Sister Beatrice Caulson, IHM: “in the presence of God”

The name Beatrice means “Blessed or Bringer of Joy and Happiness and a mirror upon which Divine Love is reflected and, consequently, serves as the pilgrim’s bridge to salvation.” For a person who has spent many years of her life in Spiritual Direction, one might say that Bea Caulson has just been living up to her name.

Prior to her entrance, Bea and her family lived in Dunmore, PA, and she not only was taught by IHM Sisters from first through twelfth grade, but also had aunts – Sisters Annchen and Laetitia Caulson.

The Caulson Family gathered regularly as a family to say the Rosary and made the movement’s saying – “The Family that Prays together, Stays together” a reality.

Though Bea was clear by 6th grade that she had a religious vocation, she did spend time in prayer trying to determine which community would be her home. She thought about being a Missionary. But, as she often repeated in our conversation, she would ask God “where are you leading me now?” Eventually that answer brought her to IHM, following in the footsteps of her older sister, Marge, in 1961 and, she was given the name Francesca.

Bea’s education ministry benefited from the Sister Formation Program which required that Sisters complete their first degree before a ministry assignment. So, in 1966, Bea spent her first year as a Jr. High School teacher at St. Ambrose, in CT, where she also learned the importance of a supportive community life. Symbolically, St. Ambrose was also the school she returned to in 1986 to complete her school ministry as its school principal.

In 1990 she was invited to live at the House of Prayer in Cresco as a member of the core team of spiritual directors. Bea accepted this assignment because it was a way for her to move closer to God. Sr. Redempta described Bea as a “wonderful spiritual director” because she was such a good listener. Bea continued to rely on those gifts as she followed her sister, Marge (Mary Ronan) into leadership in the Formation Program. Bea’s title was Director of Formation as she guided both postulants and novices. This ministry also relied on her gifts for spiritual direction and, between them, the Caulson sisters shepherded young women from entrance through final profession.

Then, Bea moved on to what would be her longest ministry assignment as the Director of Religious Formation, Adult Faith Formation and the RCIA program and an ever-widening Circle of Grace for Associates in Gainesville, Florida. However, as Florida is quite a distance from Dunmore, Bea’s life reflected that of many sisters who lived at a distance and who had to make choices about when they would be able to have a family visit. Luckily, Bea’s oldest sister, Mary Agnes, also lived in Florida and Bea always had family nearby for support.

Bea is not only a seamstress, but, I have had the pleasure of receiving some of her original, delicately-designed cards.

Now, Bea has joined us at OLP and is learning the important ministry of being dependent on others. She describes these moments as “precious” because she is in the presence of God in a way that she has never been before.

As the Congregation looks to discover its “emerging future,” her hope is that we discover that God has us in His Hands and will care for us. We just need to listen – as she is doing now – to hear where God is taking us. And, may we know that “God wants to wrap us up in love.”