As they walk through the convent, with its intimate chapel, outdoor garden, spacious kitchen and gathering spaces, the four School Sisters of Notre Dame are sentimental.

“We prayed vespers together, had meetings at the table, talked about the day’s events, and played Yahtzee, cribbage and cards,” said Sister Bernadette Welter.

“I never won,” retorted Sister Yolanda Latessa, prompting nods and laughter from her fellow sisters.

Sister Bernadette, 78, Sister Yolanda, 88, Sister Veronica Horvat, 85, and Sister Marjorie Rosenau, 89, are the last School Sisters of Notre Dame community members to reside in the St. Francis de Sales Convent.

The convent, located just off West Seventh Street in St. Paul, will close at the end of the year. The sisters are moving to Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mankato, a former provincial house for the School Sisters of Notre Dame international congregation.

The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught school and served in the parish of St. Francis de Sales continuously for 135 years, dating back to 1884. A celebration of thanksgiving for their ministry and presence was held at the church Oct. 26.

“The relationships we have had with the parish members and beyond over these years makes this a bittersweet closure,” said Sister Bernadette.

Following a discernment process that began a year ago, the sisters made the decision to move, due to their age. They look forward to living at the “Mother House” in Mankato, with the chance to reconnect with other School Sisters of Notre Dame that they have known and worked with throughout their lives. Our Lady of Good Council is now one of four campuses of the Sisters’ Central Pacific Province, which formed in 2011 with the merger of four U.S. provinces, or administrative regions. The Sisters’ Japanese region integrated into the province in 2013.

Education is the main focus of the School Sisters of Notre Dame ministry. “Our constitution states that we are educators in all we are and do, and that we continually choose ways of living and serving that call to growth,” said Sister Bernadette.

Sister Veronica taught in various grade and high schools, including from 1956 to 1959 at St. Francis de Sales. At that time, 18 sisters lived at the convent.

“I recall teaching during the day and then going to St. Catherine College in the evening to study calculus,” she said. “I also remember parent-teacher conferences. I was amazed that the students had such young parents, as my own parents were much older when I was born.”

Sister Yolanda grew up attending St. Francis de Sales School before entering the School Sisters of Notre Dame community, one of 30 women from the parish who joined the congregation. She has lived at the convent for the past 24 years.

“When they had the open house for the new convent in 1950, I remember going with my mom,” Sister Yolanda said. “I wanted to see it as I knew I’d probably live there.”

Sister Bernadette notes that there are 45 School Sisters of Notre Dame in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, living in apartments and homes, while serving in education and on parish staffs as well as on social issues, health care and vocation work.

The youngest of the four sisters, Sister Bernadette began her ministry as a primary grade school teacher. She most recently has worked at the West Seventh Community Center and has provided home health care services through several organizations.

“Because of my age and energy, I might get asked to do some type of ministry in Mankato and am open to that,” she said. “At Our Lady of Good Counsel, we’ll have the opportunity to continue retirement and volunteer in a number of ministries and city outreach organizations.”

Sister Marge, who has lived at St. Francis de Sales Convent since 2000, will miss the parishioners and parish staff who were welcoming, kind and generous to the sisters.

“I’ll miss this choir, too,” said Sister Marge. “At Our Lady of Good Counsel, the choir will be all women’s voices, of course.

“I’m looking forward to more time to pray and enjoy my hobbies in Mankato. And once I’m settled in, I’ll be chomping at the bit to start teaching again. There’s a learning center there, and I especially enjoy teaching reading.”

1884
St. Francis de Sales, the third German parish in St. Paul, is established, with a simple frame church, rectory, and combination school and convent. School Sisters of Notre Dame are sent to teach in the school and run the household. Classes begin with 134 children in three classrooms.

1885
Classrooms are added to the original school and convent, and a separate convent is built.

1894
Eight sisters are teaching over 400 children at the school.

1915
Seventeen sisters are teaching 570 children at the school.

1920s
St. Francis de Sales reaches its peak enrollment of over 700 students.

1938
A new school for grades K-8 and a two-year high school is built, including 15 classrooms, a large auditorium, social rooms, club rooms and a bowling alley.

1950
A new convent is built with private rooms for 24 sisters.

1963
The two-year high school closes, and enrollment begins declining.

1988
St. Francis de Sales School and nearby St. James School consolidate to form St. Francis-St. James United School. The convent houses a few sisters who teach at the school and other sisters who provide various ministries at the parish and in the community.

2011
St. Francis de Sales and St. James parishes merge to become Church of St. Francis de Sales.

2013
St. Francis-St. James United School, with 75 students, closes.

2019
School Sisters of Notre Dame leave St. Francis de Sales Convent.