Like many who grew up in this area, Sister Bernice began life on a small family farm in St. Leon, where a half-acre garden and farm work fed both body and spirit. Her faith journey began quietly, shaped by a grandmother who would at times walk ½ mile to Church during the week, some days a few grandchildren trailing behind. But the roots of her story stretch back even further, to a love story fit for a Hallmark movie. While serving in the military, her great uncle and her father were in the same unit. Her uncle kept telling him, “You should write to my niece.” He did. And those tender letters, worn with time but still filled with love, remain treasured by the family, pulled out now and then to relive the beginning of something beautiful.
Some of Sister Bernice’s fondest childhood memories include gathering in the evening with her eight siblings in her parents’ small room, all of them together, saying the rosary as a family. That deep sense of closeness has never faded. Today, her family still hosts large gatherings, and the sisters occasionally hold “sister sleepovers.” When she talks about them, her eyes brighten, as if she’s momentarily transported back to those bustling days of her childhood. She laughs when recalling how their family was big enough to make its own baseball team. They played barefoot on gravel, something only farm kids truly understand.
When asked if she remembers the moment she felt called to religious life, Sister Bernice shared memories of her two-room schoolhouse, where four grades learned in a single room. The Sisters who taught her were dedicated to serving others, prayerful, and fun-loving. She admired their joy and the way they cared for each other and everyone around them. Even as a child, she felt drawn to that same life of compassion, community, and service. Her empathy was already blooming.
Throughout her ministry, Sister Bernice has served in many roles, as a teacher in Batesville and Indianapolis, and later through her work in Occupational Therapy in Oldenburg with the Sisters, Counseling, and on the Leadership Team. She holds two master’s degrees, each reflecting her lifelong commitment to learning and walking alongside others on their journeys.
Her passion for gerontology is especially poignant. She has spent years accompanying older adults through the emotional transitions that come with aging. She shared that when mobility becomes limited and life narrows, faith often deepens. “Maybe we can’t do everything we once did,” she says softly, “but we can still pray, still serve, still draw closer to God.” Helping others embrace this shift is something she considers a sacred privilege, especially caring for the Sisters who came before her.
She often reminds others, “We must remember, the path we are on is the path we need to be on.” She believes wholeheartedly that God uses each of us, in our own unique ways, to guide one another along that path. Afterall, “We are just walking each other home.” – Ram Dass
In her private time, Sister Bernice delights in exploring her creative side. She loves photography, especially capturing nature and the changing seasons. Music also fills her heart. She enjoys the soothing tones of Native American flute music or listening to Sister Barb play her flute. She writes poetry too, trusting that God will give her the words she needs to express whatever is stirring within her. She treasures working with her hands—sculpting ceramic Christmas trees, woodcarving, and completing word searches. One of her most cherished memories is learning woodcarving from Father Herculen in Batesville. She created crib sets, Madonna and Child figures, and clocks for loved ones, and still cherishes the German carving tools he gifted her—symbols of a craft and a mentor deeply rooted in her heart.
She smiles warmly when remembering how the Sisters would walk together to the apple orchard, gathering apples because they had little, yet always wanted something to offer their parents when they visited. Their generosity, simple, heartfelt, and abundant, reflects the very spirit Sister Bernice carries with her.
When asked what she considers her greatest accomplishment, Sister Bernice says it has been her ability to walk with individuals on their journeys. Many people throughout her life have guided her through spiritual direction, directed retreats, and counseling. She is deeply grateful for those who were, and still are, willing to call her forward and help her stay true to her path.
In her presence and her gentle way of being, Sister Bernice offers a living example of what it truly means to love others with compassion, humility, and grace or “Just to be is a Blessing,” one of her favorite songs.