One Dominican Sister, One First Grader, One Life-changing Relationship
An Update on Jesuit Student Billy Menor & His Relationship with Sister Samuella Volk, OP
Now he’s studying philosophy and sociology at St. Louis University, but in the spring of 2016 Billy Menor was on a cross-country pilgrimage with only $35 in his pocket. He travelled from San Francisco to New York and in-between stopped at—Jubilee Farm—our Eco spirituality center in Springfield.
He shared amazing stories about his month-long travel experiences as a Jesuit novice. His most interesting story is about his first grade teacher, Sister M. Samuella Volk, OP, who exhibited the joy that influenced Billy’s decision to choose a vocation in religious life.
While at Jubilee Farm, Billy shared with Sister M. Samuella and Sister Sharon Zayac his profound respect for what women religious have done for the world and how Sister Samuella shaped him as a child to revere Earth and all creation in ways that have stuck with him his whole life.
“I think ever since I had Sister Samuella in first grade there’s been a soft spot in my heart for women religious in the church and what they’ve done for the church and also the tremendous good that they’ve done for the wider world,” he said.
He also called Jubilee Farm “The perfect example of the innovative spirit and innovative ministry” of Catholic Sisters.
Watch the video to learn how Sister M. Samuella changed this young Jesuit’s life. To learn more about Billy follow his blog at the Jesuit Post.
“Ever since I had Sister (Samuella) in 1st grade there has been a warm spot in my heart for women religious in the church, what they have done for the church and also the tremendous amount of work they have done for the wider world.
At some point on the pilgrimage I wanted to come to a farm that was run by nuns because there are so many of them around the county, and it is a perfect example of the innovative spirit they have in their ministry that sisters have been doing—forever—so ahead of their time… Just now people are becoming interested in ecology, organic farming and so many things the sisters have been doing. It is so inspiring to see sisters following the spirit and teaching people in different ways. It’s a great privilege to be here with the sisters at Sacred Heart praying with them and coming out to see the fruits, I mean the literal fruits of their prayer.” ~ Billy Menor, Jesuit novice on Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Billy Menor went on pilgrimage with only $35 in his pocket from San Francisco, California to one of his final stops: Jubilee Farm in Illinois.
He shared amazing stories about his month-long travel experiences as a Jesuit novice. His most interesting story is about his first grade teacher, Sister M. Samuella Volk, OP, who exhibited the joy that influenced his decision to choose a vocation in religious life.
Billy shared with Sister Sharon Zayac, OP, and Sister Samuella his profound respect for what women religious have done for the world and how Sister Samuella shaped him as a child to revere the earth and all creation in ways that have stuck with him his whole life. Here is a portion of that conversation recorded on Tuesday, May 17, 2016.
