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Sister Susan Zemgulis, OP, a Dominican Sister of St. Catherine de Ricci, is administrator of the Dominican Retreat and Conference Center in Niskayuna. A graduate of Niskayuna High School and Siena College, Sister Sue, who is 46, entered the community in 1990.

When and why did you realize you wanted to be a sister?

There were more signs than I realized at the time. I was a volunteer at the retreat center when I was growing up. The sisters would tell us, "You will grow up and become wonderful Dominicans."

It was mostly a growing into, a learning that sisters were real people, they had good days and bad days. I was interested in music, especially liturgical music. I was an altar server at St. Helen's Church [in Niskayuna] when I was 16.

As I moved through life, the questions began to surface. It got to the point where I could not not do it. I had to check religious life out.

Who inspired you to become a sister?

Because I volunteered here, I had a lot of contact with the sisters. They weren't pushy. They encouraged all that I did. My parents were also very active in our parish. Growing up, my brother would tell me, "There you are, going to do nun's stuff."

I made my first retreat here when I was 12. That's how I met the sisters. They asked me if I wanted to volunteer. When I was in high school, I had a weekend job here, setting tables, cleaning up. At the time, they had a volunteer choir that sang at the end of retreats. I started doing that. The retreat house almost became my parish.

A lot of people asked, "Why did I need to enter?" For me, it was about being community, being with a group of faith-filled people who had a purpose in spreading God's Word in the world.

How did your parents feel about your decision to become a sister?

My parents [Stan and Marian] were pleased. They saw it coming [for] longer than I did.

Were your expectations met?

Absolutely. I have the privilege of getting to see miracles happen all the time. When people come on retreat, they open themselves to allow God to speak to them more deeply. I have the opportunity to sit down and talk to retreatants who need a person to see how God is working in a situation.

Would you have done anything differently?

I don't think so. It was a matter of listening to God and taking the next step. There was no lightning bolt.

What is the most difficult part?

Right now, religious life is in transition. It will be interesting to see where things are going. Our sisters who are older never expected to see Vatican II happen [in the 1960s]. There's now an overall sense of all congregations being more connected.

No one knows what the outcome will be. My trust is that the Spirit is working in all this.

What do you like the most about religious life?

Just having the opportunity to walk with people on their journey with God. And, as I progress in my life, my prayer is becoming more contemplative.

What do you like to do for fun?

I'm a musician. I play the guitar. I like to read, walk, knit, do carpentry work and play with my grandniece and grandnephew.

What sacrament inspires you the most?

I would say the Eucharist. Because I am a musician, I am able to pray with song. Eucharist gives me that opportunity.

What do you want others to know about being a sister?

It's a real way of life. We can get so caught up in trying to be whatever society says we should be. What's made me happiest is simplifying my life and focusing on what matters. For others who are seeking, religious life is a real possibility to look into.

FAVORITES
Music: classical, folk, liturgical
Performer: Michael Card
Movies: "The Sound of Music," "Julie and Julia"
TV show: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
Recreation: walking by the river
Food: "a good steak"

(09/09/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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