sisters of peace when I entered, that’s number 1. But we were always Dominicans. I think the reason why  I went to Dominicans, Is first of all I had them in elementary school. I had an aunt in the community and they were always very happy. I always saw them happy. And the ones that I, and also it was close to home. Ok,  that was important to me, that I’d be close to home. The sisters that I had in high school, there were some that were very very happy. But then there were others that didn’t seem very happy. If I was going to be a sister I was going to be happy! We were a separate congregation when I entered sixty-something years ago, we were the Dominican sisters of the immaculate heart of Mary, and this was our motherhouse! Ok and this was where we were in a bishop business where we had all of our gatherings and came back to this place. Well in 2009 after about 10 years of discussion, meetings, and things. There were 7 congregations that came together and formed the Dominican sisters of peace, since that time we had one more congregation join us so we have a bigger congregation now. Probably 350, something like that. Where if we were just Akron we would be maybe 40 or something less like that. When we joined, we joined for the missions. There were more of us who could do the mission and spread the mission of the Dominican sisters. So we took a new title because there were 7 different congregations, we had to have a new title. We couldn’t be 

the Immaculate Heart of Mary because that was just us, and Catherine DeRicci because that was just another congregation, so we prayed and talked and met and prayed and talked and met, and we came up with the Dominican Sisters of Peace. It’s a big responsibility as far as I’m concerned because first, you’d better be at peace with yourself. Then, you have to spread peace with the world.

What would you have done if you didn't become a nun?

Well, I suspect I’d be married with a family, and by now, grandchildren.

Yeah. Did you go to college, and if so, what did you study?

Ok, I did go to college, and I went to St. John’s in Cleveland for my bachelor's and I studied education. I went to Kent State and studied Education (a Master’s in Education) with a specialization in reading because at the time I was teaching little ones. And then, I went to Akron University and got my Master’s in administration.

What are your favorite parts of the motherhouse or campus?

Favorite parts? Well, probably chapel. That's where we pray together and that's where I personally feel support from the sisters. Oh the campus… just the whole campus, because you can walk, there's flowers, and there’s water and there's animals. I don’t particularly care for those geese, but I would never kick them or do anything like that to them. [Laughter]

What has been the most fulfilling part of being a sister at The Elms?

Most fulfilling… Hmm… I think back to the support of the community. I don't know that I could be a hermit or anything like that, it's the support of the family of the sisters, the support in prayer, the support that we pray for one another. We pray for our family's needs and things like that. I think that the prayer aspect is one of the most fulfilling for me. 

Do you have any advice for someone that would want to become a sister and what would you say?

I would probably, first of all, ask them why they think they want to be a sister. I would encourage them to pursue their education at the same time they are pursuing whether this is a good fit for them or not. I would encourage them to have a mentor or a spiritual director, someone who can help them on their journey. I really would encourage them depending on how old they are, you know, I would encourage anybody less than 20 to be sure and finish college first, that's very important. We have a number of younger sisters in the Dominican sisters of peace, but when I say younger I mean 30 and older; I mean that's younger than I am but that's the advice I think I would give, find someone to journey with you. 

What does all-women’s education mean to you, and why did you choose to serve at an all-female school?

Well, I think it’s very important that young women find their own voice. I think that it is a lot easier to find their own voice in an all-female school, because they’re not intimidated by the boys or they don't feel that they can’t answer the questions in class. What drew me there? I guess just because it was a community school, it was our school. And it’s sometimes hard to explain that things fall into place and that’s where you find yourself. When I left St. Vincent elementary school, there happened to be an opening at the elementary school here– at little elms–and so that's why I ended up there and it happened to be an all-girls school and I certainly came to appreciate how valuable it was. I’ve heard so many stories from alums who say they go to college and are not afraid to raise their hand, and everybody else looking at them, especially the girls. Y’know, ‘what are you doing?’ and they’re just very sure of themselves and know what they want and go after it.

What is some advice you have for students?

