March 29, 2024

Sister Clarice Korger, Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton and Sister Myra Remily, Presentation Convent, Aberdeen, recently spent time volunteering near the southern United States border working with and aiding refugees there.

The sisters spent two weeks helping and serving El Paso’s Annunciation House.

The sisters were not alone but part of a broader group from across the nation helping out during the partial government shut down.

The sisters shared that Annunciation House was utilized due to demand.

Sister Clarice said that she usually helped out on the day shift welcoming refugees seeking asylum and residence in the United States.

The sisters helped the refugees get cleaned up, get a new clean set of donated clothes and acclimated to their new surroundings.

Sister Clarice pointed out that the usual time at Annunciation House for incoming refugees is three or four days.

Sister Clarice also helped out preparing meals when other volunteers were unable to do that.
She also helped at times coordinating transportation for those in need.

She came away in amazement of her time in El Paso. She was amazed with the people of El Paso, their generosity and kindness toward the refugees.

She calls her time there helping out well worth it and a beneficial ministry for her and the other sisters she teamed with during their time in Texas.

She made a presentation during the Benedictine community’s chapter meeting in January.

Sister Clarice and the others got the opportunity to serve after an invitation from the Leadership Conference for Women Religious (LCWR), a group she belongs to.

Pictured: Sister Clarice Korger, OSB, Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton, (on the left) Sister Myra Remily, PBVM, Presentation Convent, Aberdeen (center) and Sister Maura McCarthy, PVBVM, Dubuque, IA (on the right) helped prepare supper for migrants in El Paso, TX, in December.

(Photo courtesy, Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton)