In 1998, four Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., arrived to Denver to help open and establish St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. Over the years the order’s presence in the archdiocese grew to seven and spread to the Western Slope.
This month, with their original mission completed, three sisters are leaving the seminary convent, but four sisters will remain at St. Clare of Assisi School in Edwards, Colo., to continue teaching there.
“It’s been a great joy for each one of the sisters assigned here to work in the seminary, to collaborate and to bring it together,” said Sister Esther Mary Nickel, superior of the Denver convent the last dozen years. Explaining their move, she added, “Our hope was that as new priests were formed [at the seminary], they would eventually take over our jobs and that is happening.”When the seminary was being launched, Archbishop Charles Chaput invited the sisters to help staff it, and to maintain the seminary chapel and sacristy, work with first-year seminarians and care for the archbishop’s residence. Archbishop Samuel Aquila, then-Father Aquila, served as seminary rector.
Today the seminary is thriving and the archbishop’s residence, which sits across from the seminary, was recently expanded for communal living and combined with the new multi-use facility called the Holy Trinity Center.
The Holy Trinity Center, which was paid for through private donors and completed last year, solves space woes the archdiocese was experiencing at the John Paul II Center campus, which houses two seminaries—St. John Vianney and Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary—the convent, a Spirituality Year House for first-year seminarians, and the pastoral center offices.
“The Holy Trinity Center is fulfilling its purpose as a place for meetings, dinners and a place of hospitality. It’s been wonderful seeing how it’s developed,” said Sister Nickel, who has coordinated its activities since it opened.
Sister Nickel, who holds doctoral degrees in theology, liturgy and agronomy, also taught at St. John Vianney, assisted the Catholic Medical Association Denver Guild, the nonprofit Divine Mercy Supportive Care, Endow women’s studies, served as archdiocesan liaison to the Discalced Carmelites, and was a consultant to the Office of Liturgy.
“It’s been a great privilege and a joy to work with these men who go out and serve the people of God in the parishes. For me teaching has been a tremendous gift,” she said, adding that she also enjoyed her work with the Catholic groups, chancery offices and religious communities.
“There are such good people who have been working in the Archdiocese of Denver,” she said.
Sister Nickel is going to Jackson, Minn., to write a couple of books and several articles. She’ll also be helping former Denver priest, now Sioux City, Iowa, Bishop R. Walker Nickless, with liturgical formation.
Also leaving are Sister Mary Elisha Glady, who is going to the Diocese of Lake Charles, La., to serve as director of formation, and Sister Mary Katerina Masek, who is going to the Diocese of Phoenix to teach philosophy and music.
Staying in the mountains to serve St. Clare of Assisi School are the principal Sister Marirose Rudek; community superior Sister Mary Andrea Lesko, and teachers Sister Mary Rosanna Leinberger and Sister Mary Hanah Doak.
Sister Rudek is the sole remaining member of the first sisters who came to Denver to help open St. John Vianney. The others—Sister Mary Judith O’Brien, Sister Mary Prudence Allen, Sister Moira Debono and, the following year, Sister Mary Timothea Elliot, previously moved on to other assignments.
When a new order moves in to the Denver convent, their primary task will be to care for the archbishop’s residence and the Holy Trinity Center, Sister Nickel said.
“The convent was built in 1950 and had Precious Blood Sisters who did laundry and cooking for the seminary,” she said, referring to the old St. Thomas Seminary, predecessor to St. John Vianney. When St. Thomas closed, the Precious Blood Sisters left, she added.
“We feel grateful that we’re still part of the archdiocese,” said Sister Doak. “A lot of our vocations have come from the archdiocese—six or seven—including my own. The archdiocese is much beloved by our order and we’re grateful to be able to continue the tradition that was started in Denver and expanded to the Western Slope.
“There’s a sadness in closing the [Denver] convent,” she continued, “but also a peace that it’s the Lord’s will—and as part of the Lord’s will we are in this little mountain town [Edwards]. We love the school, St. Clare’s, and we’re really rooting for it and want to see it grow.”
For more information about the Religious Sister of Mercy, visit rsmofalma.org.
