Benedictine Sisters
1910 Maple Ave
Lisle, IL 60532

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Alma Bratrsovsky, OSB

Sister Alma has just recently celebrated her 60^th year of profession. Her journey to the community of the Benedictine Sisters in Lisle began in the earliest years of her childhood Her aunt, Sister Coletta Novak, left her family home in Nebraska and came to visit the Sisters in Chicago. She accompanied her brother who was attending St. Procopius College (currently called Benedictine University). Sister Coletta never returned to Nebraska. She was visited by her sister Marie, Sister Alma’s mother who decided that her daughters should ultimately join the Benedictines. In looking back, Sister Alma attributes her profession to her mother’s prayers and is grateful for her guidance.

At great sacrifice to the family, Sister Alma and her two older sisters were sent to Sacred Heart Academy and it was there that the three of them, Sisters Immaculate, Annunciata and Alma found their vocation. Sister Alma also had a cousin, Sister Marie Bartek and has a niece, Sister Mary Bratrsovsky who are Benedictines and have followed in the family’s tradition.

Sister Alma graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in 1935 and subsequently received a degree in Mathematics from DePaul University. She taught both algebra and geometry for about fifteen years at both Sacred Heart and Benet Academies. Following her years of teaching, Sister Alma was Director of Financial Aid at Illinois Benedictine College (now BU) for ten years and retired from that ministry in the 1960’s. Not quite ready for full retirement, Sister went on to work as a typist at Waste Management in Oakbrook for three more years.

Beyond her ministries outside of the monastery, Sister Alma has served the community in a variety of roles: Secretary to the Prioress, Treasurer and Subprioress. Additionally, Sister has been the community’s archivist.

After a very full working life, Sister Alma now enjoys her retirement at the monastery. She stays busy with a variety of tasks and has developed her already significant typing skills into very helpful computer skills. She also helps with the Sisters’ many large mailings each year. Sister Alma especially loves to stay in touch with relatives, friends and former students via email. Sister Alma also loves to tat, an increasingly rare handwork art form, and makes lovely doilies and handkerchief edgings. Her beautiful crocheted baby blankets are treasured gifts.

About the future here at Sacred Heart Monastery, Sister Alma observes, “When, God willing, I will live to see my community in its new monastery, I will help create community within its new surroundings and I will continue to pray for those who have ministries outside the monastery. I will pray that the members of our community will, by their example, spread peace and harmony to our surrounding community and attract new members to our community.”

“I pray that God bless all the readers of this website experience God’s love, joy, peace and happiness and that this newsletter will help spread the Word of God.”