For students? Well, I think, first of all, every one of us– not just students–but every one of us should strive to be the best version of ourselves. Those of you who have been around have heard me say that before, and that's not only for students, it's for me just as much. I think that I would encourage students to take any opportunity that they are given, that they have to make their education, their experiences, absolutely the best possible thing that you can do. I always like to say have a planner and use it, and y’know, know what your goals are and go after them. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do that, you can’t do that because such and such. Don’t let anybody tell you that. Now, if you go after it, and after you’re working on it and find out it isn’t for you, that’s a whole different story. But don’t let anybody tell you "you can’t do that" because your science grade isn’t so good or your math grade isn’t so good. So what? So what. Go after it.

What is the biggest change you’ve witnessed in your time at the elms?

What changes?

Yes.

Well, I think the first thing that comes to mind is the fact of computers. I’ve been here long enough to know that there was a time when there was no such thing as a computer in the building. So that is the biggest change. There was a question on the paper about the uniform, but I don’t think the uniform has changed that much since I’ve been here. There’s a lot more options now. I guess technology is about the biggest change I have noticed.

What’s your favorite book or story in the Bible?

Oh my goodness! I was thinking about that, and some of my favorites are the letters of Saint Paul. Basically, because Saint Paul persecuted Christ, he was struck down (so to speak), and he became a follower of Christ. I think some of the things that St. Paul has gone through can apply to my life also. So, I think the letters of Saint Paul. More than one book though.

What was your favorite subject in school?

I think math was my favorite. I like to teach math. I’m tutoring right now— Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings— and I like to think of different ways to help them with their math. I think that memorizing is important so I’m trying to get my little “2-T”’s to memorize their multiplication facts right now.

Who is your favorite saint?

Hmm… You know, I mostly pray to Mary, and I think Mary is probably my favorite. I meditate and think about her saying “yes” to Angel Gabriel when she hadn’t a clue what she was saying ‘yes’ to and I think that’s what happens in a community being a sister. We say “yes,” not knowing what the next 50 or 60 years would bring

Do you have a favorite prayer to say or a prayer you say very often?

Yes, I have the memorare, a prayer to Mary. Which you guys say, don’t you?

Yes. What is your favorite season at the Elms?

Seasons? I have to say spring, it’s just when the flowers come alive and the birds come back and the leaves come on! It's just such a sign of new life and, you know, freshness and everything.

What’s your favorite religious movie?

Favorite religious movie? 

Yes.

I just have to tell you I don’t have one!

Do you have a favorite Dominican pillar?

A favorite Dominican pillar? Um, I think I have to go back to prayer just because prayer is what sustains me and what supports me. The other three certainly are important and a big part of my life.

I had kind of a question, slightly off-topic but I was curious, I know you guys used to do mini tours of the campus and I know it was a mini-auction, is that still available?

They bid on the Fantasy a year ago and they just came and had… at least I think I wasn’t home Friday, I was in Columbus. And they were supposed to come Friday for dinner and a tour of the house. We will take a tour that way before we leave, ok? You can see our chapel, but I mean you can talk to your religion teachers and you know I just have to know so I would be happy to give you a tour.

Ok thank you, I’ll have to talk to them. Also, the rooms in the convent all stand out because they are so beautiful and have so many details with the murals and the paintings of the Saints and things so, do you have a favorite place in the convent or room in the convent that you find really special?

No, just the chapel. But as you can tell this is the ending and this was a mansion, girls, that was built in 1911. This is the end of the mansion here, there’s the courtyard, this was the end of the house that was built on as you look out here. The top floor are bedrooms, the middle floor is the dining room, that’s all added, it’s all added, alright? And the bottom floor is the big meeting room, and a library down there and over here this is what we call the wellness center down the first floor, second-floor bedrooms, and at the bottom, we have the sewing room, exercise room, haircutting room, and then someone gave us a pool some time ago. We did not buy that, we did not install that pool, we do not have that kind of money. Someone did and someone helps maintain it and then the chapel was added on that was not, this is where the Sisters’ chapel used to be right here. When they first became a congregation in ‘29. This was chapel. And this was like the sacristy where Father said Mass.

Everyone: Thank you so much, Sister Maura!