Staff photo by Fritz Busch Sister Agnes of the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus points out aspects of the Motherhouse chapel during an open house tour celebrating 15 years of serving God in the Diocese of New Ulm Sunday.

NEW ULM — Hundreds of people stood in line at times at the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus open house celebrating 15 years of serving God in the Diocese of New Ulm Sunday.

Children may be familiar with the Handmaids. They may have seen them at New Ulm Area Catholic School and Catholic church functions.

For most people, seeing a nun going out for a run wearing her habit would be quite unusual. In New Ulm, it’s rather common.

“Many people think just one of us runs and that’s who they see running outside. Actually, many of the 20 sisters here run. But, we often run by themselves in our recreation time,” said Sister Ancilla Joy who greeted open house visitors just inside the convent at 515 State St. N. that formerly housed Holy Trinity Middle School.

The principal house for a Catholic religious community, the Motherhouse is the center of operations and headquarters for the Handmaids congregation.

Tour stops included the Handmaids’ living quarters, offices, a chapel and dining area.

The Handmaids follow a long history of Catholic religious sisters who have served in New Ulm. Their accomplishments include establishing and running hospitals, teaching in Catholic schools and building the Way of the Cross, completed in 1904, renovated in 2004, with statues imported from Bavaria, located behind New Ulm Medical Center off Fifth Street North.

“Our Motherhouse in New Ulm has been such an immense blessing to our community. The parishioners and community members in New Ulm have been so generous and supportive of our community throughout the years. We are deeply grateful to be part of this spiritual community,” said Sister Mary Joseph, Local Superior of the Handmaids’ house in New Ulm.

The Handmaids continue to grow with 36 sisters serving in New Ulm, St. Paul, Duluth and Dickinson, N.D.

Young women who join the Handmaids are 20-30 years old and college graduates. They begin their time at the New Ulm Motherhouse with a three-year formation period in which they learn the way of life and take classes on Philosophy, Theology, Scripture, Church History, and Education, etc.

After three years, sisters profess first vows and are assigned to one of the locations Handmaids serve.

Professed sisters serve in various ministry positions. In the summer, they attend University of St. Thomas classes to earn a graduate level certificate in Catholic education.

Their 16-hour daily schedule includes rising at 4:50 a.m. Readings, morning, evening and night prayers, walks, Holy Mass, studying, chores, classes, recreation and silence at 9 p.m.

The New Ulm Motherhouse has 26 bedrooms and needs 216 new windows that cost $4,000 each. Built in 1904, they were last replaced about 50 years ago. Most of them are broken or inoperable.

For more information, visit handmaidsoftheheartofjesus.org.