Seven Decades of Faith, Teaching and Formation
Sister Ruth Frank celebrates her 70th Jubilee this year, a milestone that coincides with the 140th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Reflecting on her life and vocation, she laughs, “Celebrating my 70th Jubilee on the Sisters’ 140th anniversary…I’ve been here for exactly half of the Sisters’ existence, which is wonderful.” For her, it’s both personal and communal: a moment to honor decades of service, education, and faith rooted in a loving family and a strong Catholic tradition.
Sister Ruth Frank grew up in Sublimity, Oregon, the eldest of nine children, five girls and four boys. “I was the oldest, and so that’s where I first learned to teach my siblings who were younger,” she recalls. From an early age, life was shaped by both faith and family. “If an animal died, we knew how to sing the whole Requiem Mass, and we would have a Mass for that bird or dog or cat, whatever died, and we would all participate in that and we just made it kind of fun.” Religious life was familiar for her, “I had several family members called to religious life. Father Clement Frank was an uncle; he was a Benedictine. Ruth Frank was a Benedictine nun and Sister Imta was an aunt. Marcine was an aunt in this community. And then I had many cousins who were priests or sisters in other communities. There were 16 of us at one time in the whole family.”
Her own calling began in Sr. Ruth Frank’s youth. One summer after eighth grade, she and Sister Marcella Parish were picking beans. “We sat on our bean buckets and she told me about the Sisters’ Aspirancy Program. I went home and told my folks that it was only five bucks a month. And my dad said, ‘Well, you can go because we can’t feed you for five bucks a month.’ And that was all I needed to hear.” By Feb. 5, 1956, she walked across the hall to the novitiate, beginning her life as a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon.
The early years of convent life blended discipline and joy. “We folk danced many times and we did it at the villa or on top of the garage, which was the novitiate area where we played volleyball and did all kinds of fun things. So it was always a very enjoyable experience.” She also valued learning and preparation for her vocation, saying, “Catholic education has been a hallmark for me. I received an excellent college education from the Sisters of Holy Names at Marylhurst University, where I prepared for the ministry of teaching.”
Sister Ruth Frank’s career spanned nearly five decades of teaching and leadership in Catholic schools throughout Oregon. She served at St. Michael School in Grand Ronde, Visitation School in Verboort, St. Cecilia in Beaverton, Holy Cross, Our Lady of Sorrows and Archbishop Howard in Portland, and Sacred Heart in Tillamook. “I was challenged and delighted by teaching. I dearly loved helping students succeed and become the best they could be. I worked hard to be Christ’s hands and heart to the ones I served,” she says. Sister’s passion for Catholic education stems from its holistic approach. “It teaches the whole person, body, spirit, mind and it teaches them how to follow Christ and be close to Christ. We don’t just pass kids on. If it does not work, we try to make fun out of it, and then it works.”
Alongside her formal teaching, Sister Ruth also spent summers at Maryville, caring for residents and embracing pastoral presence. “It was just fun being with different people. It was also fun being with the patients. I remember this one gal, she had a lot of troubles. I had to put her pills in Jello or she would not take them. One day she asked me, ‘How can you look like such an angel and be such a devil?’” Sr. Ruth Frank said with a laugh. “I always liked older people, and so it was fun for me to do that. Because of the joy I had serving them I could work long hours and it did not bother me.”
Friendship and mentorship have been guiding lights throughout Sr. Ruth Frank’s life. Sister Marcella Parish, a close friend from her youth in Sublimity, shared in convent life, teaching, and summer work. “We were not too far away from each other so we spent a lot of time together. We worked in separate schools during the day, but we were in the same house, convent living, so we were together in the evenings.” she recalls fondly.
Now in her 80s, Sister Ruth reflects with gratitude on a life steeped in faith, service, and education. “It’s such a blessing and a gift to be able to be here for 70 years. I still cannot believe I am 80-some years old. I never dreamed I would be that old,” she says. For women considering religious life, she offers simple advice, “Look at all your options. The one that you have the desire in your heart the most, that is the one to follow. But, if you really are called to religious life, God will get you there somehow, you just have to be open to it.”
From the classrooms of Oregon’s Catholic schools to the bedside of Maryville residents, Sister Ruth Frank’s life exemplifies Faith, perseverance, wisdom and joy. Her 70th Jubilee is not only a personal milestone but also a living testament to the enduring legacy of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.
