At 92 years young, Sister Celeste, a Poor Clare for 54 years, beamed with the brightest of smiles. “It is a wonderful vocation!” she declared, “Sometimes we do not get an answer, but that makes us grow. And that is the important thing because we want to get to heaven, and we want everyone to get to heaven!” Beside her wheelchair sat Sister Karis and Mother Colette. All three sisters graciously gave an illuminating account of their monastery, their Franciscan charism, and their life suspended somewhere between Los Altos and eternity.

Transformation over time

Though she has been a Poor Clare for less time than Sister Celeste, Mother Colette has spent the whole of her 51-year vocation in Los Altos and has witnessed most of its tangible changes, such as the demolition and reconstruction of some of its structures. “I remember standing on the parapet (like a little porch) watching the 1920s building being demolished. I felt that our history was collapsing, too. But no, it was simply being transformed!”  

In a humorous anecdote, Mother Colette recalled how tricky it is to be a cloistered nun on a construction site, as when a construction worker accidentally walked in on them while they were kneeling during a blessing. “He proceeded to his work area quickly, and we heard him say to someone, ‘Gee, I guess I am really blessed!’” By the same token, the sisters feel that they are blessed by remodeled buildings that keep them hidden from the gaze of the world.

Life as a Franciscan

“We have a regular schedule called an horarium. Saint Clare was the first woman to write her own Rule. She specifically wanted this kind of enclosure precisely because she wanted union with God to be our primary work,” Sister Karis explained. Community life was also crucial for both founders, Saints Clare and Francis of Assisi. Sister Karis shared what this looks like for the sisters. “We spend an hour each day at recreation where we can talk, laugh, and enjoy each other's company while doing some light hand work. We are certainly never bored!”

Sister Karis also mused on how, to this day, the sisters only live on what God provides through the generosity of others. “Both Saint Francis and Saint Clare wanted their orders to live in joyful poverty, and that is why we live on alms even to this day, making grateful and creative use of whatever is given.” God’s providence has also given the monastery dedicated benefactors and friends throughout the years, such as Tatiana Promessi, who takes the sisters to their appointments.

Tatiana reflected on one teaching moment that came during a doctor's visit. She recounted, “A woman with abundant tattoos started talking boldly and loudly to Sister from across the waiting room. At first, I wanted to protect Sister. Then, to my surprise, the two of them began a fun conversation with lots of laughter.”  To this day she remembers it as a significant moment for her.  “I was inspired by how open and loving Sister was. Now, I try to be open to looking for people who are struggling to figure things out in stores or find products on shelves, are frustrated, or just lonely. The sisters teach me compassion for those who are suffering.”

Stretching the Spiritual Muscles

With humble honesty, the sisters discussed how their way of life stretches their spiritual muscles. Mother Colette explained, “You don't see those souls smiling at you or hear them thanking you; you have to make an act of faith and believe it.”  Sister Karis offered, “When you have a frustrating day, if your work is continually interrupted, if there is a misunderstanding, or if you burned the dinner, it really takes effort to remind yourself, ‘This is the Cross. This is precisely what I can offer to save souls.’”  

Sister Karis also related one personal instance where her faith was challenged. “Several years ago my sister's unborn baby was diagnosed with a terminal condition. I prayed so hard for a miracle, but the baby died before birth. At first, I really struggled, wondering why God had let this happen. Exercising the muscles of faith led me to understand that everything I prayed for that child had been granted: life, love, and joy were all hers, not on this earth, but in unlimited fullness in heaven. God did not just give what I asked for; He gave more.”

The Aptos Sisters

Eight years ago, four elderly Poor Clares from Aptos joined Immaculate Heart Monastery, including Sr. Celeste. Sister Karis, who had wheeled Sister Celeste into the reception room, peered over at her charge and exclaimed, “Doesn’t she have the biggest smile you have ever seen?!” Sister Celeste, still beaming, declared, “I was really happy when I came!”  Caring for the sisters has been one of the greatest and most unexpected gifts to the monastery, by the sisters’ own estimation.

With a mixture of joy and sadness, Mother Collete shared about the passing of Sister Francis Maria, one of the Aptos nuns, who passed away in January.  “In her last days, she suffered so much; she had had an accident 40 years ago. But she said to me, ‘I have waited for Jesus a long time.’ Her eyes were just luminous, and she was so beautiful.” Reflecting on the passing of all the sisters of her monastery, she stated, “Their greatest gift was in their final days.”

Celebrating 75 years

The boundaries of time and eternity, of life and death, blur in the vocation of the joyful penitents who are daily challenged, according to Mother Colette, “to believe ‘I am loved by God’ and that prayer is the most vital need of our world today.” For the Poor Clares, a monastery is not so much about a place, but a person – God. Mother Colette shed light on this also: “When you are called to the cloister, the space is just accidental, so to speak. God is our daily deepening discovery, and a life lived for Him alone is expansive!”

The sisters reflected on their monastery’s 75th anniversary for The Valley Catholic:

We are awed at God's goodness to us and the fidelity of all those who have gone before us. We are grateful to God for His generosity, in always taking care of us and all our friends and benefactors who are His hands on earth. Our life is hidden, so this is an opportunity to share this moment with gratitude for all God's gifts. Every vocation is a gift; every member of His body is a gift. We feel we have been given a gift to be in the Diocese of San Jose, in Santa Clara Valley, to live in these hills, and to bear witness to the love of God during these challenging times!

We are praying for you, and we love you!