Jubilarians: Sister Carol Wilson, Sister Christine Triggs, Sister Monika Aleksandrowicz

Sister Carol Wilson, RSM
60 Years

“Be open to God’s call. Be attentive to all the signs, large and small, he will send you. Then say, ’Yes.’”

Sister Carol Wilson initially wanted to be a nurse, but an invitation by her high school principal to join the secretarial staff at Cathedral High School, Trenton, led to a realization this was a calling from God to enter religious life. 

“I wanted to be a nurse, but at that time I would have had to get the money to go to nursing school, but my influence was going to Cathedral High School. The Sisters there were just wonderful. They seemed happy and they were very supportive of us,” she said. “I still wanted to be a nurse, but God had other plans for me.”

She entered the Sisters of Mercy from Holy Cross Church, Trenton, in September 1964.

Sister Carol earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Georgian Court College, Lakewood, and her Master of Arts degree in education as a reading specialist from Seton Hall University, South Orange.

Her education was put to good use in Catholic schools across the dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen. She saw her years as an educator as an opportunity to form young minds and influence parents, as well, to the needs of the poor and those who were treated unjustly.

She also realized that many children suffered from loss and grief in their young lives, and so, while serving in St. Ann School, Keansburg, she began the RAINBOWS program for grieving children.

Her years as an administrator in several afterschool programs reinforced her concern for those who struggle with financial need, like single parent families.

Today, Sister Carol is retired and living at Mount St Mary’s, Watchung.

Looking back at her experiences as a teacher she said, “Keansburg I just loved,” saying she left after 25 years of teaching when St. Ann’s closed.

After she left teaching she volunteered at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, on its oncology floor for two years. 

 “When you see what people go through, it puts everything in perspective,” Sister Carol said. 

For those discerning a vocation, she advised, “Pray about it, but see if you can get in touch with a Sister and talk. It’s a commitment. God, I think, lets you know in your heart [if it is your calling],” she said.

By Paul J. Peyton, Correspondent

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Sister Christine Triggs, RSM
50 Years

“I have surely been enriched by living with so many dedicated, kind, and gifted sisters.”

When Sister Christine Triggs talks about her life as a Mercy Sister listeners can catch the joy. “My 50 years as a Sister of Mercy have been filled with blessings!” she exclaimed. “When I entered I had a degree in biology and had hoped to go on to study nursing. While waiting for permission to do that, I was sent to teach and fell in love with that ministry. God knows what he is doing!” 

Born in South Amboy and taught by Sisters of Mercy in both St. Mary’s Elementary School, South Amboy, and in Georgian Court College, Lakewood, Sister Christine entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1974. Most of her years were spent in Atlantic City where she taught for 38 years in Our Lady Star of the Sea School.

“The young people I taught were a real source of joy for me,” she shared. Our school and parish community was such an enriching mixture of cultures.  Many immigrant families were drawn there by jobs in the casino. We were blessed with wonderful pastors and supportive families.”

Sister Christine reflected, “Community life was also a very good fit for me. Living with a group of women of various backgrounds and ages has its challenges, but I have surely been enriched by living with so many dedicated, kind, and gifted sisters.”

Five years ago, Sister Christine moved to Mount Saint Mary where she served as an assistant coordinator, working with retired sisters who live in Gabriel Hall, Watchung, in assisted living.  Since 2022 she serves as Sister Life Minister for the 40 sisters who live in Mount Saint Mary and Gabriel Hall. 

Her work, she explained, “can involve anything from accompanying a sister to the ER, helping to plan community celebrations, or dealing with a plumbing problem that happens after hours. As I mentioned, I am built for community life, so I thrive on living, praying, learning, and laughing with our sisters. I believe that my ministry and my community life help me to grow in God’s love. What else matters?”

By Mary Morrell, Editor-in-Chief

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Sister Monika Aleksandrowicz, LSIC
25 Years

“I was inspired by the sisters’ smile, kindness, simplicity, prayer life and intimate closeness to Mary and Jesus according to their religious community motto: ‘Through Mary to Jesus.’”

A nurse by profession, Sister Monika Aleksandrowicz, is director of nursing at St. Joseph’s Senior Home Nursing Center in Woodbridge.

A Little Sister of the Immaculate Conception by vocation, she is celebrating her 25th jubilee this year.

Sister Monika was born in Poland, but her family came to the United States seeking a better life after she graduated from high school. “It turned out to be my ‘promised land’ and instead of a better future I found the greatest treasure in the world – Jesus and my religious vocation,” she said.

She lived in New York for four years where she worked various jobs – factory worker, housekeeper, deli cashier and babysitter. She studied English in an evening ESL program with hope that one day she could continue her education in a college or a university.

She was a member of a Polish youth group, “Oaza,” at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Greenpoint, New York, where she grew in faith and discerned her vocation to a religious life. “I was always a people person, loved children and helping others. I felt that the love I received from God is so enormous that I have to share it with others and with the whole world.”

At a Youth 2000 retreat, she met Little Servant Sisters of The Immaculate Conception and realized after getting to know them and their charism of serving the children, the sick and the needy of the world, that this was the community where God wanted her to be as a religious.

“Community life to me is a great joy because I always have sisters support, our joy is multiplied and sorrow is divided,” she said. “I am very grateful to God for the undeserved and mysterious gift of my vocation to the religious life and to my families, the religious and the natural, for putting up with me all those years and the love and support I receive every day.”

Sister Monika studied nursing at Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing in Camden and Kean University in Union.

By Cori Urban, Contributing Editor