Sister Rosaire, new principal at St. Joseph’s School in Athens, spent six months traveling from coast to coast to conduct retreats for the Movement for a Better World.

Is it a better world? “It’s getting to be...it’s something we’re working for,” she said as she discussed her life for the last six months.

Sister Rosaire, a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, took part in mixed retreats with priests, sisters and laymen. The retreats were given to mixed groups.

“The purpose of the movement is to establish a sense of community. ...an I-Thou relationship between two persons,” the nun said. “The God-I relationship with stress on the individual salvation of one’s soul is being changed to a community dimension. God has not willed to save us merely as individuals without bone or link with one another, it has pleased Him to make us a people.”

The Movement for a Better World retreats have stressed not only the participants’ spiritual life, but “our responsibility to one another,” Sister Rosaire said.

She said one of her most pleasant experiences was expressing herself as a nun. “I did meet with some initial shock and one priest who once said that no nun was going to tell him anything, admitted later he had changed his mind.”

Sister Rosaire said the retreats helped laymen change their views about nuns, who are usually shown doing something cute -- playing baseball, ice skating, etc.”

“The retreats created an interaction between persons of different vocations,” she said. “Laymen have been in an isolated pocket and it is broadening for priests and religious to get other views.”

The movement was started after World War II by Father Ricardo Lombardi, S.J.O. Sister Rosaire heard him speak at Dallas, Pa., after she had an opportunity to join the movement.

Asked if she thought teaching school would be “tame,” Sister Rosaire said, “No, because I plan to get involved in other types of work.”

A native of New York, she took her vows 18 years ago. She has a master’s degree in English and has taught on the elementary, high school and college level.

Besides her duties as principal, she and other sisters will be involved in the parish schools of Religion in Athens, Monroe and Winder and adult theology discussion groups.