by Sister Gail Lwanga Crumbley | November 2023
Sister Evelyn Colette Sauers passed into the arms of Jesus on November 13, 2023. She was preceded in death by her dear mother, Emma Hegstrom, and her father Charles Sauers. Evelyn (Sr. Colette) was 18 months old when her mother died giving birth to her brother Charles. Helen was the oldest, Ida two years younger, followed by brothers Robert, Herbert, and Johnny.
Evelyn was born in Ludington, Michigan, on November 1, 1925. When she was 12 years old her father remarried. Shortly after, she left home thinking she would live in a loving, stable household. She lived with a Catholic nurse and asked her father if she could be baptized a Catholic. Little Evelyn assisted the nurse and became quite skilled, unfortunately, she was too young to practice medicine. Eventually, she was placed in the Home of the Good Shepherd in Grand Rapids Michigan. It was there that she was baptized Catholic.
Living with the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Evelyn felt her life changing. One day she saw a group of Contemplative Sisters passing by going to Mass. In those days the Contemplative Sisters kept strict silence and so Evelyn could not speak to them. As the Good Shepherd spoke to her heart, Evelyn asked her group mother if she could ever be a Sister. Her group’s mother told her she could try it to see if it was a good fit for her. Evelyn, known thereafter as Sr. Colette, entered the Contemplative Sisters in Grand Rapids at 17 years of age on the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene. She made her first vows on December 8, 1945, and her final vows on July 22, 1946. She remained in Grand Rapids until 1995 when the house was closed, and she was missioned to Detroit.
The Sisters supported themselves in Grand Rapids by making altar linens and vestments, and sewing hospital gowns, sheets, and uniforms for a company. In Detroit, she worked in the altar bread room. She remembered baking, cutting, and counting hosts in a warm environment. One of the more significant changes during Sr. Colette’s religious life was when the Contemplative Sisters went from brown to white habits. The Sisters feared they would ruin their white habits while cooking, cleaning, or gardening. Sister Colette recalls that she sewed many of those habits and was precise. The Sisters had to show up on time for their fittings.
In 2008 the Detroit house was closed and the Sisters moved to Pelletier Hall in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. Here Sr. Colette endeared herself by being a loving support to the staff until her move to St. Margaret Hall in Cincinnati. At St. Margaret Hall, Sr. Colette took up the ministry to visit residents confined to their rooms and pray at the bedside of those dying. This was a great comfort to the families of the residents and many came back after their loved ones died to visit Sr. Colette.
Sr. Evelyn Colette leaves behind many nieces and nephews who were very attentive to her with calls, visits, phone calls, and cards. She enjoyed seeing their families grow up. She maintained a close friendship with Michael Michevis, from Grand Rapids Michigan, and cherished her friends who had worked or volunteered at Pelletier.
Universal Zeal
By Sr. Evelyn Colette Sauers
I’ll begin when I was 8 years old and got acquainted with suffering. Sometimes severe and other times lighter but always painful. Then when I was a teenager, our group of girls was given a retreat and the priest was talking with me and he said that I seemed to him to be suffering and he hoped I was making good use of the pains that I had.
Then I became a Sister and we were overjoyed when told that we could make a fourth vow, Zeal. So that got me offering my pains along with my prayers for souls and I’d offer my pain to Jesus to be mingled with His suffering for souls and for any intention I would be asked to pray for.
My pains, along with my prayers, seemed to touch the heart of Jesus, and intentions got answered; and if they didn’t seem to be answered I’d offer my prayers and pains over and over for the needs of the girls and the works of our apostolic Sisters. I was persistent in my offerings (and I still am) just like the woman in the Gospel who asked for bread and kept asking until she got what she requested even if the request was answered only to keep her still.
Another way I offer my prayers and pains is with our Blessed Mother. I pray a fervent Hail Mary and then make my petition, for something I’ve been asked to keep in prayer then I pray another fervent Hail Mary. I called this my prayer sandwich, and it succeeded in getting my request answered. Often during the day I renew my prayer sandwich and I am persistent in doing so.
I always mingle my pains with the pains of Jesus and then I ask Jesus to present them to the Father so He can use them anywhere in the world for anyone’s needs.