By Shirley Ward

Attending the conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious was Sister Bernadette Vetter, the president of the order of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.

Sister Bernadette's visit was a happy one for the three nuns who are the parish assistants at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Smyrna, Ga., because they are members of the order of which she is president.

In 1966, the late Archbishop Hallinan personally asked Sister Bernadette if she would allow members of her order to participate in an "experiment," and permit the sisters to be parish assistants in addition to conducting schools of religious education.

The enthusiastic reception of this pilot endeavor by the parishioners of St. Thomas fills Sister Bernadette with gladness.

Most religious orders no longer use the term Mother Superior in referring to the heads of their orders. Sister Bernadette explained that now the feeling is that all the religious are sisters in Christ.

She was elected by the General assembly of the order, and certainly her charming personality and educational background were factors in being chosen. She has a master’s degree from Marquette University, and has done post-graduate work at Fordham, and John Carroll University in Cleveland, which is her home town.

She has taught English and drama, and is a constant contributor to the HM publication The Blue Legionnaire. As president of the order, she is responsible for much administrative work, and visits all of the members of her order in their 43 missions, from Nebraska to Chile.

Listening to Sister Bernadette as she spoke to groups of parishioners from St. Thomas, it was difficult to separate the woman from the religious. She is a very real person, very trim, well groomed, humble but most outspoken with regards to the task of the women of her order.

Naturally, she has the utmost faith in prayer, calling it a "re-charging of the batteries," and feels the living liturgy a source for joy and hope. Of course, she feels there are days of harvest, and the inevitable days of desert. Happily, the harvest is more often at hand.

She often stated that the interaction of parish priest, sisters, and people was the true spirit of Vatican II. Because the members of her order travel into the world to share the problems of all with whom they become involved, she can see much hope in the world to come.

The basic structure of the order of which Sister Bernadette is president is one of service, love and prayer. This charming, eloquent woman is certainly a testimony to those ideals.