Testimonies - Sr. Terry Wilson

I grew up in the small town of Parishville, New York and attended public school all my life.

My school had an interesting relationship with the three churches in town (Catholic, Methodist, Baptist) and there was an hour built into our school day every Monday where students could be released for Church school at their various churches. All were within walking distance from the school. The Catholic church was right across the street. So, my religious formation as a youth came from these release time classes and from my mom and maternal grandmother. All of which had a great impact on me.

In grade 8, we had the opportunity to participate in a day long retreat at our church. It was an amazing experience and I was especially taken up with the sister who led the retreat. Her name was Sr. Eleanor LaBranche, c.s.c. She wore ordinary clothes and a wedding band and it was the first time I had really ever met a Sister...let alone one who wasn't wearing a habit! I thought that was awesome! She was very dynamic and full of energy and she loved young people.

At the end of the retreat, she said she would write to me and took my address. Well, I love writing letters and so expectantly waited to hear from her. But, no letter ever came. However, in the fall of the next year, Sr. Eleanor phoned me to say that she would be coming to our parish to prepare parents whose children would be receiving the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. Would I be willing to bring my guitar and lead a couple songs at that meeting? I said, "sure" and this became an annual event throughout high school. Each year as she left our parish she promised again to write....and never did.

But, life went on and I went through high school planning to earn my Degree in Music and then to specialize in Special Music Education. My University of choice was Potsdam College and Crane School of Music. As it turned out, I passed the audition on saxophone but was not advanced enough in Music theory to compete against folks applying from larger city areas where they had been immersed in theory from an early age.

So, I was advised by the saxophone professor to apply as a liberal arts student for the first semester, take an advanced music theory course and try again for the second semester or the following year. Interestingly enough, as the semester went on, I began to see how stressed the music majors living on my hall in the dorm were and I decided that I loved music too much to have that love destroyed by stress. So, I began to think about other majors and directions I could take in life.

Meanwhile, I started taking my faith more seriously and spent time reading the Bible regularly, praying regularly, attending daily Mass as often as possible and I eventually joined a charismatic prayer group in the Parish. It was an incredible time of faith growth for me as an 18 year old. I began to trust that God would show me the path that my life was meant to take.

During exam week of that first semester, I received a phone call from my Parish priest back home. He called to say that a man who was a very close friend of my family had died and his wife and children asked if I would sing at his funeral. I had often gone camping with the family and we would sit around the campfire at night....me strumming the guitar and singing and one of his daughters playing flute.

I accepted to sing at his funeral....and then I realized that the funeral was scheduled at 11:00 a.m. in Parishville which was 10 miles away on a day when I had an 8:00 a.m. final exam and a 1:00 p.m. final exam. But, God was good and I managed to fit everything in. I even did well on the exams!

Now, I'll shift to the funeral because that is where things started rolling as far as my vocation is concerned. After the funeral, my mom and I were standing in front of the sanctuary, and she turned to me and said, "Terry, that was beautiful. Have you ever thought of becoming a nun?" Totally shocked, I replied, "You're crazy, mom! "...in a nice way, of course.

But, that question stayed in the back of my mind and haunted me for the next couple of weeks as I finished the semester and exams and went home for Christmas holidays. Since I had developed a habit of daily prayer, it came up often in my prayer. I was in a constant battle with God: me saying, "No way, God" and God saying, "Why not?" Finally, being totally annoyed, on December 27, 1977, I said, "Okay, God, if you really want me to look at this then I want a clear sign."

The next day I walked down to the post office to pick up our mail and in the mail was a letter from Sr. Eleanor! Coincidence? I guess not. I opened it on the spot and discovered that it was dated December 27 and after a few holiday wishes she popped the big question: "Have you ever thought of becoming a Sister?" and proceeded to list qualities she had recognized in me that led her to believe that I should check it out.

Well, I'm not one to cry easily in public but that brought me to tears and I went home and said to my mom, "Look what you did to me!" The funny side of this whole thing is that to this day my mom doesn't remember asking me the question at the Church or of me showing her Sr. Eleanor's letter!

Well, my faith at the time told me that I couldn't get a clearer sign than that!! So, I got in touch with Sr. Eleanor and we began to meet and chat. The following September I transferred to Mater Dei College in Ogdensburg and moved in with her and another sister as a candidate and thus began my journey with Holy Cross.

Just as a little aside, later on I asked Eleanor what made her write that letter on that particular day when she had been promising to write for years. Apparently she had been visiting the sisters living here in Cornwall. She had spent the morning of Dec. 27th writing her Christmas letters. Just as she was heading up the stairs from the basement to fix some lunch, my name popped into her head (remember I was praying that day back in Parishville for a sign), and she knew she had to go back downstairs and write to me. But that wasn't the end of it. After she had some lunch, she felt compelled to drive the letter over to the States and mail it in Massena so that I would receive it the next day! And receive it the next day, I did!

My journey has continued to have many "twists" and "turns" along the way and I even left for two years after my first two years....but, deep in my heart I know that God wants me right where I am... in Holy Cross....after all, who could say "no" to such a clear sign as the one God gave me? And the journey has been worth it...even through the tough times.

Visit the Sisters of Holy Cross directory listing.

Learn more about becoming a sister