Helping Others Deepen Their Relationship With Christ Sister Therese Ann Rich, an Ursuline Sister of Youngstown, works in a variety of ministries — all focused on helping others deepen their relationship with Christ. While growing-up, Sister Therese Ann was surrounded by those who celebrated their faith daily, such as her aunt, a Humility of Mary Sister, and her uncle, an Alexian Brother. In high school, Sister Therese Ann was banking on a career in accounting. But the Lord had another plan. And after her principal introduced her to two Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, Sister Therese Ann knew her life’s calling was to be a nun. In this installment of Vocation Stories by the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, Sister Therese Ann shares her experience in her own words: On her ministries: It’s funny how God moves you in a variety of ways. My major ministry is really this: to engage people in a deeper relationship with Christ. I’m a pastoral associate in a parish where I work with people who’ve lost a loved one. I do some Adult Education, I do some Religious Education with families. I’ve been teaching online with the Diocese [of Youngstown]. I’m also the IT person here at the community, so I maintain some websites and a Facebook page. Although I do a variety of things my ministry is very pointed, very specific in terms of our relationship with Christ. On being inspired for the Sisters to build a labyrinth at their Canfield, Ohio, Motherhouse: I had a lap labyrinth that I could use where I walked it with my fingers, and as I got to the center, it centered me in my prayer. Then I was able to let go of the anxieties or the concerns and actually begin to sit into the heart of God. The labyrinth is the metaphor for life’s journey. I thought to myself, “Gee, couldn’t we just do something here that would help someone or some group get in touch with who they are in relationship with God. On being inspired to become an Ursuline Sister of Youngstown: To be honest with you, I wanted to work in the finance world, but something kept tugging at me and tugging at me. The more I visited here, the more I realized I was more comfortable here and I felt more at home. I haven’t had a boring day. There’s something about hospitality and our concern for the poor – it’s more personal than corporate. Do you or does someone you know want to be a nun? Here’s what Sister Therese Ann Rich says: The invitation comes personally. It comes through relationships with people, it came personally through my family, and it came personally through my own prayer life. If you’ve been thinking about service to the church and your heart’s being tugged, come talk to us. Come talk to a Sister. Come volunteer. By volunteering, you might know who we are.