Sister Malachy was born October 29,  1901 in Canton,  South Dakota.  She was the fourth of thirteen children,  nine girls and four boys.  She attended Good Council Academy and graduated from a business course in 1920.  Two years later,  she joined the community of Sisters of the St. Francis Order at Assisi Heights in Rochester,   Minnesota.  She continued her education at St. Teresa College in Winona, Minnesota.  After receiving her degree,  Sister Malachy taught school for half a century before retiring in 1975 and returning to Assisi Heights.

I was invited to stay at the convent as I did the the research for this drawing.  Being the son of a Protestant minister,  my expectations did not conform to the reality of Assisi Heights.   The expected austere "cell" with sparse furnishings turned out to be a comfortable room with a private bath.  The Sisters welcomed me as an honored guest into their wonderfully happy and active religious community.  Sister Malachy gave me a tour of the convent and told the history of the Sisters of Assisi Heights.  The Sisters began St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester after a major tornado killed over a hundred Rochester residents and wounded scores of others in the town.  While she did not give specific date of the disaster or the creation of St. Mary's Hospital,  Sister Malachi dated the event by revealing,  "The Mayo brothers were among our first doctors,   the founders of the now world renown Mayo Clinic.  When the two sons of a prominent Rochester physician, Dr. William Worrall Mayo,  founded their clinic,   the Sisters of Assisi Heights made a reciprocal agreement to staff the brother's clinic in exchange for their continued medical services at St. Mary's.   Both Mayo brothers died in 1939;  however,  guided by their original principles and ideals the brothers instituted,  the Mayo Clinic continues to serve humanity.   Likewise, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi Heights continue their service guided by the principles of their Order and Church. The Sisters saw needs and filled them.  Many of the Sisters served as nurses,   many others became teachers as Sister Malachy had done.  Each to her own calling,  they unselfishly devoted their lives to the service of God and others.

Sister Malachy often visits the inner court garden to "pray and enjoy God's wonders."  She allowed me to accompany her to the garden and posed for me with a marble statue of St. Francis of Assisi  silently watching over us.  The whiteness of the stone was accented by a surrounding palette of flowers selected for their diversity and vivid colors.  I knew the beauty of the scene would be difficult to capture in pencil.  More importantly,  I was concerned that I would not be able to capture the gentleness in her manner and her peaceful countenance. 

Sister Malachy stated she enjoyed her retirement in the excellent health care center provided for the elder sisters by caring nurses and loving Sisters within the Mother House.  She says says she is in her "nifty nineties,"  thanks God that she has the use of her five senses and is able to partake of most of the community prayers and activities.  "I look to heaven for the time when a loving and merciful God will call me home,"  she tells me in a soft voice and a smile that radiates from her face to touch the deepest recesses of my soul.

The sisters receiving nursing care at Assisi Heights Convent are included in the community activities in whatever capacity they are capable of participating.  There are no feelings of isolation,  neglect or abandonment to fate.  They are blessed by their love and care for one another and their boundless faith.