Sister John Marie Schauber Growing up in a very large Catholic family was certainly one of the greatest blessings of my life. My fondest memories of childhood are of getting up each morning at the crack of dawn to go with my father 5 miles into town to attend the 6:30 Mass. I am sure that it was here that the seed of my religious vocation was first sown.

Since my earliest grade school years, I felt drawn to the religious life. So sure was I of this call that I requested permission from my parents to leave for the convent even before I had completed my high school graduation.

The Oblate Sisters were well known to my family and my father, thrilled that one of his children felt the call to the religious life, encouraged me to consider this congregation.

I visited the sisters and left at the end of that visit feeling absolutely sure that this was where I would spend the rest of my life.the peace and the joy that I felt while at the convent only deepened my desire to enter soon.

I did enter at the young age of 15; although I would never recommend this to a young girl in today's world, it was the right moment, the moment of grace, for me.

That joyful entrance took place over 45 years ago and I am still deeply grateful to God for calling me, not only to be a religious but, specifically, to be an Oblate Sister.

I completed my high school education and went on to complete graduate level work. Today, I serve in one of our schools located in Pennsylvania. But my heart remains firmly attached to the convent in Childs where I was formed and trained in our beautiful life. Each return to Childs is a little "coming home" to my roots.