From L to R: Sr. Inga, Jim Steinbeisser, Fr. Jim O’ Neil and Sr. Gaudia
Magazine Photo see caption in instructions above
The sisters having an informal discussion with parishioners as well as Fr. Jim and Deacon Mitch
The sisters, Mark and Julie Brodhead at the ranch enjoying a luncheon prepared by May Ann
Hanging out with the Steinbeisser kids
Sr. Gaudia speaking on Divine Mercy
By May Ann Steinbeisser
By the grace of merciful God, two religious sisters from the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy based in Washington, D.C. found their way to St. Matthew’s Parish in the small town of Sidney in Eastern Montana! Srs. Gaudia Skass and Inga Kvassayova who serve at the St. Pope John Paul II National Shrine are originally from Poland and Slovakia respectively. They came upon the invitation of my husband, Jim Steinbeisser who is a member of Knights of Columbus Council #3002. He had seen their videos on YouTube a couple of years ago. The sisters who belong to the same congregation as St. Faustina Kowalska, the mystic to whom the message of Divine Mercy was entrusted, have made it their mission to spread the news and devotion to the Divine Mercy. They do a monthly talk, “Evenings with Merciful Jesus” which they livestream on the internet via YouTube and Facebook. After watching several of their presentations, Jim was so taken with their message and spirituality that he wanted to bring them to our parish! He discussed this possibility with his fellow knights and parish priest, Fr. Jim O’Neil, and after securing their approval and support, plans were made last year to invite them to Sidney but due to COVID-related travel restrictions and uncertainty, it wasn’t until April 7th of this year that Sr. Gaudia and Sr. Inga were able to fly to Sidney!
It sure was a pleasure to meet them! They are soft-spoken, humble, faithful, joyful, holy…everything you would expect in religious women who have consecrated themselves entirely to God. Surprisingly, they’re also adventurous, fun-loving and have a great sense of humor! As it was the sisters’ first time in MT, we wanted them to experience a bit of the MT culture for some fun and relaxation. So, between their speaking engagements, we invited the sisters to our ranch. It was the start of calving season so they were thrilled to see newborn calves and their mamas out in the pasture. They also saw Jim deliver feed to the cows via a feed truck. Then it was time to do some horseback riding. After they changed into their work habits, and taking a few riding lessons from Jim, they gave it a whirl…just around the corral but they said they enjoyed the experience very much and would love to do it again!
Another new experience for the sisters was the bull sale auction! At first, we weren’t sure if they would feel comfortable in such a strange environment but they took it in stride. Sr. Gaudia told us with a smile that they like to go where people are not necessarily expecting to be reminded of God. Just imagine the curious and surprised stares that they got from cowboys, ranchers, farm hands, etc. Our host, Howard Rambur eventually introduced the sisters to the crowd in the middle of the sale. Somebody must have found their presence highly unusual that they snapped a picture of them and it ended up in a multi-state regional newspaper! We also got to see more of their playful side when they spontaneously joined our teenaged kids in playing basketball at the Parish Center one evening! It was fun to see them loosen up and shoot hoops but after seeing their attempts, I don’t think they’ll be getting any calls from the WNBA!
On a more serious note, the few days that the sisters spent in Sidney were truly a grace-filled time. They, along with Fr. Jim, led the faithful of St. Matthew’s Parish in praying the Station of the Cross with meditations derived from St. Faustina’s diary, “Divine Mercy in My Soul.” They spent one morning in prayer and fellowship with a couple of sisters who live in the area, Sr. Rita Rauschendorfer and Sr. Regina Murray. They also gave several inspiring talks on the life of St. Faustina and the profound message that Jesus gave her regarding his unfathomable mercy for the whole world. Parishioners learned of the promises that he made to those who would pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, venerate his holy image and celebrate the feast day which was declared by St. John Paul II as the first Sunday after Easter. They led us in praying the Chaplet with some chanting involved. It was a beautiful, solemn experience.
Later, people told us how much they loved listening to the talks and visiting with the sisters. Like us, they were touched by their message and were very thankful that Jim had invited them, and after seeing the sisters get teary-eyed when we dropped them off at the airport, I can say with certainty that we had also touched their hearts because according to them, the people of Montana is what real America is all about. They very much enjoyed their visit to MT and hoped that the seed they planted here will bear much harvest for the Lord.
We would like to thank Fr. Jim for his counsel and support, Knights of Columbus #3002 and the Fourth Degree Council for sponsoring the sisters. Mrs. Becky Eggum for graciously sharing her home with them. Mark and Julie Brodhead for taking them where they needed to be when my husband couldn’t, and St. Matthew’s Director of Religious Ed, Mary Quiroz for notifying our Catholic youth here and surrounding parishes and for sponsoring supper. We hope that someday we would meet again.
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