Avid curiosity energizes 100-year-old Franciscan sister to never stop learning

Franciscan Sister Lillian Kroll, a Franciscan Sister of Little Falls for 83 years, has been an educator, from kindergarten to university level and adult education. A learner as much as a teacher, she knew she didn’t want a sedentary retirement at the age of 65.

So she set a goal to try something new every five years. Mastering the flute was the first of those intentions.

“I wanted to do something interesting and growth-ful,” she said. “I’ve taught music all my life and play many instruments, but I wanted to get really good at flute. Besides, they’re easy to carry around.”

But because she was still very active — as religious education director, family minister, vocation director, retreat director and  spiritual director — she didn’t practice as often as she’d originally hoped.

Sister Lillian said her most outstanding work was in family ministry, when she’d visit families and offer cluster family retreats.

“I wanted to do that kind of retreat with my own family, so in about 1974, I led a discussion with my parents and 12 sisters and brothers and their spouses. Father Tony [Kroll], my younger brother, said Mass under the trees and we enjoyed refreshments. They liked it so much that we did it every year.

“In time, with nieces and nephews, an afternoon wasn’t enough time — we needed two days and then a whole weekend,” she said. “For the last 48 straight years, our family retreats have reflected on Scripture and the teachings of Jesus. Because Jesus laughed in Scripture, we always laugh and include play. One year the children put together skits. Last year we discussed what each phrase of the Our Father means.”

Though highly involved in ministry, she continued adding new skills to her repertoire. At 70, she tackled the computer, at 75 she became a ticket agent for the Franciscan sisters and began leading pilgrimage retreats to Assisi, Italy.

“Since age 78, I’d been working with our Secular Franciscans, who asked me to lead a retreat to Assisi. I took six people that first year. Then my Franciscan sisters asked if I’d arrange retreats for them. That became two or three groups each year, until I was 85. Then the leadership of our order said, ‘We think it’s about time to stop taking people on these retreats.’”

At 85, Sister Lillian added watercolor painting to her repertoire.

“I always wanted to be an artist and had been doing wood sculpture,” she said. “I love creation, and I sing as soon as I get outdoors. It makes my whole body tingle to see the colors, the leaves, the birds and the flowers and feel the breezes. Watercolor painting would be a different way to show it. The colors of creation inspired me to create with a passion.”

She’s created more than 100 paintings and presented three solo shows. Many of her paintings have been reproduced as elegant cards.

At 90, Sister Lillian took up the harmonica. “From little on, I was always singing or I would take a comb and waxed paper to make music. The harmonica is another way to make music with my mouth. And I could carry a harmonica in my pocket when I went outside. I started with ‘God Bless America’ and ‘America the Beautiful.’ My cousin Carol Weeks and I both learned the harmonica — and played a concert at 95.”

Since age 95, Sister Lillian has explored ways of growing through macular degeneration which includes a dedication to daily exercise. That began at age 22 when she became ill, feeling under-prepared for an overload of difficult tasks. The mother general at the time suggested daily walks outside. She followed the advice and has been healthy ever since.

“I walk a mile outside with my walker when the path is cleared. In winter, I get up at 4:30 every morning when nobody else is awake and walk in the halls — 25 loops is a mile. I keep track by counting on my fingers, which keeps my fingers moving as well.”

She doesn’t nap because her days are too short, and she still has much she wants to do, including listening to and being inspired by tapes for the blind.

Though macular degeneration might stop other painters, Sister Lillian continues in a new way with watercolors. “I can paint using my fingers as crayons and feel to put color in different places. I’m eager to pick up my brushes and start painting.”

Born March 18, 1922, on a farm southeast of Royalton, Sister Lillian will celebrate her 100th birthday on Saturday, March 19, the feast of St. Joseph. That day will be easier for the cooks, she said. Due to COVID restrictions, only her brothers and sisters will visit. Father Tony will say Mass.

“I hope other people will live their lives to the fullest — being interested in life, relating to people, praying and enjoying creation. Don’t give up because there’s so much in life,” Sister Lillian said. “I bend before God in humble gratitude for the many gifts he’s given me. I hope to give them all back to him in some way.”