Sister Mary Fidelis Kreutzer SSMO ’44

Heaven has gained another angel... Sister Mary Fidelis Kreutzer. This post is going to be different from my usual posts. Many of you reading this have never even heard of Sister Fidelis and for that I am sad. She was one of a kind! This post is in tribute to an amazing woman of God.

I met Sister Fidelis in 1988 when we enrolled Allisa in Kindergarten at St. Mary of the Valley School. She was the Principal and she was so welcoming to our family. The next year, Ashley started Kindergarten and Sr. Fidelis asked me to help with a new afterschool program she was beginning for working families. {Little did I know that what she called "her simple request" would foster my love of early childhood education and take me down the path leading me to my current position.}
The following year, Anthony was quite sad about not being able to start Kindergarten (darn November birthdays!) and Sr. Fidelis realized that. She took him under her wing and he spent every spare moment she had following her around.She introduced me to the history of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. She was passionate about that subject and I was a willing learner. I was struggling in my faith, struggling to decide whether to convert to Catholicism or continue on the path of straddling the fence. Her gentle spirit helped me in so many ways. She didn't preach, she guided. She didn't lecture, she just was who she was. She made the Catholic faith personal and little by little, she dispelled the myths, dispelled my fears until one day I told her I was ready. I was so proud as she hugged me and beamed. I knew I had made the right decision.

One of my favorite stories... she told me about a time right after she entered the convent. Growing up, she hated peas and peas seemed to always be on the menu. Being a novice, she wanted to follow all the rules but try as she might, she couldn't swallow them down. But she stumbled onto a brilliant idea. The dining room tables had drawers in them where each of the Sisters stored their plate and silverware. During dinner, she slid the drawer open just a crack and one by one, rolled the peas off her plate into the drawer all the while making sure Mother Superior wasn't watching. Then, after everyone else turned in for the night, she would sneak down and empty her drawer. Her penance was that she did all of the Sisters dishes every night peas were served but she told me it was worth it!! Every month, when I sit at those tables at Board meetings, I try not to chuckle out loud as I spy those drawers and think of her story!

Sister Fidelis was a woman of prayer, a woman of faith. She gave unconditional love and she taught us to be an every day example of God's love. She will be sorely missed but Heaven is rejoicing in her homecoming. I will forever be grateful to Sister Fidelis' presence in my life and I will cherish the rosary she gave me when I made my first Communion. Goodbye friend!